0-4 and 4-0. As the Harvard men’s hockey team (7-8-2, 5-6-1 ECAC) enters its annual homestand against Cornell and Colgate, the scenario is a bit polar.

While the Crimson has struggled against the Big Red and lost the last four games the squads have played, Harvard has owned the Raiders, sweeping the teams’ past four matchups.

Unlike Harvard’s road trip to New York only a month ago, this weekend’s lineup presents Cornell (6-2-5, 4-0-2 ECAC) first—tonight—with Colgate (8-7-3, 3-3-0 ECAC) following tomorrow night. This means that, finally, the Crimson can focus on what has become its paramount hockey adversary in the Big Red instead of playing off the obvious rivalry with claims of “one game at a time” and “we’re not looking too far ahead.”

“Our game plan is going to be revolving around the biggest game to date this year,” said junior goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris. “They’re going to come out from the beginning and attack us, work out of the corners and try and get

their offensive game going.”

Despite the recent graduation of seven players (including four of the five skaters on the Big Red’s top power play unit) and the departure of dominant netminder Dave LeNeveu to the Phoenix Coyotes, Cornell has stayed strong.

Not only is the Big Red offense averaging 3.31 goals per game, the defense—complete with freshman goalie David McKee—has remained typically stingy and allowed just 2.08 goals per game.

“New team, different team,” acknowledged Harvard coach Mark Mazzoleni, “but they’re still very, very good defensively.”

The Crimson’s defense, which has let in an average of 2.59 goals per contest, has been somewhat beleaguered of late. But Mazzoleni is loathe to blame his team’s recent inadequacies on the growing disabled list.

“Everyone has injuries,” he said. “It’s a part of a contact sport….Having injuries has no impact on why we were flat [in recent contests].”

Mazzoleni was referring to the Crimson’s series last weekend in which, after a hard-fought 3-2 win over Union, Harvard crumbled and lost 4-1 to RPI, never even glimpsing a chance at a win.

The Crimson must do a better job staying vigilant this weekend. Though Cornell is the conspicuous attraction, Colgate remains a strong program which has lost only one of its last five contests.

Harvard has enjoyed continued success over the Raiders in recent years, outscoring them by 22 goals in the last four meetings, and Colgate coach

Stan Moore is well aware of his opponent’s domination.

“[After] the last four games [against the Crimson], coming up 0-4 for a grand total of 26 goals scored and [four] against,” Moore said, “if I found that any of my players exhibited an overabundance of confidence, I would