Hockey Team Slaps BC, 6-1

Don't worry too much about the hockey team's opening game loss to B.U. The loss, in fact, was probably good medicine for the sextet which awoke last night with mid-season finesse to slap Boston College, 6 to 1.

For Snooks Kelly's Eagles, the game was a sad awakening. The inexperienced B.C. team had only its indomitable hustle to stop the Crimson from embarrasing it beyond recognition. And the Eagles, with a schedule almost as difficult as the varsity's, seems doomed to a losing season for the second time in 20 years.

The score should have been higher. The Crimson's three lines, especially Captain Bob Cleary's and Bud Higginbottom's, began to click early in the opening period although they could not find their scoring punch until the final stanza.

Defense Is Sharp

In a startling comeback from their B.U. loss, the Crimson skaters did not degenerate into puck slapping and coarse zone clearing. This time, the defense gave goalie Tab Cleary the best protection possible and was, in fact, responsible for setting up some of the best offensive attacks of the night.

The Crimson had only one real penalty--when Dan Ullyot slammed down a potential scorer--but its checking was a spectators delight. From big John Copeland down to scrappy wing Bruce Gillie the sextet made B. C.'s once-champion checkers appear almost helpless.

The winning scores, also a change from the B.U. game, were neither accidental or lucky. The very fast combination of Bud Higginbottom and Dick Fischer was most effective in the game. Fischer had one of the best nights of his career, scoring twice on passes from Higginbottom who also seemed to be in top form.

Fischer Scores

Fischer's third-period goals broke a misleading 1-1 tie which had lasted through two periods. Paul Kelley netted the Crimson's fourth goal at 13:00 on a rebound from Ed Owen.

Then Lyle Guttu turned in the best shot of the night, a hard drill in the lower left-hand corner. B.C. star goalie Al Pitts never had a chance on it. Two minutes later at 15:56 sophomore Gillie scored his first varsity tally, a really heads-up shot on a rebound from defenseman Dan Ullyot.

The Crimson's startling rebound last night was slightly reminiscent of last season when the varsity dropped its opener to Providence and then came back with six straight wins. However, the schedule is somewhat tougher this year: Clarkson, St. Lawrence, Michigan and Minnesota are next on the list. And unfortunately these teams will not give the sextet two periods to find its scoring punch. Cooney Weiland's boys will have to take up where they left off in the Arena last night