The varsity hockey team, with a chance to move into the Ivy League lead to stay, is a strong favorite against Princeton this afternoon before an Alumni Day crowd at Princeton's Baker Rink.

Everybody's choice to repeat as League champion, the Crimson now stands in second place (4-1) behind Cornell, whose surprising 5-3 Ivy record has given the Ithacans at least temporary possession of the top spot. Cornell faces Brown tonight at home.

Princeton, now 2-3 in League play, forms its offense around two high-scoring junior wings--John Cook and Jim Hyland. Cook, unanimous All-Ivy choice last year, tied for the individual scoring lead with 24 points in 1960-61 and is second in League scoring this year. Hyland is also among the top five scorers in the hockey loop.

The Tigers, however, boast little else except a former Harvard great as coach. Norm Wood '54 learned his hockey from Ralph "Cooney" Weiland, who today seeks to continue his recent dominance over his former pupil.

Welland will use his usual line formations to start at Princeton but after the game gets underway he will undoubtedly experiment with various combinations, in an effort to get all of the boys into the act. One of the most prolifictrios of late (seven goals in the last two games) is Gene Kinasewich--Jim Dwinell--Tim Taylor.

Gerry Jorgenson, the regular on that line, will probably start, however.

In the goal for the visiting varsity will be Bob Bland, who has been alternating with Godfrey Wood. Bland's last appearance was against Boston College, who slipped only one goal past him.

Before the varsity game at 3 p.m., luck-lustre freshman teams from Harvard and Pinceton will clash before the alumni gathering.