Wednesday nights at Watson Rink are usually social gatherings for the small but devoted contingent of clubbies and jocks who follow Harvard hockey. But tonight the fans won't be able to switch ends between periods to heckle the opposing goalie, or wander around looking for friends, or pick up stray Pine Manor girls.

They will be jammed into Watson rink with 2000 other fans to watch two of the best teams in the East square-off in a game that may indicate champion Cornell's successor.

Harvard and Boston University have strong, evenly-matched teams. While Cornell was blowing two games in a row to unheralded Brown and R.P.I. teams, the Crimson and the Terriers have been rolling over opponents.

B.U. slaughtered St. Louis twice, 8-0 and 9-1, outskated Brown 5-1, and whipped U.N.H., 6-1. Harvard destroyed Northeastern, 12-0, and routed Dartmouth, 9-4, to give coach Cooney Weiland his 299th victory.

13 B.U. Lettermen

B.U. may have a slight edge in material. The Terriers have 13 lettermen coming off last year's 18-6 team to join an excellent group of sophomores moving up from the only freshman team to beat Harvard.

The Crimson has 11 lettermen back from last year's 16-9 team and seven sophomores. Harvard's high-scoring forwards, who have produced 21 goals in two games, may have a slight offensive edge, but they will undoubtedly have trouble penetrating a tight-checking B.U. defense and Terrier goalie Tim Regan.

Harvard's chances for a victory may lie with the ability, or lack of ability, of the Crimson's yet untested defense. If Dartmouth can pin four goals on the Crimson, it's a pretty good bet that B. U. can score more. Good back-checking and a great performance from Harvard's excellent but occasionally erratic goalie, Bruce Durno, will be necessary to contain the Terriers.