Beginning Again in the Garden

For the Harvard men's hockey team, a rest may help the rest of the season.

The Crimson (15-1 overall, 13-1 ECHOIC) has not seen action for three weeks. Harvard's last game--and first loss of the year--came against Yale December 13. Since that cold night in Ingalls Rink, the Crimson players have been taking exams and skating in unsupervised workouts at Bright Center.

They have also been resting. And healing.

When the icemen resume their season February 2 against Northeastern in the first round of the Beanpot Tournament, they may be a little rusty. But at least they'll be healthy.

"It's really like starting the season all over," Harvard forward Lane MacDonald said.

The Crimson bested Yale, 3-2, in its first outing after exams last year. This year, Harvard would like to resume play in winning fashion again.

Earning the Beanpot 'Pot is especially important to the Crimson seniors. Over the last three years, Harvard has not made it past the first round of the tournament, which also features Boston College, Boston University and Northeastern.

The Crimson last snatched the Beanpot title in 1981 with a heroic effort by goaltender Wade Lau. Last year, the squad was dumped by B.C. in the first round--but later topped Northeastern in the consolation game.

"A lay-off is good," Harvard Captain Peter Chiarelli said. "It makes us more eager when we come back. We want to win the Beanpot. We have a good chance. A win would act as a springboard for the rest of the season."

Eleven of the Crimson's first 16 games this season took place on the road--including a pair at Minnesota-Duluth and a weekend series against St. Lawrence and Clarkson in upstate New York.

Fifteen victories over that stretch is amazing. Not so amazing is the punishment some of the players took while climbing to first place in the ECAC and earning a number one national ranking (before dropping to number two in the most recent polls.)

Over the course of those first 16 games, several Crimson skaters--including goalie John Devin, forward Tod Hartje and defenseman Josh Caplan--suffered injuries.

Three weeks off certainly hasn't hurt the hobbling icemen.

"Traditionally we don't do well after the lay-off," defenseman Mark Benning said. "But in the long run, it's good. We get a chance to rest up and heal some of the injuries."

The Crimson has 10 games remaining in the regular season. Two are at Boston Garden for the Beanpot, one is at Vermont and one is at RPI. The rest are at home.

Harvard hasn't lost at Bright all year, and owns a 23-game home unbeaten streak, which extends over two seasons. The Crimson hasn't tied a game in its home arena since Harvard and B.C. battled to a 4-4 deadlock in December of last year.

The hard part of the season is, theoretically, over. Bill the remaining schedule "Back to Bright."

Still, it won't be easy.

"It's going to be a tough stretch," Harvard Assistant Coach Ronn Tomassoni said. "We hope to improve on our first-round Beanpot performances of the last few years, but on the same hand we have quite a few league games coming up. Teams will be gunning for us."

Harvard rests alone atop the ECAC with only one league loss. Colgate, with two league losses, and Yale, with four, are close on the Crimson's heels.

Harvard knocked off the Red Raiders, 5-2, in Hamilton, N.Y., in early December. A Colgate victory on the fast ice of Bright February 13 isn't likely.

Harvard split the season series with Yale. The two teams will not meet again during the regular season, although a confrontation in the ECAC playoffs is likely.

Yale, however, has a tough road ahead--away from its home ice.

"I think we're going to struggle offensively for the whole year," said Yale Coach Tim Taylor, whose team has skated to success on the magic gloves and quick sticks of goalies Mike Schwalb and Mike O'Neill. "We're on the road for six of our last eight games. We're hoping to get home ice for the ECAC playoffs--if possible."

The Crimson, meanwhile, can look forward to a sympathetic crowd for most of its remaining games. And as the season resumes, the team will be healthy and eager.

"A break is always helpful," Benning said. "Without any rest, a lot of teams begin to burn out. When the playoffs roll around, we'll be peaking."

It all begins--again--February 2 at Boston Garden. Harvard vs. Northeastern. The Beanpot.

"The odds have us beating Northeastern and meeting B.C. in the final," Chiarelli said. "The final will be pandemonium. My parents and a lot of other parents are coming down for the final--so we have to be there."