I’ve watched every Harvard Hockey game since I got to Harvard. I’ve heard the call “Save by Koskenvuo!” a thousand times, and I might hear it a thousand more before we even get to Thanksgiving. The 6’4” junior has played like a possessed man to start the season, boasting a .916 save percentage in five games, including a shutout against #19 Quinnipiac, after which he was named MAC Goaltending ECAC Goaltender of the Week, and an impressive .923 against #6 Cornell.
Hailing from Espoo, Finland, Aku Koskenvuo ’26 has been playing hockey since he was four years old. Before coming to Cambridge, Koskenvuo played for multiple levels of the Finnish National Team, starting at U-16 and working his way up to U-20. He represented his country at the IIHF U-18 Men’s World Junior Championship and played for Finland during his first year at Harvard for the U-20 Championship. For Koskenvuo, the Finnish pride runs deep. “All my idols from the NHL were Finnish goalies… Kiprusoff, Rask, and Rinne, those were my three biggest.”
When he came to Harvard for the 2022-2023 season, it was an adjustment both on and off the ice. “Derek here last year and Mitchell Gibson my freshman year—both incredible goalies—definitely helped me a lot getting my game better and helping me outside of the rink grow as a person.” Koskenvuo explained that there are more than a few differences in goaltending in Cambridge versus Espoo. “The game here is a lot quicker than back home—it’s almost a different kind of hockey… The NCAA has such a high level of great, great talent, so refining those small things—focusing on the small details—has been a big part in taking my game to a new level.”
“A new level” could be used to describe the entire Harvard men’s hockey team. Last year was a rebuild, but now the team is looking to make a name for themselves with a new identity and new core players. “It was a rebuilding year for sure…but the boys understood pretty well what it takes to win,” Koskenvuo said. Looking at this year, Koskenvuo was emphatically optimistic. “Everyone has that underdog mentality for this season. We really want to bounce back to what our team was before last year and prove to everyone what we’re capable of. That will to prove everyone wrong is fueling the team right now.”
Having played professional and competitive international hockey for several years, Koskenvuo is no stranger to the trials and tribulations of high-level hockey, and is using his knowledge to help shape the team mentality off the ice. “I think the one thing you learn from those international tournaments, playing against the best kids of your age group, is understanding what it really takes if you want to achieve something.” For Koskenvuo, it’s all about the details. “Like I mentioned before, it’s the small things, right? You have to execute in the tournament, but understanding that the work for winning games and winning championships starts a lot before the game itself.”
Koskenvuo’s experience playing for Finland has prepared him well for his new role on the team, now Harvard’s starting goalie for the first time in his college career. “As of right now, I’m really honored to have played the first games, but I think that’s only the beginning. I want to see where we can take this team, so right now I’m just focused on doing whatever I can to help me play as well as I can and see where it takes us.” So far, this mindset has worked well. The team is off to a much better start than last year, and even in their losses, it’s clear that they’ve taken a big step up. Harvard finished last season ranked #50, and after just one week they have rocketed up to #20.
Jordan Wasserberger ’27 (jwasserberger@college.harvard.edu) could maybe score on Koskenvuo if given 100+ shots, and he invites anyone who thinks they can do better to try (and let him know how they do).