Harvard's hockey team survived an atrocious first period. as well as shoddy defensive play, to hold off serappy Northeastern, 6-3, at the Boston Arena last night.

Harvard had been highly favored and was clearly superior to the Huskies in raw talent, but carelessness around its own net, and a frustrating inability to finish off rushes kept the Crimson victory in doubt until midway through the final period.

Hasky captain Dave Poile, perhaps the best stick-handler and shooter in recent Northeastern history, put Harvard behind after 13 minutes of play, and the Huskies' rough. collapsing defensive style preserved the lead until early in the second period.

With Harvard a man down. Tom Daniells flipped the puck to Poile behind the Crimson net. and Poile skated around to push it past goaltender Bruce Durno. It was unsetting to say the least. and disorganization on Harvard's part did little to change things.

Northeastern has always been a pesky squad. usually shallow in talent. but it perennially seems to knock Harvard off its precise. position-play strategy. It usually scores on its opponents defensive lapses, and employs a rough, Canadian-style checking game to keep the enemy offense from cohering. It achieved both goals last night.

But physically, it is a one-period hockey team, and when the Crimson skated out for the second period, it was evident things were about to change.

The Huskies reverted back to their collapsing defense, and it resulted in a five-man mix-up and a Harvard goal at 3:47. Center George McManama fished the puck out of the scramble in front of Northeastern goalie Dan Eberly, and flipped it by him to tie the score.

Down Again

But five minutes later. Poile stole the puck from a Harvard defenseman in the Crimson end and beat Durno cleanly from 20 feet to put Harvard down again.

After another forty seconds, however, a rebound from sophomore Bob Havern's shot bounced off a Husky defenseman and past Eberly, and Harvard was back even once more.

By now, Northeastern was tiring badly and was being clearly outskated and outshot Crimson forwards put 20 shots on Eberly, who made 36 saves all game, and buzzed the net for almost the entire period. At 16:18, Ron Mark tipped in the rebound from Terry Flaman's point shot, and Harvard was ahead. 3-2.

Tom Paul notched another goal with three minutes gone in the final period, and senior center Jack Turco put a fifth past Eberly less than two minutes later. The rout, apparently, was on.

But Husky Crawford Bell took a pass from Poile seconds later, and beat Durno alone from the right side to cut the lead to 5-3. and soon after, a festival of penalties on both sides turned the game into a travesty.

In the Box

Twelve penalties, six on each squad, were called in the final 13 minutes, and when McManama knocked Harvard's final goal past Eberly at 11:51, there were two Huskies in the penalty box. Joe Cavanagh and Steve Owen, members of Harvard's junior line, were sent off three minutes later. and the Crimson barely surrived their loss. plus inexcusably careless defensive play, to preserve the 6-3 victory.

But even though the Crimson probably stances surrounding the triumph could welcomed any victory at all, the circummake the next few weeks somewhat uneasy ones.