Varsity Skaters Squeak by Huskies for 3-2 Win Wyatt Wins Game With Overtime Goal

Harvard's varsity hockey team, with the help of John Aiken's superb goaltending, overcame injury and illness last night to pull out a 3-2 overtime victory against Northeastern University before a small but vocal crowd in Boston Arena.

Sophomore Wiz Wyatt notched the winning goal--his first tally of the season--at 2:04 of the overtime period to give the Crimson its seventh straight victory. Wyatt, who replaced ill winger Ted Thorndike, was assisted by junior Leigh Hogan.

Huskies Tie Game

The Huskiestied the game with only 1:40 remaining in the third period, and each squad missed a clear scoring opportunity in the closing minute. Aiken made a fine leg save on a close-in shot with 50 seconds left; then Harvard took the puck up ice, and Crimson forward Kevin Burke hit the right post.

The first period went scoreless with Harvard outshooting the Huskies, 10-8. Crimson center Kevin Carr and linemate Steve Dagdigian had a two-on-one break 12 minutes into the period, but Dagdigian's shot glanced off the right post.

Northeastern also failed to take advantage of a two-on-one opportunity in the first stanza as Huskie forward Evan McPherson missed an open net by four feet with less than two minutes remaining in the period. Northeastern and Harvard each received one penalty, but neither team could capitalize on the man-up situation.

Junior Jim McMahon put Harvard ahead, 1-0, at 5:13 of the second period while two Huskies were serving overlapping penalties. Crimson top scorer Randy Roth took a shot from the right side, and McMahon tipped in the rebound from just outside the crease.

Northeastern came back to tie the game at 11:52 when senior Allan Dunkle, standing alone in front of the net, deflected a shot past Aiken. Harvard successfully killed a penalty on defenseman Steve Janicek after Dunkle's goal, and the middle stanza ended with the score knotted at 1-1.

Burke gave the Crimson a 2-1 lead at 5:12 of the third period, taking a drop pass from linemate Paul Haley and beating Huskie goalie Bill McKenna with a high shot into the far corner from the right side.

Northeastern pressed in the closing minutes of the third stanza, and at 18:20 Huskie forward Dave Sherlock tallied to make it 2-2, putting the game into overtime.

Northeastern coach Fernie Flaman played a different goalie each period, repeating the strategy he used last weekend against Denver. Senior Tod Blanchard, Jay Mason and McKenna blocked ten, nine and ten shots respectively, while Aiken made 26 saves.

In other ECAC Division I action, Boston College downed Boston University, 7-5.