The Yale men’s ice hockey team was defeated by Harvard 3-2 in a closely contested game at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center on Friday evening. This match marked the first of two meetings between the rivals this season, with their next encounter scheduled for February 14 at Ingalls Rink.
Yale’s record now stands at 4-6, while Harvard improved to 6-3-1 following the win.
The Bulldogs took an early lead late in the first period when Rhys Bentham scored from the point. However, Harvard responded with a power play goal just before the end of the period, tying the game at 1-1.
The second period saw no goals, as both teams had two power play opportunities but failed to convert.
Harvard gained momentum in the third period with Richard Gallant scoring to give them a 2-1 advantage. Later in the period, Justin Solovey extended Harvard’s lead to 3-1 before Yale pulled goalie Jack Stark for an extra attacker. Zachary Wagnon then scored for Yale, narrowing the deficit to one goal with less than a minute remaining.
This game was the 272nd meeting between Yale and Harvard on the ice. Harvard currently leads the series with 157 wins, while Yale has 92 victories and there have been 23 ties.
Wagnon’s goal was his third of the season and marked Yale’s first goal with an extra attacker since Dylan Herzog scored against Brown on February 6, 2025. Bentham’s goal was his first of this season and eighth of his career. Goalie Jack Stark made 28 saves and posted a .903 save percentage during the game.
Harvard outshot Yale significantly, recording a total of 64 shots compared to Yale’s 24; shots on goal were also in Harvard’s favor at 31-13. Both teams committed four penalties each during the contest.
Yale will continue its road trip by facing Dartmouth on Saturday, December 6 at 7 p.m.
