The varsity hockey team opens its 1977 season tonight with a crucial Ivy League contest against Dartmouth. You should recall that last March the Woodsmen handed the Crimson a 2-3 upset, gaining the winning goal with eight seconds remaining in the third period, pounding Harvard into ninth place in the ECAC and eliminating the Crimson from playoff contention.

Tickets for tonight's 7:30 p.m. game may be obtained before the game at the Monitor's Office at the Track and Tennis Hall adjacent to Watson Rink, in exchange for coupon number one in the athletic coupon pad, as well as at 60 Boylston St.

Captain Brian Cook, last season's sixth leading scorer with six goals and 11 assists for 17 points, heads an offensive squad of 12 forwards, consisting of eight returning lettermen and four freshmen. Only two regular forwards from last winter's squad graduated last spring--second high scorer Bill Hozack, and last year's team captain Bill Horton.

Strong Line

Tomorrow night Cook will center a line with sophomore Jon Garrity at left wing and senior Charlie Peterson on right wing. Cooke, Garrity and Peterson were letter winners last season. Cook and Peterson played a combination of junior varsity and varsity in 1976.

Garrity (seven goals, three assists last season) exhibited hustle and strength, and an ability to score goals in clutch situations. He had two game-winning goals last winter, one giving the Crimson a 4-3 victory over Boston University in the finals of the Beanpot tournament. Peterson, a steady winger, last year notched five goals and eight assists. Look for Cook and Garrity to tally with greater consistency this season.

Then there is George Hughes. The man scored 20 goals and 22 assists last winter for a team-leading total of 42 points. He was awarded second team All-Ivy honors and was once named Ivy League player-of- the-week. As a freshman Hughes drilled 15 goals and added 32 assists leading the team then, too, with 47 points. He needs only 21 points to move into tenth place in Harvard's all-time career scoring. Another 40-point season would place the junior as Harvard's number seven career scorer, ahead of Jim McMahon, Gene Kinasowich and Billy Corkery.

Hughes will play center between right wing Gene Purdy and left wing Tom Murray. Purdy, a two-letter-winning junior from Edina, Minnesota, is another productive scorer: 8-12-20 as a freshman, and 13-20-33 as the number three scorer last season. Hughes, Purdy and Cook will combine their talents on the power play tonight.

Murray is a freshman from Natick. The young speedster should complement Hughes and Purdy in creating the team's most potent line. In high school Murray had trouble putting the puck in the net, but with Hughes and Purdy as linemates Murray should ignite the red light.

A Bullet In The Third Line

A third line for the Crimson consists of juniors John Cochrane and Murray Dea, at right and left wing respectively, and freshman Ricky Benson playing center. Cochrane possesses a bullet for a slap shot and so plays on the left point, next to Jack Hughes, on the power play. His six goals and 12 assists placed him fifth in scoring on last year's squad.

Dea can also unload a rocket with both his slap shot and his wrist shot. The Edmonton, Alberta, native tallied for eight goals and five assists in the 1976-77 campaign. If he improves control of his shot, last year's leader in penalty minutes could add a spark to Harvard's goal-scoring attack.

"Benson is small, fast and a smart playmaker," captain Cook said yesterday. Benson resembles a smaller version of Hozack. The Needham native skates well, and Cook said, "He's hard to knock down--he has a wide gate."

The Crimson's fourth line presently consists of junior Randy Millen on right wing, freshman Bill Evans on left wing and Bob MacDonald at center. Millen played as a regular last season, scoring one goal and five assists. Evans is from the Toronto area. MacDonald was the leading scorer in Massachusetts in 1975-1976 when he was a senior at Winthrop High School. Last year MacDonald played for coach David Hagerman while taking a post-graduate year at Deerfield Academy.

The Crimson is working to improve its 14-12-0 overall slate of last year, when it was 12-10-0 in the ECAC and 7-5-0 for a fourth place standing in the Ivy League.

Cornell once again looks to be the power in the Ivy League. Harvard, Brown and Dartmouth will be tough as always. In the ECAC Providence and Cornell should be strong, and the Terriers from B.U. will be absolutely awesome.