It’s not often that the early semifinal is the most dramatic of the night, but that’s what we got last Monday.
The Crimson made light work of the Eagles early on in the first game but had to withstand a massive push in the third period to come away with the win, 4-3 in overtime.
Harvard got to work early, putting one past Mitch Benson that was eventually waived off, but stuck with it as Marek Hejduk scored on an odd-man rush with a slick top-shelf finish midway through the first. From there, the Crimson kept up the offense as a Mike Posma deflection to get BC on the board was bookended by two Matthew Coronato power play goals, each off one-time blasts from the left circle.
In the third, the Eagles went for broke, outshooting Harvard 22-2 in the period. They finally broke through Gibson for a second time when Nikita Nesterenko danced through the defense on a smooth individual effort with five minutes to go in regulation. Then Cutter Gauthier tied it, 3-3, with 1:31 left on the clock.
In a back-and-forth overtime, it was Hejduk coming up with the heroics, finishing a one-timer on a 2-on-1 counter rush with Alex Laferriere with 1.5 seconds.
HARVARD HOCKEY HISTORY 🚨🚨
MAREK HEJDUK SENDS THE CRIMSON TO THE FINAL WITH 1.5 LEFT IN OT
📺NESN #GoCrimson | #OneCrimson pic.twitter.com/AdGub1FpbP— Harvard Men’s Hockey (@HarvardMHockey) February 7, 2023
In the nightcap, Northeastern took advantage of a sluggish BU start and a clutch performance from Devon Levi late to take the 3-1 win, avenging last year’s championship defeat.
Aidan McDonough got it started with six minutes left in the first, picking the top-left corner from the left circle off of some pretty passing from the Huskies. Jakov Novak doubled the lead just 1:48 into the second when he cashed in on the doorstep.
As the Terriers pressed, Matt Brown got them on the board with the goalie pulled with 1:51 left, but it was no use. Levi stood tall as he stopped 25 shots through the final two periods, including 15 of 16 in the third, and Hunter McDonald added his first career goal via the empty net with 30 seconds left.
Something about that clutch gene.#HowlinHuskies pic.twitter.com/ZHXhjoOu6x
— Northeastern Men’s Hockey (@GoNUmhockey) February 8, 2023
