Red-Hot Sophomore Netminder Makes His Mark at Cornell

The blue books have long since been turned in, the Beanpot madness has subsided, and it's time once again for the Harvard hockey team to concentrate on the Ivy League. The skaters will have to concentrate extra hard this evening when they take on the hottest team in the league, Cornell (8 p.m. on WMEX radio) in Ithaca.

The Big Red (11-5 in ECAC, 5-1 in the Ivies) has won its last six games, and after a slow start this season, has moved into the number three spot in the ECAC and is tied with Brown for the Ivy lead. Cornell's last victim was a tough Dartmouth squad (5-3) last Saturday night in Ithaca's notorious Lynah Rink.

The reason for the Big Red resurgence? Sophomore goaltender John VanDerMark has a lot to do with it. VanDerMark boasts a 1.24 goals-against average to lead the Ivy league, and has moved up to second place among ECAC goaltenders with a 3.20 average. In four League games, he has allowed only five goals on 97 shots.

Harvard, which has lost only one of its last ten games, needs the win tonight if it is to stay in contention for the ECAC playoffs (Harvard is 6-4-2) and for the Ivy crown which the Crimson (2-2) won handily last season with a perfect 12-0 record.