Though his Harvard career is just beginning, sophomore Michael Biega’s credentials as an offensive threat ensure that this rising star will create scoring chances for the Crimson whenever he touches the puck.

After losing six senior forwards to graduation, including go-to scorers like last year’s co-captain Mike Taylor ’08, Biega’s offensive success last year—as a rookie, he notched nine goals and seven assists—has raised expectations that his play will help form the cornerstone of the Crimson’s attack. It’s only natural for the player who received the Percy Award for Harvard’s top rookie, along with now-sophomore Matt McCollem.

“We graduated almost six forwards, which is almost half the forwards on a given night,” says Harvard coach Ted Donato ’91. “So I think there’s a level of uncertainty as to exactly what we have, but we return some key contributors to us offensively.”

Joining Biega will be key returning forwards in McCollem and junior Doug Rogers.

To Biega, improvement still means doing the same things that made him so successful as he was trying to integrate himself into the Crimson squad his freshman year.

“Now that it’s my second year, I feel I can be more relaxed and focused,” Biega says. “I think this year I just have to keep doing the same thing, working hard, and hopefully the puck goes my way.”

The puck certainly went his way last year, as Biega’s nine goals were enough to rank him fourth on the team in scoring and third among Ivy League freshmen in conference games. Biega often found himself in scoring situations on Harvard’s power-play lines—he notched five goals on special teams.

But some of Biega’s biggest plays have set up goals for others. He had three assists in the Crimson’s last two regular season games, when the squad was fighting to clinch a first-round bye in the ECAC tournament.

Biega also recorded an assist during last season’s epic Beanpot finale against No. 7 Boston College, who edged Harvard 6-5 in overtime.

Part of Biega’s evolution as a player will include adjusting to new faces, as the forward will take the ice without two of his most frequent linemates, Paul Dufault ’08 and Jon Pelle ’08, who contributed 14 points and 26 points, respectively.

“The combination that he’s playing with has got some great skill and speed, and it’s a great mix,” Donato said. “As we improve, we’ll have the chance to be a solid offensive team.”

For the Crimson, avoiding last season’s mid-season slump—a 10-game winless streak that began with a 4-2 loss to then-No. 16 Rensselaer on Dec. 4th—looks certain to be a high priority. That slide coincided with a lapse in Biega’s own offensive production before the points returned in the season’s closing games.

Indeed, all nine of Biega’s regular season goals came during the first 10 games of his college career.

“I think Michael was obviously a key offensive contributor for us last year,” Donato says. “Even if you talk to Mike, though, I think he’d admit that he slowed down a little bit towards the end of the season. It was a long season for him and a lot of guys in their freshman year with the grueling schedule.”

Still, given Biega’s breakout performance at the start of last season—he was twice named the ECAC Rookie of the Week—Donato and the rest of the Crimson believes that their sophomore forward will surpass last year’s success, helping the Crimson go head-to-head with the ECAC’s most talented teams all season.

Biega’s defining characteristic last season was his impact in games against ranked opponents. He tallied a pair of goals in December’s loss to the eventual NCAA Champion Eagles as well as goals against No. 18 Quinnipiac and No. 19 Rensselaer.

“I expect Michael to continue to improve and take the next step,” Donato says. “He’s certainly capable of being a big offensive force for us, and we have high hopes about what he can accomplish.”

Though the stakes may have risen for Biega, one of Harvard’s brightest rising stars will still return to the strong work ethic and sense of focus that carried him so far last year.

—Staff writer Robert T. Hamlin can be reached at rhamlin@fas.harvard.edu.