PROVIDENCE--Though it's too early to tell, it seems that the Harvard men's hockey team is having no problem adjusting to it's new system.

The Crimson (1-0, 1-0 Ivy) blanked Brown (0-1, 0-1 Ivy) in the season opener at Meehan Auditorium last Saturday 1-0, its first season-opening shutout since Harvard defeated the Bears 5-0 in 1987.

Junior center Harry Schwefel lit the lamp once against Brown's star netminder Scott Stirling at 9:03 in the first period, netting a power-play goal in the top right shelf on a pass from Steve Moore.

Though this goal ultimately sealed the Bears' fate, it was senior goaltender J.R. Prestifilippo who saved the win for the Crimson.

With 3:35 to go in the third period, Brown's Chris Legg skirted the Crimson defense, and even had Prestifilippo beat in the crease, attempting to slide the puck around Prestifilippo.

It shocked all 2,317 in attendance to see Prestifilippo drop the puck out of his glove and preserve the Crimson's one-goal lead.

"He [Prestifilippo] was the difference," Harvard Coach Mark Mazzoleni said. "Especially when they made the big play and the guy went in uncontested. He stole that goal, no doubt about it."

With only one game under its belt, the Crimson has already shown marked improvement from last year when it started 0-8-1 start in the ECAC.