Advertisement

Last-Minute Rally by B.C. Sextet Sets Back Scrappy Crimson, 3-2

Boston College scored two goals in the last four minutes last night to erase a 2-1 Crimson edge and eke out a 3-2 victory over underdog Harvard.

The Eagles lived up to their reputation as the speediest team on Harvard's schedule, but the Crimson kept up with them all the way until the end. The result was the fastest and best-played game in Watson Rink this year, and perhaps in many years.

Upset in the Making

When Jorge Gonzales put Harvard ahead midway in the last period, it looked as though the Crimson might pull off one of the biggest upsets of the Eastern hockey season. But last-ditch goals by B.C.'s Jerry York and John Moylan turned the upset into just another of Harvard's near-misses.

Chip Scammon set up Harvard's go-ahead goal by breaking up a three-on-one Eagle drive in front of his own net, rushing the length of the ice, and dropping the puck behind him for Gonzales. The Crimson wing's shot bounced into the cage off B.C. goalie Pat Murphy, and Harvard had the lead.

Advertisement

From then on the rink was in an uproar as the Eagles frantically pressed for the equalizer. Harvard goalie Bill Fitzsimmons, who had turned in some phenomenal saves to keep the Crimson in the game, didn't have a chance when B.C. finally found the range.

One of Harvard's few defensive lapses of the night produced the tying goal. Eagle Jerry York was all alone 20 feet in front of the Crimson cage when he put Fred Kinsman's centering pass behind Fitzsimmons for his second goal of the game and a 2-2 tie.

B.C. got the crusher during Harvard's only penalty of the night, called on Scammon at 17:43 for holding John Cunniff, B.C.'s speediest wing. John Moylan steered in Allan Kierstad's centering pass at 18:44, and it was all over.

Despite the Eagles' speed, excellent checking by the Crimson forwards enabled Harvard to control the puck for more than its share of the time during the entire game. After the Eagles took an early lead in the first period, they couldn't score again for more than 50 minutes.

And B.C.'s first goal was a controversial one at that. Jerry York scored it at 8:38 by putting in a rebound after Fitzsimmons had stopped a two-on-one drive. Everybody in the rink but the officials though York's stick was illegally above his shoulders when he scored.

Harvard Knots Score

The goal fired up Harvard, though, and at 9:22 of the opening period Pete Waldinger poked in John Daly's rebound to tie the score. Gordie Price got the puck to Daly with some pretty stick-work to set up the goal.

The scoreless second period was the fastest of all as the action zoomed up and down the ice. Seconds after B.C.'s Kinsman hit a post on a breakaway, Harvard's Eddie Zellner just failed to get off a shot with an open corner of the Eagle net in front of him.

Recommended Articles

Advertisement