The No. 16 Harvard men’s hockey team (16-12-4) has already narrowly topped Cornell twice this season, but the Crimson is disregarding the past tonight, counting not on its past success against the Big Red, but instead on the brilliant play of those who have carried the team thus far this year.

With a trip to the Bank of America ECAC Hockey Championship on the line tonight in Albany, N.Y., Harvard’s challenge is simple: outscore the No. 20 Big Red (18-13-3) or go home.

For Crimson hockey, already predisposed to view competition against its long-standing rival as its version The Game, the prospect of sending Cornell back to Ithaca for the season and reaching the championship game adds an extra intensity to the playoff atmosphere.

“An ECAC championship wouldn’t be the same if you didn’t have to go through Cornell first,” co-captain David MacDonald said. “It’s not hard to get up for any game against Cornell any time of year. The semifinals are no exception.”

When these two teams met in the regular season, Harvard prevailed by a 2-1 score over Cornell on Nov. 16 and again, 3-1, in Ithaca March 1. Still, Harvard coach Ted Donato ’91 knows that the regular season sweep does not justify complacency or reflect the competitive balance between the two teams.

“Both teams are vastly improved from the beginning of the season, and I think both teams have year in year out recipes for success,” Donato said. “Both teams are defensively sound. We try to play an up-tempo pressure game, and I think Cornell is a big, strong, physical, fore-checking team.”

Though skating against the Big Red during the season helps acquaint Harvard with the style of hockey that Cornell likes to play, the Crimson players prefer to focus on maintaining discipline and executing their own strategy.

“We have to focus on playing our game. I don’t worry about what the previous record is,” co-captain Mike Taylor said. “We play our best when we focus on what we have to do and play our game, and we can’t worry about what the other team is going to bring.”

For a team capable of scoring 11 goals only to allow seven just 24 hours apart, executing fundamentals and staying out of the penalty box becomes critical given that Harvard’s season is now over the moment the team loses. The team believes that these are the keys to consistency.

“It’s pretty obvious that we can’t survive without playing our best hockey. The focus and discipline has to be paramount in order for us to advance,” Donato said. “A lot of guys in this locker room, especially the seniors, have had thier backs against the wall and responded well over the last several years.”

MacDonald agrees and puts faith in the ability of his teammates to execute as they did on Sunday, when a loss to Quinnipiac would have meant an end to the season.

“I think the team that can control their emotions and stayed disciplined and stick to their gameplan will most likely be victorious,” MacDonald said.

The closest individual match-up arguably occurs between the two men standing at opposite ends of the ice: sophomore goalie Kyle Richter and Cornell net-minder Ben Scrivens. Boasting the No. 1 and No. 2 save percentages in the ECAC, Richter’s .935 save percentage narrowly edges Scrivens .932. Both goalies also rank No.1 and No. 2 respectively in games started.

Tonight’s game will be Richter’s first trip to the semifinals, as Clarkson ended the Crimson’s season in the second round during his freshman year.

“If Sunday night was any indication, I think Kyle is poised to continue his outstanding play for us,” Donato said. “I thought he was exceptional on Sunday. It really points pretty obviously to me that the teams that survived have the best goaltenders.”

But Harvard’s not-so-secret weapon might be Taylor’s explosive scoring streak that he has managed to extend into the playoffs. He has notched at least one point in the last 12 games to go along with a total of eight goals and six assists. Taylor’s knack for timing has given the forward a reputation as the team’s clutch player, one whom the Crimson can count on to show his best talent in high-pressure situations.

“There is definitely a part of me that says that Mike Taylor has refused to allow this team to go softly in any big game,” Donato said.

Taylor was instrumental in Harvard’s most recent victory over Cornell by scoring a short-handed goal that gave the Crimson a 1-0 lead early in the first period.

“He’s one of the best players in the league and probably one of the best players in the country,” MacDonald said. “The fact that he embraces the big game atmosphere and steps up to the whole new level, that’s something you can’t teach. He’s putting the team on his back, and it’s great to watch and be a part of.”

When Harvard needed to break out of its mid-season slump, Taylor and Richter provided spark. Now that the Harvard must play mistake-free hockey, the individual brilliance and the consistent hockey team must show up ready to skate.

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