Preview: Saint Lawrence Saints at Harvard Crimson

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (Interstat) — The Harvard Crimson and Saint Lawrence Saints will meet for the third time this season, looking to break a deadlock in their season series when they face off in a women’s NCAA Division I hockey game Saturday at Bright-Landry Hockey Center.

The teams skated to a 1-1 draw on Jan. 23 here in Cambridge, with Harvard having won the prior meeting 1-0 in Canton, New York, on Nov. 1. Saturday’s matchup features two programs seeking consistency in the final stretch of the regular season.

Harvard (13-13-2) enters on a modest uptick, coming off a 2-1 road win at Union last Saturday. The Crimson have relied heavily on standout goaltender Ainsley Tuffy, who made 33 saves in that victory. Over her last six appearances, Tuffy has posted a .955 save percentage, including a 48-save performance in a win over Cornell on Jan. 31. Her play will be critical against a Saint Lawrence team that generates volume, averaging 30.1 shots per game.

The Saints (11-18-3) have struggled for results lately, dropping their last three contests, including a 4-2 home loss to Colgate on Feb. 14. Despite the losses, sophomore forward Rylan Haslam has been a bright spot. She scored one of the Saints’ goals against Colgate, firing a team-high six shots on net, and has recorded 22 shots on goal over her last five games. Her offensive spark will be needed against Tuffy.

Harvard’s offense, averaging 2.21 goals per game, will look to solve Saints goaltender Kassidy Lawrence, who made 22 saves in the most recent matchup. The Crimson’s Morgan McGathey, who scored the game-winner against Union, will be a key figure.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, this contest is projected to be another tight one, favoring Harvard in a 3-2 final. With both teams separated by just four points in the ECAC standings and recent history indicating a low-scoring, goaltender-centric affair, Saturday’s game promises high stakes and narrow margins.

Puck drop is scheduled for 3 p.m. EST.