Return Of The One-Timer

Just when you thought it might be safe to file this year's Harvard men's hockey team into the ranks of mediocrity, "it" makes a resurgence.

The pronoun does not stand for some asexual being, sprung from its cage to propel the Crimson to victory.

"It" does not even stand for something living. But the power of "it" certainly is unmatched, made clear Saturday afternoon's game against Yale.

"It" is the one-timer.

And "it" is back with a vengeance.

Saturday afternoon's game against Yale might not have been your average Harvard-Yale matchup, especially with the weather-battered crowd of only 2104, but the contest served as a perfect example of Harvard's season thus far.

Harvard's sluggish first period (Yale had a 2-0 lead) brought back memories of Friday night's 5-3 loss to Princeton.

But just as Harvard's season has progressed thus far, the Crimson rebounded.

The success could be partially attributed to the aforementioned one-timer. But more on that later.

But did coach Ronn Tomassoni make any calculated changes, any strategic moves after that disastrous first 20 minutes?

"No, we just had a little heart-to-heart chat," he said.

Just as Harvard has done with its own season, the Crimson turned the game around in those last two periods.

At that time, finally, the one-timer emerged from its shell, surfaced in the time of dire need.

But who would be the recipient?

Who would exploit the one-timer, just as Arthur pulled Excalibur from the stone, shining in all its glory?

Who else but the player cited as having perhaps the best such weapon on the team?

That would be junior Brad Konik, who wears number 10, the same uniform number that Sean McCann '94 donned when he turned the onetimer into an art last year.

"One thing I've been having a problem with," Konik said, "is that I'm getting caught in between going to the net...or being up high and being that shooter (of the one timer)."

So what changed Konik's approach?

"Coach made a specific point to say that I want you shooting every possible chance you get up top," Konik said. "We just worked it over to get the one-timer going."

Ah, the effects of a "heart-to-heart chat."

Late in the game, Konik fired a one-timer that appeared to ricochet off the back of the net, but was not ruled a goal. Would the chance ever arise again?

With less than a minute to play, one final opportunity surfaced. Steve Martins saw Konik open in the high slot, and as the junior reared and fired, Kirk Nielsen was Johnny-on-the-spot to tip the shot past the Elinetminder.

Thirty-seven seconds remained in the game, and for once, the chips fell Harvard's way.

"We were optimistic that we just had to keep working," said Konik about the loss to Princeton. "But that didn't happen until the last minute of the game."

In a remarkable contrast to the night before, the Harvard players did not get on themselves because the breaks were not going their way.

"Eventually (against Yale) we got a couple of breaks and we needed them," Konik said. "We needed them bad."

Welcome back, one-timer. We hope you're here to stay.