Crimson Play to Meager Crowd Without Halfnight, Zakowich

SCHENECTADY, N.Y.--On a night where Harvard was able to nab its second straight win, as well as the last ECAC win in 1996, it was a shame that two key Crimson players weren't here to enjoy the excitement.

Foremost, the man with the "C" embroidered onto his jersey, captain Ashlin Halfnight, remained home last night due to leg injury.

Suffering the injury during the Clarkson game last Saturday, Halfnight decided to forego the Union trek in order to rest up for the remainder of the season.

"Ashlin is a key player on our team," junior Henry Higdon said. "Ethan Oberman did a good job in his place."

The other clear void in the Harvard line-up was the absence of sophomore goaltender Peter Zakowich who didn't make the trip for unknown reasons.

With Zakowich missing in action, even more pressure was place upon the shoulders of freshman goaltender, J.R. Prestifilippo.

Registering his first shut-out of his career, Prestifilippo was solid, making 21 saves.

Midway through the first period, Union forward Chris Ford broke free from the Harvard defense, whipped two point-blank shots on Prestifilippo who blocked the first with his chest and then calmly gloved the second blast.

Standing in as Prestifilippo's best man was 6'5" (!) sophomore Bo Menkiti, who until last night, had been the number one junior varsity netminder.

Although he saw no playing action, in his varsity debut, Menkiti definitely gave the Harvard bench a "new" look.

Home Alone

In recent games, the student crowd at Bright Hockey Center has been noticeably scarce, but it shines in comparison to the slim-to-none clan present last night in Achilles Rink.

After playing some of its best hockey in some years, posting impressive wins over R.P.I and Clarkson, one wonders what it takes to draw a crowd.

No worries, however, because the Union student body has been on break since Thanksgiving due to trimester program.

The rowdy crowd doesn't have to report back to campus till after the New Year.

So instead of deragatory chants and random objects tossed onto the ice, Achilles Rink was scattered with players' parents and a handful of locals.

One old man, obviously with the Dutchmen, raised his voice during one stoppage of play, "Hey, Number 10, you need to start working harder."

Another young fan found no excitment in the game itself, but rather put on a solid gymnastic's beam routine on the stands of her section "K".

The only hint of a student body occurred in between plays when music blared from the sound system.

After three periods of Montell Jordan, the Village People and Technotronic, among others, one older women was left holding her ears while the rest looked equally displeased.

It still stands to wonder if the fans were disappointed in Union's play or simply the environment.

Break Out

Three goals for the team and three points for junior forward Henry Higdon tells a relieving story.

In the last 17 games of last season, Hidgon racked up 16 goals and five assists and catalyzed the team into the final game of the ECAC Tournament in Lake Placid.

This season has been a different story.

After suffering a shoulder injury in just the first game of the season, Higdon has been absent from the Crimson roster four times and had been unable to tally a point.

Equipped with a punishing shot, great vision and an innate scoring sense, however, it was only a matter of time before the sniper broke onto the 1996-97 scoring sheet.

And break out he did last night. Hidgon figured in each Harvard goal as he exploded for a goal and two assists in the win.

"Higdon is going to get many more of those," Harvard coach Ronn Tomassoni said. "He got the first one, he got the ape off his back."

With Higdon back in the offensive prowl, Harvard's season is looking that much brighter.

"It feels great, last weekend was the real spark we needed," Higdon said. "Once we get used to winning, it just goes from there."

Looking Ahead

Higdon and the rest of the Crimson crew have nine days off before they head out to Minnesota-Duluth for the final two games of 1996.

After that two-game series, Harvard will be able to enjoy the New Year, but then must face a tough Vermont team on January 3, at the Gutterson Arena.

There is no doubt what the New Year's resolutions of the Harvard players will be.