Men's Ice Hockey 2/16/2023 2:44:00 PM

No. 9/10 Men's Ice Hockey Hosts Union, RPI; To Honor Seniors on Saturday

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – No. 9/10 Harvard (17-6-2, 14-4-0 ECAC Hockey) hits the stretch drive of ECAC Hockey play beginning this weekend when Union (13-15-2, 7-10-1 ECAC Hockey) and Rensselaer (12-17-1, 7-11-0 ECAC Hockey) visit for the Crimson's last regular season home series. Harvard has a chance to clinch a first-round bye and home ice (top-4 seed) in the ECAC Hockey playoffs this weekend, which it has earned in five of the last six seasons.

WHAT TO KNOW

Harvard will honor eight seniors in the class of 2023 in a postgame ceremony on Saturday night. The class, which includes two members that joined Harvard in 2018 (Wyllum Deveaux, Baker Shore) and six that joined in 2019 (John Farinacci, Jace Foskey, Mitchell Gibson, Ryan Siedem, Henry Thrun, Austin Wong), has had a hand in 2 NCAA Tournament appearances (2019, 2022), and 72 wins. They had a key role in Harvard's run to the 2022 Ivy League Championship, and 2022 Whitelaw Cup as ECAC Hockey Tournament champions. And they overcame a season cut short (2019-20) and a lost season (2020-21) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It's about the team.

A great effort has us looking ahead to more great moments this year. #GoCrimson pic.twitter.com/av2dQAps48
— Harvard Men's Hockey (@HarvardMHockey) February 14, 2023
On Monday night, Harvard and Northeastern met for the first time in a Beanpot final, with the Huskies skating away with the title in a shootout (the first in the history of the Beanpot) after a 2-2 tie. Matthew Coronato scored twice, and goaltender Mitchell Gibson made 27 saves, as Harvard took second place for the first time since 2008.
Harvard will take on Union and RPI for the first time since a Nov. 11-12 road series in which Harvard defeated the Engineers (W, 3-2) on Alex Gaffney's OT game-winner (the first of Harvard's nation leading six OT goals), then earned a 5-1 win over Union the following night. Union has won four of its last five games, allowing one goal or less in each of those four wins. Senior goaltender Connor Murphy started all four of those contests. First-year forward Nate Hanley (5-16-21) and first-year defenseman John Prokop (4-15-19) have been excellent for the Dutchmen. RPI has won two of its last three contests, and is led up front by Jakub Lee (9-10-10) and Ryan Mahshie (11-6-17). Sophomore goaltender Jack Watson has started 26 of 30 games for RPI.
Marek Hejduk's OT game-winner against Boston College at the Beanpot was the latest of Harvard's NCAA-leading six overtime wins this season. Harvard has 6-1-2 overall in games that have progressed to 3-on-3 overtime. Harvard has picked up OT wins at RPI (W, 3-2 - Nov. 11), at Cornell (W, 2-1 - Dec. 2), at Princeton (W, 4-3 - Jan. 6), at Yale (W, 3-2 - Jan. 20), vs. Colgate (W, 5-4 - Jan. 27), and against Boston College (W, 4-3 - Feb. 6).
Starting goaltender Mitchell Gibson (11-5-2, 2.29 .919), one of the nation's best in net, was named one of nine semifinalists for the Mike Richter Award last week. He entered the year as one of the most experienced goaltenders in the nation and he currently has a career 40-23-6 mark in 70 games played, including a 2.34 GAA and .918 Save %.
Sean Farrell has been on fire of late, with six multiple point efforts in his last nine games (6-13-19 in last nine games). Farrell (14-28-42) is the third Harvard forward in the last five seasons to top 40 points (Nick Abruzzese, 14-30-44 in 2019-20; Ryan Donato 26-17-43 in 2017-18). Farrell has a chance to become the third Harvard skater in the last 20 years to top 50 points (Jimmy Vesey, 32-26-58 in 2014-15; Dominic Moore, 24-27-51 in 2002-03).