The Eagles of Boston College come to Watson rink tonight with a nine-game winning streak and with high hopes of handing the varsity hockey team its second defeat in less than two weeks. At almost full strength for the first time in weeks and playing on its own ice, the Crimson must stop the high-flying Eagles or lose all hope of a respectable E.C.A.C. ranking.
B.C. should rate a slight favorite in the 8 p.m. contest on the strength of its 3-1 victory over the varsity in last week's Bean Pot tourney. But coach Cooney Welland's icemen have beaten better teams than Boston (Colorado for one) and will be strengthened by the return of high-scoring Billy Lamarche to the line-up.
With the return of Lamarche, Welland will be juggling his lines constantly. Lamarche will return to his customary post as center on the second line of Barry Treadwell and Baldy Smith. Gene Kinasewich and Dick Blakey (five goals in two games) will probably alternate as the center of the first line.
Thomson Disabled
Though Weiland has regained Lamarche, he has probably lost defenseman Ron Thomson for at least the B.C. contest. The 5 ft. 10 in. senior jammed a finger blocking a Princeton shot in last Saturday's game.
The loss of Thomson could dangerously weaken the secondary in front of returning goalie Godfrey Wood. In the Bean Pot loss, shoddy defense forced Wood to make 35 saves.
But the defense, minus Thomson, to do better tonight to keep the high-powered line of Billy Hogan, Paul Alken, and Jack Leetch from making it two straight for B.C.
Wood's opposite number, Tom Apprille, held the varsity's three lines to a single marker in his last venture against the Crimson. Since then, Weiland's sextet has averaged six goals a game but against atrocious competition (Williams and Princeton).
Boston boasts a 17-2 record in E.C.A.C. competition, losing only to Clarkson and Providence. Harvard, on the other hand, is 13-3-2 including draws to teams (Army and Brown) that the Eagles have beaten decisively.
With Thomson hurt and goalie Wood just recovering from the flu, the Crimson will need plenty of team heroics to down B.C. for the fifth time in seven outings. Either way, a capacity crowd will see the best, and perhaps the roughest, game of the season at Watson tonight.
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