No one would have predicted it at the beginning of the season, but last night's 8-4 victory over the University of Vermont was the biggest win of the year for the Crimson icemen.

Harvard, coming off a disastrous loss to B.U. and playing without the services of All-American Dave Hynes, had all they could handle in the first period from a hard-hitting Vermont squad and 3800 wild and raucous Catamount hockey fans.

Vermont came right out of the gates and jumped on the Crimson for a goal by Fred Hunt only 30 seconds after the opening stanza began. The Crimson seemed flustered at the start and it appeared that it would be a long night for them. But Ted Thorndike, playing on a line with Dave Gauthier and Jim McMahon, put Harvard back into the game on a tally at 13:17.

The Crimson then took advantage of their first power play opportunity as Bill Corkery banged one home for a shortlived 2-1 lead. Vermont bounced back to score twice before the period ended and skated off with a 3-2 lead.

All Harvard

The second period was all Harvard, as they outscored Vermont four goals to one. The Crimson tallied the first three of the stanza putting them ahead for good. The Catamounts' only score came with both Doug Elliott and Kevin Hampe in the penalty box.

The Harvard power play, with Jim Thomas skating in Hynes' position at the point, did not lose any of its effectiveness, as the Crimson converted on three of four man-advantage situations, two of three in the middle period. Randy Roth tied the game two minutes into the period and Corkery, following a goal by Bob Goodenow, gave the Crimson a 5-3 lead.

The goal that broke Vermont's back came with only seconds remaining, as Bob McManama deflected a waist high shot by Elliott past Vermont goalie Steve Eckerson.

Crimson netminder Joe Bertagna shut out Vermont in the final period, as Harvard iced the game with a short-handed tally from Corkery and a goal by Gauthier with two minutes left in the game.

Coach Bill Cleary was forced to do a good deal of line shuffling with the absence of Hynes. Larry Desmond moved up to the first line with Corkery and McManama, Thomas skated with Roth and Goodenow on the second line, Gauthier, McMahon and Thorndike made up the third line, and Lee Hogan played with Harry Reynolds and Steve Dadigian on the fourth line.