Showing no ill-effects from an 18 day examination period layoff, the Harvard hockey team crushed Northeastern 9-0 last night in the semi-final round of the Beanpot tournament at Boston Garden. Since Boston University defeated Boston College in the second game, hockey fans are assured of another Harvard B.U. classic confrontation in next week's finals.

The contest was never in doubt for the Crimson, as Harvard dominated play throughout the game. Five players figured in the goal-scoring for Harvard--Jim McMahon (three goals), Randy Roth and Jim Thomas (two each), and Eddie Rossi and Paul Haley (one each)

Gift of a Goal

The second Harvard goal was a gift Dave Gauthier pressured a N.U. defenseman in the corner into making an errant pass that landed on the stick of Randy Roth, who was alone 15 feet in front of the N.U. net. Roth slid a wrist shot for the tally at 14:41 of the first.

The Crimson added two goals in the second period. Defenseman Eddie Rossi got his first goal of the season at 9 15 on a wrist shot from 25 feet out through a screen of players.

Thomas added his second of the night at 12:16 on a magnificent play. The "Turtle" picked up a bouncing puck at the Husky blue line, whirred, past a N.U. defender, and then let loose a 30-foot slapper that the shell-shocked McKenna only waved at.

Harvard got its final five goals of the night in a blitz that took just 8:36. Roth scored his second tally at 9.42 with Northeastern two men down.

McMahon then got his first of the game 47 seconds later with Northeastern still a man short. At 14:40 Mac rammed home his second, and completed his hat trick just in seconds later blasting one past the beleaguered N.U. netminder from 20 feet out.

Paul Haley closed out the scoring for the Crimson with a market at 18:46.

A highlight of the game was the shutout recorded by Crimson goalie Brian Petrovik. In addition to lowering has ECAC leading goals against average to 2.16, it was the first shutout of Petro's varsity career.

The shutout was only the eighth in Beanpot history and the first since 1970 It was also the first shutout by a Harvard goalie in the Beanpot since 1962 when Godfrey Wood shutout B.U.

Tenacious Forechecking

The key to the Harvard victory was the tenacious forechecking and backchecking by the Crimson forwards. Even when the Huskies did manage to get the puck into the Harvard zone, there always seemed to be a Harvard forward back to prevent any three-on-two breaks for Northeastern.

The Huskies, when they realized they were going to lose maintained their reputation as the cheap shot artists of the East. The elbows and high sticks started flying in the last hall of the game, resulting in nine penalties against N.U. whereas there were none called in the first 30 minutes of the contest. Particularly of tensive was a trip-by N.U.'s Joe Fidler of Dan Bolduc, with 12 seconds left that could have injured Bolduc, even though he was nowhere near the play Bolduc had a few words for Fidler that nearly resulted in a brawl.