"We don't pay much attention to polls. The only pressure that matters is internal pressure we put on ourselves, "he says.

Despite the regular season's difficulties, Nielsen is `confident going into the playoffs as everything up' til now is immaterial. The playoffs are what matters."

This weekend Harvard takes on RPI in the first round of the ECAC championships. RPI and Harvard split two regular season contests and Nielsen feels that the series should be closely matched.

"The two teams match up pretty well, as we are both skilled teams," Nielsen says.

But Nielsen's diplomatic nature cannot cover-up his confidence.

"If we play well we will win," he predicts.

And win Harvard must to have any chance to get back to the NCAA tournament, a goal Nielsen calls "very important."

"Last year," Nielsen says, "we were unlucky, and we have some unfinished business to take care of. Every time you play a sport you want to reach the ultimate."

However, a return to the NCAA's is just one of Nielsen's many future goals. The junior chemistry/physics major plans someday to go to medical school. But first there is the matter of some other unfinished business.

Last season both Kirk Nielsen's Harvard Crimson and Jeff Nielsen's Minnesota Golden Gophers lost in opposite semi-final games in the NCAA tournament, preventing a much anticipated Nielsen vs. Nielsen matchup in the Championship Game.

Before trying his hand at medicine, Nielsen plans to take a shot at professional hockey, either in the minors, or in Europe, perhaps providing another chance to suit up against his brother, renewing a match-up that has lain dormant since the long winter nights in his family's basement.