Michigan Tech, MSU Victorious

DETROIT, Mich.--Ever since the Republican National Convention in July, they've been saying that Detroit loves a good party. The Harvard hockey team doesn't agree.

The icemen--guests of Michigan Tech and the University of Michigan at the 16th annual Great Lakes Invitational here on Dec. 27 and 28--didn't have much fun at all, getting blown out by the MTU Huskies in the first game, 9-2, and losing the consolation contest to Michigan State, 6-4.

Michigan Tech won its fifth consecutive tournament by topping Michigan in the finals.

Coach Bill Cleary and company probably couldn't have expected much better, what with three of the top four Crimson scorers not making the trip. Senior captain Tom Murray stayed home with a separated shoulder, while sophomores Greg Olson and Mark Fusco opted to travel with the U.S. Junior National Team in Europe over the holidays.

With those three out, the pressure was on Mike Watson, Dave Burke and a gaggle of freshmen up front and a young crop of defensemen at the blueline.

For the first eight minutes of the opening game, the Crimson looked up to the challenge. Crisp passing and some solid forechecking in the offensive zone, plus spirited defensive play, allowed the Crimson to stay even, if not dominate.

But a well-placed slap shot by MTU right wing Mel Pearson at 8:25 changed everything, giving the Huskies a 1-0 advantage and reversing the momentum. From that point, all the Crimson could do was hang on, and the score was 4-1 by the end of the first period.

In the second stanza, the Huskies had turned the red light on four more times, making the total an embarrasing 8-1. Burke tallied for the Crimson with two minutes left in the game to make the final 9-2.

The next day's action was a little more satisfying, if no more productive. After falling behind 4-1 in the first period, the Crimson battled back and even dominated for the final 40 minutes, but was unable to catch the MSU Spartans, dropping the contest 6-4 for a fourth-place tournament finish.