Icers edge Saints in OT to secure ECAC title

The Harvard women’s hockey team improved to 26-0-0 in Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) action with a 3-2 overtime victory against visiting St. Lawrence this past weekend (March 9) to advance to the NCAA tournament. Senior defender Caitlin Cahow netted the game-clinching goal 3:33 into overtime to hand No. 1 Harvard its fifth ECAC tournament title.

With the win, Harvard (31-1-0 overall) becomes the first team in ECAC women’s hockey history to remain perfect in conference play through the regular season and playoffs. The Crimson will now host eighth-seeded Dartmouth in the first round of the NCAA tourney on Saturday (March 15) at 2 p.m. The winner will proceed to the 2008 Frozen Four, scheduled for March 20 and 22 at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.

Moments before Cahow’s goal, the Crimson appeared to have had the game won following a slap shot tally courtesy of junior Kati Vaughn. The goal was called back, however, after the referees ruled that an illegal high stick deflected the puck.

Less than a minute later, Cahow raced down the length of the ice before firing off a shot that sailed past the goalie’s glove to give the hosts the 3-2 victory. A Patty Kazmaier top 10 finalist, Cahow was named the most outstanding player of the tournament and joins teammates Jenny Brine ’09, Christina Kessler ’10, and Liza Ryabkina ’11 on the 2008 All-ECAC tournament team.

Meanwhile, the No. 17 men’s squad will open its bid for a ninth league title when it hosts Quinnipiac in a best-of-three quarterfinal series this weekend (March 14-16). The Crimson earned a first-round bye with its third-place finish in the regular season.

To purchase weekend hockey tickets, call (877) GO-HARVARD or visit http://www.gocrimson.com.

— Andrew Brooks