Undefeated in Ivy play and boasting its third league championship in as many years, the varsity hockey team should do to the bulldogs in New Haven what the Elis' swimming team has promised to do in Cambridge--beat its biggest rival badly. Harvard has lost just two games to Yale in better than a decade of hockey, and the pattern is not likely to change tonight.
The Yalies did give coach Cooney Weiland's skaters a scare last week in the Boston Arena. Playing way over their heads, the Elis hustled all over the ice in losing 6-5 before a predominantly Crimson audience.
Elis Have Punch
With its own crowd tonight, Yale will be fighting for second place in the Ivy League and will have real scoring punch in Frank Bishop and Coley Burke (second and third respectively in Ivy scoring).
But Burke, Bishop, and the lesser Bulldogs will be facing a defensive unit in Dave Johnston, Mike Patterson, Ron Thomson, and John Daly that has held Crimson opponents to less than two goals on ten different occasions. Yale has already dropped four league contests, including a 1-0 loss to Brown.
The Yalies will also have problems in dealing with the Crimson's balanced offense. No less than 12 varsity players have scored in double figures and six skaters have contributed more than 20 points.
This potent attack may be slowed to some extent if team captain and scoring leader Tim Taylor (33 points) is unable to play. Taylor will probably make the New Haven journey, but could be sidelined with a slight ankle injury. In any event, the 6 ft., 1 in, senior will be ready for Tuesday's E.C.A.C. tournament opener with Colgate.
The Harvard-Yale hockey rivalry extends all the way back to Feb. 23, 1900, with a 73-44-8 record in the Crimson's favor. Tonight should bring number 74 unless the Yalies are a lot better than they have been letting on.
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