As November closes out tonight, both the Red Raiders and the Crimson are looking to reach their full potential as the season rolls along. For Colgate its been a matter of missing offense. In Harvard’s case its been poor penalty killing. Last week seen Colgate beat ranked Princeton 2-1 and then lose to ranked Quinnipiac 5-0, both at home in Hamilton, NY. Harvard rolled to a 4-1 thrashing of Cornell in a non-conference game at fabled Madison Square Garden in New York.

Harvard Senior goalie Michael Lackey had been a bit of a question mark coming into the season. Since overcoming some early season jitters Lackey has been pretty solid. Lackey was seeing the puck well in the opening period of this one. Squaring up to the shooter and turning aside a few early Colgate chances. The Crimson were the first to capitolize when Senior forward Louis Zerter-Gossage knocked home a Reilly Walsh rebound to the left of Colgate goalie Mitch benson @ 7:43. A Jack Drury turnover at the Colgate blue line led to a foot race between Colgate’s Trevor Cosgrove and Harvard’s Jack Rathbone. Cosgrove won but was bothered enough by Rathbone that he shot the puck wide of Lackey. Harvard’s Henry Bowlby was called for Roughing @15:56 putting Harvard a man down. Colgate wasted no time in taking advantage of the wretched Harvard penalty kill, when Senior Adam Dauda fired a Josh McKechney pass past Lackey. 1-1 @ 15:18. Colgate’s Willie Brooks was called for Holding @ 19:32 giving the nation’s #1 Power Play yet another opportunity. It took :30 seconds before Junior defenseman Adam Fox fed a racing Casey Dornbauch up the right side, where he was able to slide a pass back out front to a wide open Reilly Walsh in the slot. 2-1 Harvard as the first period wound down. Colgate outdrew the Crimson 14-5 on the face off battles, while Harvard outshot the Raiders 15-6.

The second period was all Harvard. Even with Jack Donato being called for Boarding @ 3:05, Colgate was unable to mount anything before Brooks was whistled for the second time, this time for Tripping @ 4:27. Brooks had to sprint to keep up with Bowlby as the two raced for a puck that Bowlby won and had a chance on Benson. And once again the Crimson PP went to work when Adam Fox roofed a shot from the slot past Benson for the 3-1 lead @ 5:49. One minute later Zerter-Gossage threw a shot on net that managed to squeeze under Benson’s pad giving the Crimson a commanding 4-1 lead and ending Benson’s night. His replacement, Freshman Andrew Farrierwould continue to feel the Harvard barrage threw out the 13:11 he played in the period, but he was up to the task making 11 saves. The Crimson continued to swarm Colgate for long stretches. Colgate did generate a few chances of their own but Lackey was continuing to see the puck well. Harvard outshot Colgate 16-5 but lost the face offs 5-14.

The 3rd period opened up with Colgate’s Cosgrove hitting the crossbar a few seconds in. Harvard’s John Marino was called for Holding @ 1:34 giving the Raiders another power play. The Crimson were able to kill this one off successfully. A Frederic Gregoire Tripping penalty @ 8:02 gave the Raiders another power play. Colgate didn’t generate a strong chance on this one either. Another Colgate power play came and went with Jack Badini serving a bench minor @ 10:57. As this one devolved into a power play contest it was now Harvard’s turn with the man advantage. With Senior Rory McGuire in the box it took Harvard :05 to make it 5-1. Jack Drury knocked home an Adam Fox wrister from the point. Adding insult to injury Senior Michael Floodstrand redirected a Jack Rathbone shot-pass @ 17:39 making it 6-1 Crimson. Harvard outshot Colgate 42-26. The Crimson hot Cornell tomorrow @ 7 while Colgate travels to Dartmouth for a 7:30pm tilt in Hanover, NH.