Team Notes: Harvard Kicks Off 2011 in Vermont

Game On
Harvard looks for a winning start to 2011 as it takes part in the Sheraton/TD Bank Catamount Classic. The tournament matchups are predetermined, with the Crimson taking on Army on New Year's Day and host Vermont Sunday.

Follow From Home
Links to live statistics and pay-per-view video can be found on GoCrimson.com. The games will be televised in Vermont on WCAXtra.

Alex on Ice
The Portland Press Herald has introduced a blog written by Portland Pirates rookie defenseman and former Harvard captain Alex Biega '10. Click here for the latest entries.

Behind the Bench
Former Crimson captain, NCAA Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player and 13-year National Hockey League veteran Ted Donato '91 is in his seventh season as The Robert D. Ziff '88 Head Coach for Harvard Men's Ice Hockey. He owns a 93-97-20 record, three ECAC title-game appearances and two NCAA tournament bids.

Last Time Out
Prior to a 23-day layoff for final exams and the holidays, the Crimson fell to Quinnipiac, 3-1, Dec. 8 at Bright Hockey Center. Harvard held a 35-20 shots advantage, but Eric Hartzell made 34 saves to lead the Bobcats. Eric Kroshus (Calgary, Alta.) sccored, assisted by Alex Killorn (Montreal, Que.), to tie the game at 1-1 in the second period, but Quinnipiac struck back three minutes later. The Bobcats added a third-period insurance tally despite being outshot, 13-3, in the frame.

Leading the Crimson
With four goals and eight points, Alex Killorn leads Harvard in both categories. He, Danny Biega (Montreal, Que.) and Michael Biega (Montreal, Que.) share the team assists lead with four. The Biega brothers have five points each, as do Eric Kroshus (3-2-5) and Conor Morrison (London, Ont.) (2-3-5).

In the Crease
Kyle Richter ranks 11th nationally with a .925 save percentage and owns a 2.38 goals-against average. He has surrendered two goals or fewer in five of his nine starts and has not allowed more than three goals in any game.

Outside the Box
The Crimson is averaging just 9.7 penalty minutes per game, tied for the fifth-lowest mark in the nation. Harvard has given its opponents two or fewer power plays in four of the last seven games and has surrendered more than four power plays only twice in 10 games.

First Blood
Harvard has scored first in each of its wins, and its opponents have scored first in all of their victories. The Crimson is 2-0-0 when leading at any point in a game and 0-8-0 when trailing.

On a Roll
Alex Killorn has registered a point in each of Harvard's last five games and in eight of the Crimson's 10 games overall. He has recorded a winning or even faceoff record in each of the last eight contests.

Clutch Performer
Alex Killorn scored the game's lone goal with 8.2 seconds left on the clock to lift Harvard to a 1-0 win against then-No. 18 Rensselaer Nov. 6. He netted another game-winning goal Nov. 12 at St. Lawrence and is one of only two ECAC players with two game‑winners in league action. He is tied for 17th nationally in game-winning tallies.

Skate for Boston's Homeless
The Crimson partnered with Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program to host a Family Holiday Skate Dec. 18 at Bright to help collect winter clothing items for area homeless men, women and children. Admission was free with the donation of new items such as white socks, winter hats, scarves, mittens and gloves. Other activities included a visit from Santa, face painting and holiday arts and crafts. Harvard players took part in the skate, with Ryan Grimshaw (Rochester, N.Y.) starring as Rudolph, the skating reindeer.

Former Foes
Both of Harvard's weekend opponents are former ECAC league members. Army, currently a member of Atlantic Hockey, was a part of the ECAC from 1985-86 to 1990-91. Vermont joined ECAC Division I in 1974-75 and left following the 2004‑05 season, moving to Hockey East.

Scouting the Black Knights
Army, which suffered an 11-4 exhibition loss to the Russian Red Stars Tuesday, still has a home game against Merrimack Thursday before heading to Vermont. The Black Knights have alternated losses and wins in their last five games, most recently a 6-2 loss at Union Dec. 11. Army played another ECAC Hockey team Dec. 4, falling to Colgate, 3-0.

Danny Colvin is the team's top scorer with 16 points and 11 assists, while Cody Omilusik has 14 points and a team-high eight goals. Jay Clark made his 12th start against Union and stopped 47 shots. He owns a .900 save percentage and 3.38 goals-against average.

Harvard vs. Army Series History
The Crimson and Black Knights have not faced off since Feb. 1, 1991, when a 12-2 win was Harvard's 13th in the last 14 series meetings. Army's lone win in the span came Nov. 17, 1989, in the Crimson's home opener after winning the national championship and going 16-0 at home the previous season. Harvard holds a 29-5-1 all‑time series lead. The teams' first meeting was a 10-0 Crimson victory Jan. 10, 1931 in West Point, N.Y.

Scouting the Catamounts
Vermont was winless in its first seven games and has two victories in 15 overall contests, but both wins came against nationally ranked teams, No. 7 Boston College and 19th-ranked Dartmouth. The Catamounts are 1-2-0 against ECAC teams, having lost to Yale and St. Lawrence.

Wahsontiio Stacey leads Vermont with 13 points and eight goals, while Sebastian Stålberg has 11 points and shares the team assists lead at seven with Nick Bruneteau. Rob Madore has started 14 games in the UVM goal, compiling a 3.40 goals‑against average and .889 save percentage.

On the Other Bench
The Catamounts are coached by former Harvard captain Kevin Sneddon '92, a teammate of Harvard head coach Ted Donato. Sneddon, a defenseman, and Donato, a forward, were both NCAA all-tournament selections when they helped Harvard win the 1989 national title. Sneddon was an ECAC all-rookie pick that year but would be slowed by season-ending injuries in his last two college seasons. He succeeded Donato as Harvard's captain as a senior. Donato and Sneddon are 1-1-2 against each other as coaches.

Harvard vs. Vermont Series History
The Crimson and Catamounts met in 29 straight seasons before Vermont's first season in Hockey East in 2005-06. The teams met 10 times in the three previous seasons before Vermont left the ECAC. Harvard was 8-1-1 in those meetings and holds a 35-23-3 series lead. The teams have met twice since, a 2-1 UVM overtime, road win Nov. 28, 2006 and a 2-2 tie Dec. 8, 2007 at Gutterson Field House. Nick Coskren '09 scored both Crimson goals in the 2007 encounter.