The longest--and many think best--college sports season opens at Watson Rink tonight when the Harvard hockey team faces off against the St. Nicholas Hockey Club of New York. For the records, tonight's contest is only an exhibition, but for the breed of ice addicts it will be the long-awaited debut of the first Crimson powerhouse since Gene Kinasewich graduated four years ago.

In the 1964-65 campaign, Harvard fell from the heights of Eastern hockey to a miserable 9-15 record, Coach Cooney Weiland's first dip below .500 in more than a decade. But Harvard was building. The last three freshman teams have been better than almost everyone except the following year's team (and this trend may be continued this winter).

The present Crimson squad thus represents the first full harvest of the new generation. Tonight's roster of seven seniors, six juniors, and four sophomores is an almost perfect distribution of leadership, experience, and fresh talent.

Five of the seniors are three-year regulars and will comprise as formidable an opening lineup as there is in the East. Captain Jack Garrity will center the first line with Kent Parrot and Bob Fredo on the wings.

Parrot, New England Sophomore of the Year in 1966, is a two-time All-Ivy second team selection. The Crimson's most spectacular stickhandler, skater, and scorer, Parrot should be as dangerous at left wing as at his former center slot.

Fredo, who moves to right wing, led Harvard with seven Ivy goals last season and is the Crimson's strongest back-checking wing. Garrity, the hard-working captain, is one of the college's most respected leaders and most aggressive forecheckers.

On defense are Ben Smith and Bob Carr. Smith was second team All-Ivy as a sophomore before he was moved unsuccessfully to forward. Carr meanwhile grew into one of the East's sturdiest and highest scoring defensemen and took Smith's place on the Ivy roll, behind only Harry Orr and Skip Stanowiski of Cornell.

Goalie Diercks

In the goal is diminutive junior Bill Diercks, who had a phenomenal freshman year and started last season with similar promise, only to cool off when alternated mysteriously with senior Bill Fitzsimmons. This year Diercks, who still finished second in Ivy statistics, should be number one all the way and live up to his great potential.

Sophomore Jack Turco, an accomplished playmaker, centers the second line, with junior Barry Johnson on his left and senior Don Grimble on the right. Grimble is another player whose effectiveness was diminished by shuffling between defense and forward, but the former freshman captain should reach his Harvard peak now that he is securely set at wing.

The third line features speed, with sophomore Ron Mark joining juniors Bobby Bauer and Pete Mueller. Left wing Mark has a reputation as a goal-getter and center Bauer's prowess in that capacity is proven.

The most exciting addition to the team is the second defense of sophomores Chris Gurry and Terry Flaman. Both are rugged bodycheckers and should give Harvard a stronger, tougher defense than it has had in recent years.

Penalty Killers

Juniors Dwight Ware and Chip Otness, who played on a sophomore third line with Bauer much of last season, are the spare forwards and will kill penalties with their scrappy skating.

Senior Bob Higgins, a JV veteran, has earned the backup goalie position behind Diercks.

The game will also be the debut for Harvard's new jerseys, lightweight outfits sporting a gargantuan "H" on the front.

Tonight's opposition includes four former Harvard standouts, Ike Ikauniks, Baldy Smith, Godfrey Wood, and Billy Lamarche. Seats are unreserved and admission is by coupon No. 2 at the rink.