CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – No. 9/9 Harvard (8-2-1, 7-1-0 ECACH) kicks off the second half of the 2022-23 season with a top-10 matchup against No. 7/8 Boston University (11-5-0, 8-4-0 HEA) at Walter Brown Arena on ESPN2 on Friday (Dec. 30). Harvard-BU will feature two of the top scoring offenses in the nation: BU has the No. 3 scoring offense in the country (3.9 goals per game, while Harvard has the No. 9 scoring offense in the nation (3.6 goals per game). Harvard also features one of the top defensive units in the country (2.3 goals allowed per game, No. 8 NCAA). The last time Harvard and BU met at Walter Brown Arena was on Nov. 23, 2004, when head coach Ted Donato picked up his first win in the series in his first season behind the bench, a 2-1 victory for Harvard. Harvard will take on Northeastern on New Year's Day, the first time Harvard has played Northeastern at Bright-Landry Hockey Center since Dec. 29, 2012.

WHAT TO KNOW

• Playing one of the most difficult schedules in the country, BU has emerged as one of the nation's top teams in the first half of the season. Senior forward Matt Brown (8-15-23) is enjoying a breakout season up front, while junior goaltender Drew Commesso (7-3-0, 2.95 GAA, .900 Save %) returns as one of the nation's highly touted collegiate goalies. BU has seven wins against teams currently ranked in the USCHO.com poll. Led up front by senior captain Aidan McDonough (11-12-23) and in net by First Team All-American Devon Levi (8-6-3, 2.27 GAA, .929 Save %), Northeastern snapped a four-game losing streak before the holiday break with a 4-3 (OT) win at LIU.
• Harvard's special teams have been a strong point early on this season. Harvard has the No. 5 power play unit in the nation (11-for-40, 27.5%) and the No. 1 penalty killing unit in the nation (30-for-33, 90.9%). Harvard has potted five shorthanded goals (No. 2, NCAA) in its first nine games, with Sean Farrell scoring two of them.
• Harvard's defensive play has been a highlight of its first 11 games, as the team has more than two goals in a game just three times, and has the nation's No. 8 scoring defense (2.3 goals allowed per game). Starting goaltender Mitchell Gibson (5-1-1, 1.83, .930) has been one of the nation's best in net, with the nation's sixth best goals-against average and save percentage.
• Sophomore forward Matthew Coronato and junior forward Sean Farrell have combined with first-year forward Joe Miller to form a dynamic top line for the Crimson. Farrell leads Harvard in scoring with 18 points (7-11-18) and has a team-best +10 rating, while Coronato has 15 points (6-9-15) in that span. Coronato (1.36 points per game, 9^th NCAA) and Farrell (1.64 points per game, 2^nd NCAA) are averaging a combined 3.00 points per contest – no pair of teammates in college hockey are averaging more points per game. Miller leads all Harvard first-years with seven points (4-3-7) in 11 games.
• Harvard's 8-2-1 start before the holiday break matches its best start since it's 2016-17 Frozen Four season (when it also started the year 8-2-1). Harvard is near the top of the nation in several team categories, including scoring offense (9th, 3.64 goals/game), scoring defense (9th, 2.27 goals allowed/game), power play (5th, 27.5%), and penalty kill (1st, 90.9%), shorthanded goals (3rd, 5) and faceoffs (8th, 54.0%).
• Senior defenseman Henry Thrun became the 11th blue-liner in program history to earn All-America honors - a Second Team AHCA All-American - after posting a 7-25-32 line with a plus-12 rating in 2021-22. A two-way defenseman, Thrun entered the year with the ninth most assists (43) among all returning d-men in college hockey and the 12th-most points (53). He is 2^nd among all NCAA defensemen in per game scoring (1.27 points per game, with 14 points (3-11-14) in 11 contests.

UP NEXT

Harvard will dive back into ECAC Hockey play with road contests at Princeton and Quinnipiac on Jan. 6-7.