CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Having started the season with consecutive losses to ECAC foes Dartmouth and Quinnipiac, there's plenty of room for growth in a Harvard team that features freshmen on three of its four forward lines.
The Crimson have more experience in back, led by two-time All-American Adam Fox, but that youthful presence still rings true on the blue line. Look no further than West Roxbury, Mass., native Jack Rathbone, a freshman head coach Ted Donato (Boston, Mass.) has entrusted with big minutes from the get-go.
The Vancouver Canucks’ fourth-round selection in 2017, Rathbone has found early success alongside Fox and junior John Marino (North Easton, Mass.), registering three points. He scored his first collegiate goal in Friday’s 5-3 setback to the undefeated Bobcats.
“I thought Jack did some great things. In some ways, he's a lot like we are as a group,” Donato said. “He has flashes, points when you say, 'Oh, that looks good,' but there are also some things we have to improve upon if we want to have success every night. I love his compete level and his work ethic, and I thought he made some key plays.”
Pairing with two fellow NHL draftees – Fox with the Calgary Flames, and Marino with the Edmontion Oilers – has eased the adjustment for Rathbone. He displayed offensive flair while playing four years of prep hockey at Dexter School, totaling 98 points, and that again surfaced Friday night vs. Quinnipiac.
Down 4-0, Rathbone drove the puck down the left wing and centered the puck to the front of the net. Quinnipiac sophomore goalie Keith Petruzzelli (Wilbraham, Mass.) initially sticked it out of harm’s way, but junior winger Nathan Krusko retrieved it and fed Rathbone for a hard snapshot just outside the left circle.
“You realize it pretty early, but it's all the normal things — pace, size, and just making quicker plays and making sure you have your outlets prepared when you're making decisions,” Rathbone said of the biggest adjustments to college. “The first two games have been good, and I feel like I've made the jump pretty well. Hopefully I can build on it as my confidence starts to grow.
“Playing with those guys makes it easy because you can read off them, and it's been great being able to pick their brains. They've played and had success at this level, so they're really good guys to learn from and good role models.”
The main role model for Rathbone is Fox, who brings it every night and has an astounding seven points through two games. They both stand at 5-foot-11 and play a smart, offensive-minded game, making them a great pair for the top of the Crimson defense.
“We juggled things around once we were chasing the game, but Adam is one of the top players in college hockey, period,” Donato said on Friday. “Any time you get a chance to play with him, it should elevate your game.”
While meticulous, consistent preparation off-ice and in practice impressed Rathbone most about Fox and Marino, he’s enjoyed the up-close look at one of the nation's top college hockey defensemen.
“I try to take anything away from (Fox’s) game that I can,” Rathbone said of Fox, whose NHL rights now belong to the Carolina Hurricanes. “These first few games it's definitely been cool to see how he plays his game. It's exciting, fun to watch and it's been a great experience playing with the two of them.”
Playing defense at the NCAA level as a freshman is a mighty challenge, but senior captain Lewis Zerter-Gossage sees Rathbone seamlessly fitting in.
“This team has been one that's gotten a lot of production out of young guys in the last few years when we've had success, and Jack is definitely no different than that,” Zerter-Gossage said. “There's definitely a learning curve and everybody needs some time, but (Jack and a few other freshmen have) jumped in pretty fast. I think the future is really bright, and I'm excited to see how they improve with a little more experience under their belt.”
Rathbone's path also bears a similar approach to former Harvard forward Ryan Donato (Scituate, Mass.), who's now with the Boston Bruins. They both played for Dan Donato at Dexter and extensively for the Cape Cod Whalers organization.
Rathbone is excited to follow in those footsteps and play a key role in turning Harvard’s season around.
“They don't just expect us to play as freshmen, they expect us to make an impact, so we're going to try to put forth some efforts here in the next few weeks to turn this thing around,” Rathbone said. “Being able to play and go to school at a place like Harvard, it’s the best of both worlds. It's something I couldn't pass up when I got the opportunity. Now that I’m here, it's pretty cool.”
