Right-winger John Cochrane, whose point work on power plays and tenacious flair on penalty-killing duty is anything but conservative, was named Harvard's 81st hockey captain in a vote by the squad's varsity letterwinners.

"John has worked extremely hard all year and has been one of our top performers throughout the season," seven-year veteran coach Bill Cleary said in yesterday's announcement. "It's great to see his fellow teammates recognize his intense competitiveness and diligent effort."

Cochrane is a product of Matignon High School in Cambridge, where he starred for three seasons in hockey and baseball. The Biology concentrator took a regular shift for the freshman sextet during the 1975-76 campaign, scoring 25 points to lead the defensive corps.

The six-foot, 160-pounder moved up to the varsity last year, switching over to wing in the process. Cochrane was the squad's fifth leading scorer with 18 points in a season highlighted by a three-goal hattrick in an exhibition match against the Swedes.

The Leverett House junior drove home nine goals and assisted on 16 additional twine-ripplers in this year's campaign, good for third place among Crimson scorers in a Harvard unit that finished below the .500 mark for the first time in over a decade.

"I'm very honored that my teammates thought enough of me to elect me captain," said Cochrane, who emerged from a field of several outstanding junior candidates to win the right to wear the capital "C" on his Crimson jersey.

Cochrane added that the team will benefit next year from the additional senior leadership core. "The nucleus of the squad will be returning with a year's experience and the memories of several close losses," said Cochrane. "I think that with hard work we could turn them around."

Harvard's disconcerted hockey faithful sure hope so.