In a mixed bag of a hockey weekend, Harvard enjoyed some sweet success and tasted some bitter defeat. There were line changes, shutouts, special teams and a little bit of Where’s Waldo? fun.

Who’s Line Is It Anyway?

One of the Crimson’s hottest lines in previous weeks had been the Tom Cavanagh-Tim Pettit-Brendan Bernakevitch combo. Not only had the trio been generating solid scoring chances, but all three are steady defensive forwards with some of the team’s highest plus/minus ratings. But with that line out of commission on account of Bernakevitch’s hip flexor injury, sophomore forward Andrew Lederman was in the lineup against Colgate and Cornell.

Despite the sizable skates he had to fill, Lederman, along with his linemates, looked quick and cohesive against the porous Red Raider defense and were the most consistent line facing the Big Red.

“I thought he did a very good job,” said Harvard coach Mark Mazzoleni. “Andrew Lederman has very good instincts and I thought he complemented Pettit and Cavanagh well.”

“Andrew is a really skilled forward,” said Pettit, a junior winger. “He can pull off a lot of moves that other guys can’t.”

Lederman’s offensive ability and quick skating are nothing new. What surprised some people was how aggressive he looked on defense and on the forecheck.

“Andrew has worked very hard on his defensive abilities,” said sophomore goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris. “And I think it’s been showing in the last few games.”

While Bernakevitch’s play has been exemplary and his spot with Pettit and Cavanagh is secure, Lederman’s efforts have him pushing for playing time even when Bernakevitch returns.

“This weekend it was nice having Andrew on our line,” Pettit said. “He played pretty well.”

Third is the ... Best?

Another Crimson pairing that has been clicking on all cylinders of late is the third line of captain Dominic Moore, junior Kenny Turano and freshman Charlie Johnson. Although Turano and Johnson were shut out this weekend, the line was strong on its forecheck and excellent at turning over quickly into a transition offense.

Johnson, though at times tentative to shoot the puck, has seemed to benefit the most from the arrangement, with noticeable strides being seen week to week in his game.

“Johnson will be learning offensively from Dom and some of the physicality of the game from Turano,” Grumet-Morris said.

While part of the reason Mazzoleni set the three together may be for Johnson’s growth and its future effects, no one is denying the very real impact that a viable third offensive line gives Harvard.