Princeton Icemen Seek First Ivy Win In Tomorrow's Battle Against Crimson

Fresh off a 7-5 victory over Dartmouth, the Harvard hockey team will face a 2-9 squad from perennially weak Princeton this Saturday in Watson Rink at 7:30 p.m.

The Crimson is heavily favored, as Princeton has not won a single Division I ECAC game this season. Harvard remains the first ranked team in the East with a record of eight victories and one loss.

Injuries and lack of hockey interest have hurt the Tiger squad this winter. Mark Stuckey, the top scorer with 14 points, has missed the last three games because of an eye injury sustained in practice, and goalie Ed Swift is out with a sore knee. Defenseman Stan Hutton recently quit the team after being benched for a game.

Princeton coach Bill Quackenbush has only the minimal number of players needed to field a team--three lines, two sets of defense, and two goalies. In addition to this lack of depth, the Tiger icemen have little experience, for only three members of the team are seniors.

Captain Swift remembers that these three seniors were once part of a freshman squad which posted a respectable 12-5-1 record and downed the varsity.

"Princeton hockey interest is not high, and most of our best players end up quitting or getting kicked out." Swift explained. "Freshmen are always beating the varsity and then going on to drop out--losing is a tradition here."

Quackenbush has survived five long seasons during which his teams have won 29 victories and suffered 85 defeats. However, he still gives the same wishful pre-season speech to his squad each fall. "You should all give up drinking, although you may have a few beers after each game. and none of you should smoke--especially any funny stuff."

While the Tigers go after their first victory in Watson Rink in 20 years. Harvard's "Local Line" trio of Dave Hynes. Bob McManama and Bill Corkery will be pursuing some personal scoring records.

Left-wing Hynes, now fourth in Harvard career scoring, needs five points to catch "Cooch" Owen, who compiled 136 points between 1968 and 1971. Bob Cleary, the brother of Crimson coach Bill Cleary, holds the career scoring record with an impressive 195 points.

McManama needs two points to tie Owen's teammate. Dan DeMichele, who earned 123 points, and Corkery stands ten points away from the tenth slot in career scoring.

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The Crimson will miss injured defenseman Doug Elliott, who is also close to setting a personal record. Before the season's start. Elliott had received 132 minutes in penalties, and he is now up to 160 minutes. Dartmouth's Dusty Ingersoll holds the New England record with 184 minutes, a total clearly in Elliott's reach.

Harvard's line-up remains unchanged from last Wednesday's game against Dartmouth. Lee Hogan will skate on the fourth line with Dave Gauthier and Steve Dagdigian, replacing injured Jim McMahon. With Elliott unavailable because of an ankle injury, both Levy Byrd and Dave Hands will see action on defense.