The Crimson icemen overcame a brief bout with Spring Fever (which has so often developed into the terminal ECAC Swoon) last night in Watson Rink and went on to manhandle Providence College in the opening round of the ECAC Division One hockey tournament to the tune of 9-3.

The symptoms were nearly fatal to Harvard during the opening five minutes of the contest as the Friars put three quick ones past an ailing Jim Murray. But Cleary's "Comeback Kids" have shown remarkable recuperative powers all season long, and were able to snap out of the trance to win it.

Steve Dagdigian filled the prescription in the third period at 1:11 with the game winner, after Leigh Hogan had tied it up in the second.

It all started after a day of near-record temperatures, the threat of no ice before the contest because of problems with the compresser, and a noisy, rowdy Providence cheering section that put the Crimson fans to shame. Harvard stood around on the soft ice and watched as the Friars grabbed the only three goals they would get all evening.

Peter Velenti started things off at 1:59 with one of those "impossible angle" shots from behind the net that ricocheted off a few Crimson skates before going in. Rick Cabalka caught Murray napping a minute later with a soft slapper, and PC's freshman phenom Ron Wilson, a defenseman, blasted one in at 3:43.

It took Harvard 17 minutes before it showed some reaction to the rough treatment Providence was administering. Jim McMahon started the comeback with a brilliant display of stickhandling that culminated in the first Crimson tally at 17:07.

Coach Billy Cleary worked his locker room magic between the first and second periods, and by the time Harvard hit the ice, the recovery was complete. Randy Roth and Leigh Hogan tied it up, and only the heroics of Friar goalie Mike Zyburra kept the score at three apiece by the stanza's end. Zyburra racked up 28 saves in the first two periods alone.

Jim Murray, meanwhile, regained his confidence and composure to shut out the Friars the rest of the way. He was there when the Crimson needed him, stopping 14 in the final two stanzas.

By the third period, it was evident that the Friars had been exposed to the dreaded disease that did in Harvard last year at this time in Watson. Harvard showed no mercy with the sinking Friars, making it look easy the rest of the way with six unanswered goals.

Dagdigian picked up the first of his two with a shot from the face-off circle as Harvard was enjoying a two-man advantage. His second came on another power play eight minutes later. Jim Thomas was rewarded for his constant hustle at 14:49 and Kevin Carr celebrated his return to the line-up with a pair within a minute of each other to make it 8-3.

Unsung defenseman Dave Hands scored the last goal of the season in Watson rink and his first of the season with a mere 13 seconds remaining in the contest, as the Friars gave their last dying gasps. The Friar remains were shipped back to Providence last night and services will be held tomorrow.

Harvard, on the other hand, heads for the Boston Garden Friday night to slug it out in the semi-final round of the tourney. Should the icemen pass the physical Friday, the finals follow the next night, same place.