'88's Eight: Hockey Freshmen

After four years of watching the Harvard men's hockey team, and four weeks of organized practices as a member of the squad, freshman Andy Janfaza finally donned the Crimson uniform in the season opener with Yale November 17.

Yale's Bob Kudelski was whistled for high-sticking Lane MacDonald just over five minutes into the contest and Janfaza found himself on the power play.

Less than half a minute later, at 5:47 of the first period, Janfaza, playing left wing, knocked a rebound of his own shot past Yale goaltender Scott Relick to record the first Harvard goal of the new season.

It all started out just too perfectly.

On the next shift, Janfaza took a hit and went down hard with a separated shoulder. What had started out as a storybook first game for Janfaza ended in disappointment for the Natick, Mass. native, when he learned that the injury would keep him out of the lineup for at least two weeks.

"The Yale game was the largest crowd I had ever played in front of. I was really excited," Janfaza said. "I was just starting to get into the game when I got injured. After all that time practicing and waiting to get out there it was really frustrating to have to sit out."

Janfaza came back against Cornell on December 8, and again made an immediate contribution, assisting on Peter Chiarelli's goal in the second period (putting the Crimson ahead, 5-3) in the 5-5 tie with the Big Red at Ithaca.

But again, it was just too good to be true.

After playing the following night at Colgate, the freshman winger came out in the next contest at Dartmouth but reinjured the shoulder. Janfaza sat out the B.C. game, but returned after the Christmas break when the Crimson took on RPI on January 4.

Despite the injuries and the time he's missed, Janfaza has been able to step right back into the lineup each time because of his dedication to the team and the sport.

"He's one of the hardest workers on the team," teammate Tim Barakett says. "That's why he's been able to improve so much and overcome the injuries."

Everyone associated with Janfaza, even through his high school days at Noble and Greenough, where he was a standout in football and baseball as well as hockey, seem to agree that he is the type of player who always plays hard and doesn't shy away from the action, no matter how rough it gets.

Richard Flood, headmaster at Noble and Greenough and head hockey coach, calls Janfaza "tremendously competitive and enthusiastic."

"Wherever the action was," Flood says, "Andy would be there."

And things haven't changed much. Harvard Coach Bill Cleary labels Janfaza as "a workhorse."

"He's a tough cookie," Cleary says.

"He goes right to the net to make the play," says Barakett of the 5-ft. 10-in., 185-lb, left wing. "He's not afraid to go right in there where it can get rough."

Although Janfaza says that he has always been a physical hockey player and likes that style of play, he admits that he sometimes makes the rookie mistake of skating with his head down, inviting unexpected hits.

"He gets hit more than anybody on the team "Cleary points out.

"I definitely do get hit too much," Janfaza agrees. "But I'm learning and I've improved a lot since the beginning of the year."

Rob Ohno, who counters Janfaza's line, agrees that his left wing is a physical player, but is also quick to point out that Janfaza is also an excellent skater.

"He's great to play with because he hustles incredibly," Ohno says. "He has great skating ability."

The one aspect of his game which the freshman feels he needs to improve on is his ability to out points on the board.

"I need to work on my one-on-one move and put the puck in the net more," Janfaza said.

But Ohno is not worried. "I think Andy's kind of disappointed that he hasn't scored more goals but that will come in time because he has great hockey sense," the junior says. "He's improving daily as he gains experience. He'll break out of it soon and start popping them in."

But in the meantime, Janfaza is content with playing his role as a tough kid who'll work hard and get the job done.

"I'm not going to break any records," Janfaza said. "I'm happy just to contribute.