Because of the ample ice time Jonas has seen in his first three seasons, the goaltending position should be a strength for the Crimson, relied upon to secure victories. His experience as goalie option 1A allowed Harvard to develop a tested, successful netminder for this season.
He is not your normal backup assuming starters duties, and Coach Mark Mazzoleni has confidence in Jonas and rests his team success upon the senior's shoulders.
"If we're going to be successful, Oliver has to carry the brunt of the load," Mazzoleni says.
Jonas brings with him a reputation for being a tough-minded goaltender with great reflexes and quickness, reacting especially well to shots near the crease.
When describing his tactics, Jonas says, "I try to do more of a positioning approach to goaltending."
"Oliver's competitive," Mazzoleni notes. "He's very smart in the net. He doesn't overanalyze things. He's got good quickness."
Jonas also seems to have the knack of stepping up for the big games. Besides his playoff exploits, Jonas also played superbly in the semifinals of the Beanpot Tournament as a freshman.
While Prestifilippo was sidelined with mononucleosis, Jonas filled in courageously and Harvard stunned No. 8 Boston College, 6-5 in overtime. It was the Eagles last loss that season until the NCAA finals.
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