Last year the varsity skaters saw their E.C.A.C. championship hopes dashed by St. Lawrence when the Larries scored four goals in less than two minutes to wrap up the tournament semi-finals. Tonight at 8 p.m., the Crimson will open a new bid for the Eastern Collegiate Crown against an unknown quantity--the Red Raiders of Colgate.

Colgate boasts a fine goalie in Curt Brown (seven seasonal shut outs) and a good forward line that has amassed 116 points in 22 games. The Raiders reputedly depend upon a hard-checking style of play similar to the B.C. brand of hockey.

Though invited to the eight team tournament, the visitors from Hamilton have played few opponents of real note and have lost a game or two to the likes of Cornell. In their three real contests, the Raiders have fallen to Clarkson, tied Army and edged Yale.

The varsity also lost to the Black Knights and the Crimson's own contest with the Cadets was a 2-2 stalemate. But coach Cooney Weiland's skaters thumped the Bulldogs of New Haven on two different occasions and must rate a solid favorite tonight in Watson rink.

The Crimson has lost just one home game in three years and played its best hockey of the year in New Haven last Saturday. Weiland's new JFK line (Jorgenson, Fryer, and Kinasewich) held the Elis' first line scoreless over the weekend and has contributed four goals in the last two games.

Goalie Godfrey Wood, completely recovered from his bout with the flu, is also in top form and will be working on his third straight shut-out against Colgate. A varsity has not held the enemy scoreless for 180 minutes since the depression days of 1936.

On the first line, Captain Tim Taylor's 36 points speak for themselves. Ike Ikauniks, on the other wing, has scored points in each of the varsity's last five games. Dick Blakey at center keeps the first unit moving with his pin-point passing and has collected six goals in four games

Weiland's second unit of Barry Treadwell, Baldy Smith, and Billy Lamarche has been held down in recent games, but still boasts three of the Crimson's five top scorers with 86 points.

Tickets for tonight's contest are on sale at 60 Boylston street.