Harvard better, but still loses

Friday night was memorable for the Harvard men's hockey team for all the wrong reasons. The Crimson, hosting North Dakota, suffered their most lopsided loss in more than three decades, 10-1.

The good news about playing the same team on back-to-back nights is that there is a chance at instant redemption. Harvard (4-6-2) played significantly better last night at Bright Hockey Center, but gave up two goals a minute and a half apart in the third period in dropping a 4-3 decision to the Fighting Sioux (7-8-1). The Crimson are winless in their last six games (0-4-2).

"I think we did a lot of good things," said coach Ted Donato. "I'm very proud of the way our guys responded after [Friday]. We're not in this for moral victories but for us to put forth a really good, solid effort and to fight tooth and nail to the very end, even in a loss it was a very positive step for our team."

Penalties played a role early. Harvard (2 for 8 on the power play) took a 1-0 lead at 2:07 of the first period when freshman left wing Alex Killorn capitalized on a five-on-three advantage, beating UND goalie Brad Eidsness from the right circle for his third goal of the season. North Dakota (3 for 5 on the power play) answered with two tallies on the two-man advantage. Senior left wing Ryan Duncan buried a shot from just outside the left post at 6:59, then at 7:53, the Fighting Sioux struck again when junior defenseman Chay Genoway beat Matt Hoyle on a slap shot from the left circle to make it 2-1.

Harvard looked to tie it during a five-minute power play late in the first, but couldn't break through. The Crimson did pull even at 9:54 of the second, scoring the first even-strength goal of the night when sophomore right wing Michael Del Mauro tipped a shot past Eidsness for his second strike of the year.

Harvard freshman center Daniel Moriarty broke the deadlock with a power-play goal eight seconds into the third period, but the momentum didn't last. At 6:03, UND center David Toews tied it with a power-play goal and sophomore Matt Frattin put the Fighting Sioux on top at 7:33 when he beat Hoyle from deep in the slot while falling to the ice.

UNH 3, UMass-Lowell 2 - Blake Kessel found the net with a power-play strike at 18:10 of the third period to give the Wildcats (7-6-3, 4-4-2 Hockey East) a hard-fought victory over the River Hawks (8-7-0, 5-4-0) at Durham, N.H.

Union 5, Yale 2 - Stephane Boileau had a goal and an assist and Corey Milan had 35 saves as the Dutchmen (7-5-1, 2-4-0 ECAC) beat the Bulldogs (5-3-0, 4-2-0) in New Haven.

RPI 7, Brown 2 - Patrick Cullen's two goals and Mathias Lange's 29 saves propelled the Engineers (3-11-1, 2-5-0 ECAC) past the Bears (1-5-1, 1-4-2) in Providence.

Holy Cross 3, Bentley 2 - Matt Celin's second goal of the game at 3:02 of the third period was the winner for the Crusaders (5-10-1, 5-8-1) in an Atlantic Hockey victory over the Falcons (6-6-1, 5-4-1) in Worcester.

Babson 5, Wesleyan 2 - Casey Fazekas and Chris Wood each scored shorthanded goals to power the Beavers (3-2-1, 2-2-0 NESCAC) in Wellesley.

Trinity 8, UMass-Boston 3 - Paul Jaskot had a hat trick and Sean McCarthy had two goals as the Bantams (3-3-0, 2-2-0 NESCAC) routed the host Beacons (4-2-1, 1-2-1).

Williams 5, Salem St. 4 - Octavian Jordan's goal 2:10 into the third period snapped a 4-4 tie and propelled the visiting Ephs (2-1-0) past the Vikings (2-1-0).

Tufts 3, N.E. College 2 - Jared Melillo broke up a 2-2 tie in the third to spark the Jumbos (3-3-0, 2-2-0 NESCAC) at Malden.

Women

Northeastern 2, Vermont 1 - Kristi Kehoe and Stephanie Gavronsky notched goals and Leah Sulyma had 26 saves as the Huskies (7-5-2, 4-1-2 Hockey East) edged the Catamounts in Burlington, Vt.

Material from wire services was used in this report.