In three of those losses—2-1 overtime setbacks against Northeastern and Dartmouth and the Crimson’s 3-1 defeat in the ECAC title game—Johnson didn’t register a point. In the nine wins, he’s had 10.
“Charlie is a very gifted and talented player,” Harvard coach Ted Donato ’91 said. “And a very important part of our team. Offensively, it seems to come in bunches for Charlie. But I think he has the talent and skill level to be one of the best guys on the ice every night.”
Johnson showed that talent in a Feb. 11 win over Rensselaer, when he scored the game’s first two goals and helped the Crimson to a 3-0 road victory.
And with each game growing more important in Harvard’s quest for an NCAA title, the Crimson has been more than happy to take advantage of Johnson’s offensive resurgence.
“This is the time when goals are usually scarce—in the playoffs, coming down the stretch,” Johnson said. “We need all the scoring we can get. The games are getting more important. Every game is intense. When we’re in that situation, it’s easier for me to get into the game and get a rhythm going.”
The surge has propelled Johnson into a tie for the team’s third-leading point scorer and transformed him into a consistent source of offense, a role the junior has sought throughout his three years on the ice at Harvard.
He has yet to master season-long consistency, but the recent spurt has given both Johnson and his teammates high hopes heading into the NCAA tournament.
“He’s important to our club and certainly he’s picked up some of the slack for our scoring over the last 10 games,” Donato said. “It will be important that he continues to be a major factor for us.”
Important? With five of Harvard’s nine losses coming when Johnson goes scoreless, and the win-or-go-home philosophy of late-season tournaments now in effect, “necessary” is a more applicable word. With just 3:59 remaining in the ECAC semifinal on March 18, it was—not surprisingly—Johnson who scored the Crimson’s second goal to temporarily push Harvard back into the lead in its eventual 4-3 double-overtime victory.
And it seems that after three years of topsy-turvy play, Johnson has found his groove when both he and his teammates need it most.
The NCAA field contains no unanimous favorite and the Crimson has felled four top-10 teams over the course of its season. Johnson’s offensive play, coupled with goalkeeper Dov Grumet-Morris’ play in the net, make Harvard justifiably confident heading into its first round matchup with New Hampshire.
And that added responsibility, that understanding that his team needs him—that’s fine with Johnson.
“Down the stretch it’s going to be important that the upperclassmen to take the reins because we’re the ones that everyone is counting on to perform,” Johnson said. “And I’ve been trying to get it going the entire year. It just happens that it started clicking now.”
He’s yet to be Mr. Consistency, but right now, Johnson is more than happy to assume the title of Mr. March.
—Staff writer Aidan E. Tait can be reached at atait@fas.harvard.edu.