Icemen Seek Top Eastern Ranking, Battle Powerful Bruins Tonight

Harvard's undefeated varsity hockey team hosts a fired-up Brown squad tonight at Watson Rink in an attempt to establish itself as one of the top teams in the East.

In addition to the prestige of a number one rating, the Crimson icemen will be shooting for the 300th career victory for coach Cooney Weiland. Only four other college hockey coaches in the country have broken the "300 Plateau."

With a hard-earned 4-4 tie against Boston University last Wednesday, the Crimson skaters entered the race for the top spot in the polls. Cornell's perennially tough squad has already dropped two decisions and its dynasty appears to be tottering.

One of the teams to upset the Big Red this winter was Brown, turning in a narrow 3-2 win in their last outing. "They're probably super-psyched going against us," said Dan DeMichele, one of the Crimson regulars. "Brown hasn't played since they beat Cornell, and they'll be after us."

"There'll be no letdown on their part," agreed defenseman Terry Driscoll. "Brown just has to be up for this one."

The styles of the two squads differ greatly. Harvard plays an explosive brand of hockey, outscoring its first three opponents by a combined total of 25-8. Brown plays a much closer, conservative game, with accent placed on defense.

"Brown has a good, physical team," explained DeMichele. "They lost to B. U., 5-1, but they physically demolished them in the process."

"I'd look for a controlled game." added Driscoll. "Brown knows that if they let us open up, we'll explode on them. Their strategy is to stay close to us, and hope for a break."

They got one last year as the Bruins pinned the first loss of the season on Harvard, 4-3. "They lost most of their scoring punch in graduation last spring, though," commented Driscoll.

The tie with B. U. has produced little change in the Crimson style. "We're going to try to make more use of he center," explained Driscoll, "moving him to the corners more. And we've been practicing on moving out of the zone, and working shorter passes."

Five teams appear to be grouped at the top of the heap in Eastern hockey, including Harvard, B. U., Clarkson, Cornell, and R. P. I. "Beating Brown by more than five goals," predicted Driscoll, "would probably keep us ranked number one or two."

If Harvard has had a problem this year, it has been the inconsistent play on defense. Against Brown, the defensemen will be moving to the center more, working two on one on the opposition forwards. "Besides," added Driscoll, "we're really after this one, too."