Harvard coach Mark Mazzoleni had nothing but praise for Cavanagh, who also scored his second power-play goal of the season on Friday.

“He plays so hard, but he’s very skilled and he’s got a great release,” Mazzoleni said. “You saw the release on the third goal. That was like [Colorado Avalanche center] Joe Sakic. He shoots that puck so quick.”

Cavanagh’s first goal came 16:02 into the first period with Harvard on the power play. Receiving the puck at the top of the right face-off circle, Cavanagh unleashed a shot. The puck deflected off the skate of Colgate’s Joey Mormina and into the goal.

Junior defensemen Noah Welch and senior forward Tim Pettit earned assists on the play.

Harvard has converted seven-of-41 power play chances this year.

“I was just trying to make a crossing pass and it hit one of their guys and it went in,” Cavanagh said. “That’s one of the things we need to have on the power play more, just getting the puck to the net and getting some deflections.”

Cavanagh scored his third goal on an empty net with just 37 seconds left in the game. It capped his second multi-goal and fourth multi-point game of the season.

Cavanagh totaled two multi-goal and four multi-point games all of last season.

His swell in productivity comes in part from an increase in playing time. Now the Crimson’s top center following the graduation of Dominic Moore ’03 and Brett Nowak ’03, Cavanagh is playing on the first line, first power-play unit, first penalty kill and first four-on-four.

“He patiently kept his mouth shut and waited for his opportunity, and now he’s our No. 1 centerman and he’s producing,” Mazzoleni said. “Is it a shock to me? Not at all.”

Apparently, Cavanagh’s breakaway shocked everyone but his coach.

—Staff writer Brenda E. Lee can be reached at belee@fas.harvard.edu.