Harvard Eyes Title Against the Eagles

A history of heartbreak at the hands of Boston College has left the Harvard women’s hockey team empty-handed far too often in recent years. Could the 8 p.m. opening round matchup of the 32nd Beanpot finally be the chance the sixth-ranked Crimson (12-5-4, 9-5-2 ECAC) gets revenge?

It all started four years ago when the Eagles (5-13-9, 4-8-4 Hockey East) won their first Beanpot title, defeating Harvard in the process. The rivalry escalated quickly. The very next year, Boston College knocked off the Crimson again in triple overtime at the Eagles’ home rink in the opening round of the Beanpot. Netting the heartbreaker for Boston College was a freshman named Anna McDonald, now Harvard’s sixth leading scorer. The senior gets a chance to turn the tables tonight.

“I’m really excited this year for the Beanpot because it truly will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me,” McDonald wrote in an email. “I get to come full circle…isn’t that crazy? It’s like a mirror image of the situation, and I feel so lucky to be on this side of the mirror.”

The senior was defeated by her former team last year in the Beanpot finals, a 1-0 loss.

“It’s a big game with bragging rights,” junior forward Kate Buesser said. “A year before I came, we went into three overtimes so it creates some bad blood.”

The rivalry doesn’t look to be cooling anytime soon.

But tonight’s game at the Bright Hockey Center will feature some new faces- notably between the goalposts as both nets feature newcomers with big skates to fill. On the Crimson’s side of the ice is freshman Laura Bellamy, who has been undergoing baptism by fire after a college-career ending injury to senior Christina Kessler forced the rookie into the middle of an ECAC title race.

So far, so good for Bellamy who currently boasts a 1.45 goals against average.

“Laura Bellamy has just been having a great couple of games,” Buesser said. “Knowing we have a good goaltender allows us to…play more aggressively.”

The newcomer’s biggest challenge tonight will likely come from Eagles senior Allie Thunstrom, the team’s leading scorer this season.

“She has a lot of speed and the ability to take advantage of slow defensemen,” co-captain Kathryn Farni said.

Lucky for Bellamy, no one has accused the Crimson defense of being slow.

Meanwhile, Boston College also welcomes a freshman in cage since its previous goaltender, Molly Schaus, is currently competing for the U.S. Olympic team. In the 2007 Beanpot, Schaus set the NCAA record as a freshman for most saves in a game. Unfortunately for the Eagles, Corrine Boyles hasn’t had the immediate success of Bellamy and allowed six goals against a Dartmouth squad that the Harvard freshman held to one in the Crimson’s 4-1 Friday night victory. The Big Green defeated the Eagles 6-3 last Wednesday.

This could lead to a fun night for Buesser, the Crimson’s leading scorer this season with 10 goals and 16 assists.

“We never like to focus on one player,” Buesser said. “You have to get past five players to get that shot…we respect every player on the ice.”

On paper, this looks like the year for Harvard to finally take control of the rivalry. The Crimson enters the game with a better record, the better goaltender, the national ranking, and home ice advantage but as with any rivalry, the game is still brimming with possibilities.

“I think our game plan is to go with a simple three period win,” McDonald said in an email. “Although, if it did have to come down to triple overtime with BC, I can promise you I would pour my heart and soul into getting that goal for Harvard this time.”

And given both team’s penchant for speed, the opening round of the Beanpot should provide no shortage of exciting hockey. There are no sure things in the Beanpot, which has a storied tradition of bringing out the best from the Boston teams look no further than the Crimson’s rivalry with Boston College.

“We like how we’re playing,” Harvard coach Katey Stone said. “Our kids will be ready to go.”

—Staff writer Christina C. McClintock can be reached at ccmcclin@fas.harvard.edu.