Men’s Ice Hockey Winter Break Recap

The Harvard Men’s Hockey team has been busy over winter break.

After reporting back to campus on December 26th, they have had a schedule filled with days of practice, lifts, matchups against some of their toughest competition, and a mixture of disappointing and exciting player news.

Harvard head coach Ted Donato and first-year standouts Matthew Coronato and Ian Moore, who play forward and defenseman respectively, returned to the team earlier than expected after the 2022 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship was canceled due to COVID-19 outbreaks among several teams.

Both Coronato and Moore had been named to the final 25-man roster of Team USA for the first time, while Donato was returning to Team USA as an assistant coach for his second consecutive year. Coronato, a prospect for the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Calgary Flames, has posted 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 13 games this season for the Crimson, while Moore, a prospect of the Anaheim Ducks, has posted three assists in 14 games.

“It was definitely just really sad, it was a great honor to be there with those guys and play with Team USA,” Coronato said of the tournament’s cancellation. “It was just heartbreaking to have it thrown away after just one game.”

“It was pretty much everything I could have hoped for. It was one of the best experiences I’ve had.”

Moving forward from the World Juniors disappointment, Coronato, Moore, and Coach Donato were then able to return for the team’s first game of break against the University of Connecticut Huskies at home on January 2nd.

In a 6-3 victory, sophomore forwards Alex Laferriere and Sean Farrell and junior forward and captain Nick Abruzzese each had a goal and two assists. Junior forward Austin Wong, senior defenseman Marshall Rifai, and senior forward Baker Shore contributed the other goals while junior goalie Mitchell Gibson earned 32 saves in the Crimson’s dominant win.

Their January 7th home game against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. It has been rescheduled for Tuesday, January 25th at 7pm.

The Crimson were still able to play the next day, home at Bright-Landry, against Union College. They defeated the Dutchmen 4-1, with junior defenseman Henry Thrun and sophomore forward Sean Farrell each picking up a goal and an assist.

Three of the Crimson’s four goals were scored within the first period, setting the tone of the game early. However, both teams became more aggressive as the game went on, with a fight late in the third period resulting in roughing and ten minute misconduct penalties for both Harvard’s Tommy Lyons and Union’s Michael Hodge – Harvard’s Ryan Drkulec was also charged for slashing, leaving a brief power play for the Dutchmen.

Coming off back-to-back wins, the Crimson was hit with some amazing news a few days later.

On Thursday, January 14th, a secret that two members had been keeping for about a week became public. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Abruzzese and sophomore forward and Montreal Canadiens prospect Sean Farrell had been named to the 2022 Team USA Olympic Team. Both players accepted the roster spots without hesitation and have faith in their teammates to have continued success this season.

“I think we have so many good players on our team that the next guys will be ready to step into bigger roles,” Farrell said. “I think that with COVID, we’ve kind of been dealing with that already – guys being in and out of the lineup – so I think that guys will just continue to have bigger opportunities and step up in such an important part of the season too.”

The day after the Olympic announcement, the team suited up in Hamden, Connecticut to play the No. 2 Quinnipiac Bobcats (15-1-3, 6-0-1 ECAC Hockey). Despite the positive momentum of the previous two games, Harvard was shut out 3-0. Mustering only 13 shots on goal in a tight game overall, the Crimson was done in by two breakaway goals and a power play goal. Harvard also only managed to win 38% of the faceoffs in the game.

Special teams play was critical in the loss to Quinnipiac, as a second period goal from Bobcats forward Ty Smilanic ended the Crimson’s eight-game, 20-for-20 streak on the penalty kill, and Harvard was unable to convert on a power play at the start of the third period that would have cut the deficit to 2-1.

“They’re definitely a really good team, and they play hard. They’re well coached,” Coronato said of the Bobcats. “I think for us, we’ve got to keep our head up, move onto the next one. I think we all know that we’re a good team and what we need to do to have success so I think [the loss is] not too much of a negative for us. We can rebound off it and use it as a building block.”

Farrell similarly sees the loss as an opportunity for the team to learn and grow.

“Obviously it wasn’t our best showing. As a team we know that we have a lot more to offer and can do a lot better but it’s good to have that measuring stick,” Farrell said. “It was a good learning experience for us.”

The final game on the Crimson’s winter break schedule, away at Princeton on January 15th, was also postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. It has been rescheduled for Sunday, February 27th at 4pm.

Their next game is scheduled for this Friday, January 21st at 7pm, at home at Bright-Landry Hockey Center against St. Lawrence University. They’re also home on Saturday at 7pm against Clarkson University.

-Staff writer Aaron B. Shuchman can be reached at aaron.shuchman@thecrimson.com.

-Staff writer Bridget T. Sands can be reached at bridget.sands@thecrimson.com.