Harvard men’s hockey will travel to Ithaca for a best-of-three series against No. 9 Cornell in the ECAC Quarterfinals, beginning Friday night, according to a March 11 announcement from the team. The sixth-seeded Crimson will play the third-seeded Big Red, with the winner advancing to the semifinals in Lake Placid.
The matchup is significant as it continues a long-standing rivalry between Harvard and Cornell, marking their third playoff meeting in four seasons and their 21st postseason encounter since 1968. The series opens Friday at 7:00 p.m., with Game 2 on Saturday at 7:00 p.m., and a potential Game 3 on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. All games will be streamed on ESPN+.
In their last outing, Harvard overcame St. Lawrence in overtime during the opening round of the ECAC Playoffs. Mick Thompson scored the game-winning goal after Harvard tied the game three times, while Ben Charette made 33 saves. Aidan Lane ended a scoring drought with his first goal in 19 games, Heikki Ruohonen netted a shorthanded goal, and Michael Callow tied the game late in regulation before Thompson’s overtime winner sent Harvard to its tenth consecutive ECAC Quarterfinals appearance.
Thompson was named ECAC Laurel Lake Placid Forward of the Week for his performance, while Ruohonen earned his first ECAC Rookie of the Week honor after helping secure a win over St. Lawrence. “Mick Thompson was named the ECAC Laurel Lake Placid Forward of the Week, while Heikki Ruohonen earned his first ECAC Rookie of the Week honor after the pair helped lead the Crimson to a 4-3 overtime win over St. Lawrence on Friday night,” said team officials.
The Crimson have faced challenges against Cornell recently, losing both regular season matchups this year and not securing a win against them since November 2023. Historically, Harvard is 73-86-14 all-time versus Cornell and has lost seven straight games to them following an earlier seven-game unbeaten streak.
Several players have contributed significantly during playoff runs and recent games. Joe Miller leads with ten points in twelve conference tournament games; Thompson has eight points in his last five playoff contests; Callow has recorded points in five consecutive games; and Ruohonen has scored goals in three straight appearances since returning from injury.
Coach Ted Donato achieved his record-setting 325th career win earlier this season and is now one of just seven active coaches with that many victories nationally.
Looking ahead, Harvard aims to continue its postseason momentum as it seeks another trip to Lake Placid for the semifinals.
