Hockey Team to Face Colgate, Cornell

It's gut-check time for the Harvard men's hockey team.

The Crimson (13-3-2, 10-2-2 ECAC) has to play three games in the next four nights and five in a nine-day period.

Harvard will host Colgate (11-9-2, 8-4-2) tonight at the Bright Hockey Center at 7:30 p.m. to kick off the grueling stretch.

The Crimson will then host Cornell (4-10-5, 4-5-5) on Saturday at 7:00 and face Boston College (11-10-3) in the Beanpot finale Monday night before traveling to Dartmouth and Vermont next weekend.

"We just have to focus on each game, one at a time," senior defender Derek Maguire says. "We can't afford to look ahead too far."

Focus is exactly what the Crimson was lacking in its games against the Big Red and the Red Raiders in late November.

Harvard took a 5-1 third-period lead over Cornell, only to see the Big Red score the next three goals. The Crimson held on for the 5-4 win, but just barely.

The next night saw a complete defensive breakdown by the Crimson, as Colgate scored the final three goals of the game (two in the last 1:57) to hand the Crimson its first defeat of the season, 7-6.

"[Colgate] always seems to have a good group of forwards," Harvard Head Coach Ronn Tomassoni said. "They are very effective with their power play [three power-play goals against Harvard]."

Harvard showed more discipline in its 4-2 Beanpot win over Boston University.

The Terriers failed to capitalize on their sole power play and the Crimson's defense played a tough, smart game.

"When we play five-on-five, there are not too many teams that will be able to skate with us," Tomassoni said, "We showed tremendous discipline [Monday]."

The Red Raiders won their first four ECAC games, but have gone just 4-4-2 in ECAC play since then.

Colgate has scored 5.07 goals per game, second only to Harvard (5.14 GPG).

Freshman Mike Harder leads all Red Raiders with 35 points (16 goals, 19 assists), including two against Harvard (the second was the game winner).

The difference between Harvard and Colgate is defense. While the Crimson has been the ECAC's top defensive team (2.71 GAA) as well, the Red Raiders are eighth out of the twelve teams, posting a 4.00 GAA.

Sophomore Matt Weder (4-3-1, 3.17 GAA) and junior Jason Gates (6-4-1, 4.37 GAA) have had a lot of pucks thrown at them this season.

Red Playing Big

Not too much was expected of Cornell's hockey team this year, but the Big Red has had a successful ECAC campaign so far.

Last year's squad failed to make the 10-team ECAC tournament, but solid defense has lifted the team into seventh place in the league rankings.

Sophomore Eddy Skazyk has been brilliant in nets for the Big Red, posting a 4-2-2 ECAC record, a 3.05 GAA and a .914 save percentage.

Senior Geoff Bumstead (11-12-23) has paced Cornell's offense, while junior Jake Karam (5-15-20) and sophomore Mike Sancimino (8-11-19) have also seen a lot of red, in the form of the goal light.

If the Crimson can remain out of the penalty box and keep its defensive focus, Harvard should be able to post two W's this weekend..

Then the players can worry about Monday's Beanpot finale.