For two years he has played on a team which has experienced a serious bout of growing pains. Yet through it all junior Ben Storey has remained a calming influence on the Harvard blueline.

His steadfast presence both on and off the ice has been a source of consistency for the Crimson, but this season with only four seniors on the roster, Storey has been forced to take that role one step farther--to that of a leader.

"With the team being so young here it makes it a little easier for the older guys to take on leadership roles," Storey said. "I have done it consciously, but I think that as I have gotten older it's been kind of a natural progression."

At times, however, that natural course of events has been speeded up by necessity. In his first season, Storey was among a young Crimson squad which battled all the way to the ECAC championship finals in Lake Placid.

The road was not an easy one, however, as it took a gruesome nine-game losing streak which ended regular season play before Harvard would rebound and make its Cinderella run. The story that year was injuries, and at one point during the infamous winless streak, more than a third of the Crimson's players were sidelined with physical ailments. The coaches, players and fans hoped for a much easier ride the following season, but once again adversity became the Crimson watchword.

This time, injuries remained the side-bar while the overwhelming youth took center stage. Harvard was the youngest team in Division 1 hockey last year and it was that burden which helped precipitate a frustrating 11-18-3 record.

"The juniors and seniors have really had to step up to the plate these last few years," said Harvard Coach Ronn Tomassoni. "When they came here we didn't have the talent base that could take the pressure off players like Ben. Unfortunately for this team to be successful, it's important that they do step into that role."

Throughout those first two seasons, Storey played in the shadows behind flashier upperclassmen like Peter McLaughlin '96 and Ashlin Halfnight '97.

His statistics were equally misleading--two goals and 17 assists through 58 games--as the true measure of Storey's impact could only be seen through his playing minutes. While he was hanging back, allowing his defensive partner to break into the offense, Storey was silently learning the art of the trade. An offensive defenseman by nature, Storey used his first few seasons in college to perfect play in his own zone.

"When I was younger, I was very offensive minded, but when I got here I had to learn very quickly to play the defensive position a little bit better," Storey said. "I think that in my first two years I took a little bit off the offense because I was learning so much about the defense."

Holding back by the blueline was never easy for Storey, but the discipline throughout the two-year learning process translated into a potent game on both sides of the ice. Eventually, equipped with a much-improved defensive game, Storey was able to move forward and display his natural strength.

Despite his towering 6-foot-2 frame, the Ottowa native has always thrived on breaking forward and weaving through the opponent's zone. Defenses should be most worried, however, when he decides to hang back and let loose with a shot from the blueline. It is there where Storey rises above the rest as he possesses one of the fastest, most accurate slap-shots in the league.

"He shoots the puck so well, but it's not just that he shoots hard," Tomassoni tried to explain. "He gets the shot off so quickly and that's what makes him so dangerous."

That weapon was realized at an early age and it was one of the reasons why the Canadian national team came calling on Storey when he was only 17 years old. Even though he was the youngest player by five years, Storey was tossed into two contests during his two-week stint with Team Canada.

The high level of hockey, the European style of play and the suddenness of it all certainly left an indelible mark on the youngster.