His game has matured since he arrived in Dunedin this year to study computer science and design at the University of Otago, and he has put the puck into the back of the net 16 times.
This is Harrison's fifth year in the national league after four years with the Southern Stampede.
He is keen to play professional ice hockey in Europe or North America in the future but his immediate goal is to win the national league.
He finished runner-up with the Stampede three times - beaten by the Red Devils in 2009 and last year, and by the Botany Swarm in 2011.
Harrison (20) is confident the league-leading Dunedin Thunder can win the title.
''A home final is our goal but I'm not going to guarantee anything just yet,'' he said.
The highlight of his career came when he was selected in the Ice Blacks for last year's world championships (division 2, group A) in Iceland.
''The game was a lot faster and cleaner than in the junior grades,'' he said.
''The players have more knowledge and the game is tougher. It was a good learning experience for me. I learnt a lot from the older guys on how to compete at a higher level.''
Harrison first played international hockey in 2008 for the New Zealand under-16 team against Australia.
His first world championship experience was with the under-18 team in Mexico in 2009 and he follwed this by playing in Romania in 2010 after New Zealand won the Mexico tournament and earned promotion.
Harrison was a key member of the under-20 team that won a bronze medal in world events in Dunedin and Bulgaria.
''Some countries are not strong at a younger age-group but when you go up to the next level they have a much stronger team and you don't know what to expect,'' Harrison said.
Harrison joined his friends on the Queenstown ice hockey rink at the age of 6 and has played consistently for the past 14 years.
''I thought it was fun so I jumped on board and have been playing ever since. I like the physicality and the finesse of ice hockey.''
Ice hockey is the elite sport in Queenstown and has a big following.
''We get sell-out crowds for every game we play back home,'' Harrison said.
Harrison left Wakatipu High School in 2011 and spent the next year concentrating on ice hockey ''and making some money''.
The Dunedin Thunder has a double-header against the Botany Swarm in Auckland this weekend, while the Southern Stampede has the bye.
The Thunder beat the Swarm twice in overtime in Dunedin earlier in the season.
The standings
Dunedin Thunder 21 points, Red Devils 17, Botany Swarm 17, Southern Stampede 17, Auckland Admirals 0
