“When Brown has won, it’s by playing a defensive game,” Mazzoleni said. “They’re opportunistic on the power play, they play well in their own zone and they have that underdog mentality. “
For the first time in recent memory, Harvard will play only one game in the weekend before Monday’s Beanpot. The ECAC has in the past forced the Crimson to play both Friday and Saturday—often on the road—while the three other Boston-area schools have just a single game before the tournament.
With the extra day of rest, another post-exam slide would be unacceptable for the Crimson, as Harvard needs a strong showing both tonight and in the Beanpot to secure an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament and perhaps the regular-season ECAC crown.
“We need to seize the moment,” Mazzoleni said. “What happened last year was a learning experience. We’re a year older and wiser. We have no excuses.”