Men's Hockey Looks to Reverse Course in 2014-2015

March 8 marked the last time that the Harvard men’s ice hockey team took the ice during its 2013-2014 campaign.

Up one goal against Yale with less than 11 minutes left in an elimination game in the ECAC playoffs, the squad conceded two quick goals, and the Bulldogs proceeded to knock the Crimson out of the tournament. It is a memory that the entire team would like to put behind it. Harvard probably also wouldn’t mind forgetting about its 16 other losses from last season, which included a first-round Beanpot blowout and a grab bag of frustratingly close contests in conference play.

Harvard’s young skaters entered last season on a wave of expectations, yet inexperience and injuries came to bear in a 10-17-4 campaign that placed the team in the lowest quadrant of the ECAC for the second straight year.

This month, under new leadership, the team will set out to prove that it is worth another look.

“Last season was a little disappointing,” junior defenseman Patrick McNally said. “We definitely all thought we could have had a better year than we did…but everyone had a bad taste in their mouth[s]. ”

Over the offseason, the Crimson picked up veteran Holy Cross coach Paul Pearl, who will join coach Ted Donato ’91 on the bench as associate head coach. Pearl led the Crusaders to multiple NCAA tournament appearances in 19 seasons with the team and will provide the perspective of a former college defenseman for the Harvard squad.

“Paul brings a wealth of experience,” said Donato after the announcement of Pearl’s hire in May. “He’s done a great job off and on the ice of developing guys, and I think he’ll be a great addition to our staff. He’ll give us some heft in all the areas.”

The Crimson also made a surprising decision in April when it named rising juniors Kyle Criscuolo and Max Everson co-captains. The pair will serve as the team’s first co-captains since 2011 and first non-senior captains since 1946.

“They’re two great leaders, and everyone on the team looks up to them,” Donato said. “It’s good that we have one forward and one defenseman so that we have guys who can lead in both positions.”

Critical to the Crimson’s attempt to climb ranks in the standings is the continued growth of star junior forward Jimmy Vesey. The Nashville Predators prospect led the team with 13 goals last season and is Harvard’s only preseason all-ECAC selection for 2014-2015.

“His all-around game is ready to take a big step,” Donato said. “Not only in the goal-scoring department, but [in] becoming a complete player. He’s committed to being a guy we use in all situations.”

Last year’s rookies also stepped up and made an immediate impact. Five of the eight point leaders from last season were playing their first years of collegiate hockey, including center Sean Malone, who contributed a team-high 14 assists en route to Co-Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors. Forwards Tyler Moy, Luke Esposito, and Alexander Kerfoot also put up double-digit points in their first seasons. All three should help Harvard address the void left by last year’s senior class.

Graduated goaltender Raphael Girard ’14 ranked third in the conference in save percentage, but then-sophomore goaltender Steve Michalek proved himself equally capable last year, posting a percentage just 0.3 behind Girard in his 18 games.

On the blueline, the Crimson said goodbye to captain Dan Ford but say hello to four freshman recruits. Everson and McNally return as the team’s top pair and will look to improve on the defense’s conference-low four goals from last season.

Harvard’s eight freshmen should provide considerable contributions on all areas of the ice this season. Six-foot-seven defenseman Wiley Sherman and 6’5” goaltender Merrick Madsen lead the 2018 recruiting class as the only draft picks. Forwards Seb Lloyd, Joey Caffrey, and Eddie Ellis will also likely see significant ice time.

“All the freshmen that are coming in can play some minutes,” McNally said. “They’re all good players who [had] proven themselves before they came here.”

The rookies and the veterans will nevertheless have to prove themselves again this season. Despite the return of last year’s core and the influx of new talent, the team enters the year ranked lower in the ECAC preseason coaches and media polls than in 2013 after last season’s disappointing results.

Yet, as the Crimson upperclassmen well know, expectations are a funny thing.The Crimson thinks it has the pieces in place to prove the pundits wrong. The coming months will be a matter of execution.

Staff writer Kurt T. Bullard can be reached at kurtbullard@college.harvard.edu.