Harvard's revived hockey team, hungry for a second place finish in the Ivy League and home ice in next month's ECAC playoffs, confronts the last major obstacle to its hopes tonight when it faces Cornell at Ithaca.

The Big Red. according to the Cornell Daily Sun, is "America's best hockey team," paced by captain John Hughes, "America's best hockey player." Unfortunately, the Ithacans may be correct. In order to disprove their statement, the Crimson will have to do what no Eastern team has done since 1967-win at Cornell's Lysah Rink.

The Big Red has not exactly run roughshod over its opponents this year. Harvard lost only 3-1 at Cambridge, Brown pushed the Ithacans into overtime. Boston College dropped a 5-3 decision, and last Saturday surprising Dartmouth stayed within a goal. But Cornell has been winning. and it will take a perfect hockey game on Harvard's part to cut a Big Red victory streak that now extends to 44 games.

Near-Perfect

Harvard has yet to play a perfect game this season. It came close in that 3-1 loss to Cornell, but two excusable defensive mistakes gave the Big Red a pair of goals. and Harvard's defensive strategy deprived it of the firepower that it needed to outscore the Ithacans.

The Crimson's lineup has changed since then, however. Where coach Cooney Weiland had only one consistent line at his disposal in January, he now has two and because of Joe Cavanagh's inspired play at defense. Weiland also can field a team that has much better coordination between defense and forwards. Harvard is riding a skein of five consecutive victories and most likely will not lose-except tonight-until the playoffs.

But Cornell will still be as formidable as ever. According to Harkness, Hughes is the top collegiate performer in America.

"He's the best." Harkness boasts, "including Sheehy, Cavanagh and anyone else."

Hughes and co-captain Dan Lodboa both played last weekend despite physical ailments, and according to Dave Golomb, the Daily Sun sports editor. both are emotionally ready for the Crimson's challenge.

Cornell Concerned

"There is a lot of concern here about Harvard." Golomb said late last night. "We know that they'll be really up for knocking us off. But if we play our best game, it's unlikely that we'll lose tomorrow."

In addition, the Robert McGuinn Memorial Trophy, symbolic of individual scoring honors in the Harvard series. will be up for grabs tonight. Pete Tufford won it last year, and Big Red forward Dave Westner, with a pair of goals in the game at Cambridge this January, leads the current scramble.