The men's hockey team (15-11-5, 13-7-2 ECAC) lost to Harvard University in the ECAC quarterfinals on Saturday, when Harvard center Tom Cavanagh's overtime goal at 7:35 broke a 2-2 tie to clinch the series 2-0.
The abrupt finish marked a bitter end to the season for the Bears, dashing the high hopes the team and its cast of senior stars had inspired. Despite holding the ECAC lead and top-20 poll rankings for most of the season, Brown managed only one win in the season's final eight games.
"I'm certainly disappointed with the way the last three weeks have gone," said Head Coach Roger Grillo. "We were playing solid, but obviously not solid enough, and that's not going to get it done this time of year."
The playoff series started badly for Brown, which was outplayed by Harvard and lost 4-2 in Game 1 Friday night.
But on Saturday the team's spirit was revived. "I'm proud of our guys - I thought they battled hard," Grillo said of the team's effort in the final game.
Facing elimination, Brown came out skating with a controlled intensity. Shane Mudryk '04 scored to give Brown an early 1-0 lead. Leading a three-on-two rush into the Harvard zone, Brown center Joe Bauer '06 fed Mudryk, who wristed the puck from the left wing off the far post to beat Harvard goalie Dov Grumet-Morris cleanly. It was the first goal of the year for Mudryk, whose play had picked up in recent games.
"Playing in the playoffs is a whole different style of game. The intensity is a lot higher than the regular season," said captain Scott Ford '04. "Players rise up and give efforts, players pay the price and are heroes. Shane Mudryk tonight had a phenomenal night."
After Mudryk's goal, the Bears seized the moment to pressure the Crimson, drawing three consecutive penalties. The power play showed poise and determination, but shots by Ford and Cory Caouette '06 rang off Grumet-Morris's right post. Brown missed the chance to take a controlling lead.
"We moved the puck well but couldn't capitalize," Grillo said. "Harvard got a little momentum from that point."
The second period opened with a Crimson blitz, with Brown skaters being beaten to the puck and goalie Yann Danis '04 making huge save after huge save.
Midway through the second, at the center of the Crimson storm, Mudryk found himself with the puck deep in the defensive end and made a heads-up play that resulted in his second goal. Mudryk calmly skated the puck clear from danger, launching a Brown rush and a moment later knocking in a rebound by defenseman Paul Crosty '05 for a 2-0 lead at 10:36.
But Brown could not knock Harvard out, as the Crimson responded seconds later when Tim Pettit deflected a pass by Danis to make the score 2-1.
"The shift after a goal is extremely important," said Harvard's Tyler Kolarik.
The Pettit goal checked the surging Brown crowd and motivated Kolarik, whose power-play goal at 2:06 of the third period tied the score 2-2.
Harvard's special-teams edge was key to its victory. Harvard scored on three of 12 power plays, while Brown converted only once in 11 tries. The Brown power play unit was sharper on Saturday, but not sharp enough.
"We had a couple of scoring chances early," Ford said. "We just weren't able to capitalize and stretch out our lead."
The season-ending loss set a desolate tone in Brown's clubhouse. Still, Grillo and the team spoke with pride about the season's accomplishments.
"The whole senior group has been tremendous," Grillo said. "We'll miss Yann and each one of them. They put our program on the map and got us in the national picture."
Brown finished the season as co-champion of the Ivy League with 15 wins, including two in the regular season against Harvard.
"We appreciate the support during the four years that we've been here, from the alumni - especially those who've been with us in the bad times and good - as well as the students who've been coming out," Ford said. "It's been great to have the strong fan support the last couple of games."
