The varsity hockey team meets B.C. at 9 p.m. tonight at the Boston Arena in a game which has to be described as one of the Crimson's most important contests of the year. The fact is that if the varsity wins its remaining six games, chances are excellent that it will be invited to compete in the NCAA finals on March 13, in Minneapolis, Minn.

While this may come as somewhat of a surprise to Harvard hockey fans, the facts speak for themselves. B.U. at 15-3 and the Crimson at 13-3 have the best records of all the Eastern hockey teams and therefore are entitled to go. This all depends, of course, on the remaining games of the season. B.U. has to meet the third place team, Clarkson (8-2) this Saturday and the outcome of this contest will determine Clarkson's place in the whole picture.

It goes without saying, then, that the Crimson cannot afford a loss tonight. The Eagles are perhaps the most improved hockey team in the East, as is evidenced by their 3-1 upset of St. Lawrence last Saturday night. In its last game with the varsity, B.C. led 3 to 2 at the end of the second period, only to have Crimson captain Bob Cleary and his line break loose for five goals, to win, 7 to 3.

B.C.'s strength as a hockey team lies in its hustle, its goalie, and two better than average defensemen, Ed Walsh and Tom Kane. Both of these players scored against the Crimson in the last game, and along with Eagle goalie Al Pitts they form a fine defensive unit. Pitts, who only returned to the B.C. lineup in the latter part of the season, has shown flashes of his old form, and is still one of the best goalies in the area.

The varsity's offensive units, which have scored 29 goals in the last four games, now rank third in the East with 6.5 goals a game, behind Middlebury at 7.9 and B.U. at 7.1. The Crimson's first line of Cleary, Lyle Guttu, and Terry O'Malley has played its best hockey of the year in the latter half of the season and will start tonight.

The second line of Bruce Gillie, Bob McVey, and Mike Graney has not been scoring as much as expected, but it has been definitely superior to any comparable line put on by the opposition. Bud Higginbottom, Dick Fisher, and Dave Vietze at third line also fit this description, being far better than any other third or even second line in the East. Supplied with this wealth of good linemen, varsity coach Cooney Weiland can simply use them to wear the other team down and then capitalize in the third period.

The varsity defense ranks second in the East at 2.25 goals per game, only .05 behind leading Clarkson. Harry Pratt, who took over the goal in January, has played very steady hockey and should definitely start tonight. The defensive pairs of Les Duncan and Ed Owen, along with Dick McLaughlin and Dan Ullyot, will remain the same.