Blair picked up victories 22 and 23 and lowered his goals-against average to 2.62--the best in the country.

And a big reason the Broncos never got in close for higher percentage shots was the fine play of the Crimson blue-line corps.

"Harvard kept us at bay for two games," Western Coach Bill Wilkinson said. "We really never had a lot of chances to penetrate."

The highest scoring team in the country tried to blast its way past Blair, as all of its big scorers challenged him with hard bullets.

But Blair, who plays the angles better than anyone in the college game, knocked aside blast after blast, and Western was beaten at its own game.

Leading the Crimson offense was the Firing Line of MacDonald, Smith and Captain Scott Fusco, who took command, scoring goals and dominating play.

"This line has been great," Harvard Coach Bill Cleary said.

"The puck hadn't been bouncing our way," Fusco said. "It started going our way. It's a good way to close out a career here at home."

In the second game, however, the biggest goal came from the second Crimson line, the Killer B's. Junior Tim Barakett broke down on the right wing and wheeled in on Horn, beating the 5-ft., 8-in., freshman high.

The score put the Broncos down three goals in the series and took the momentum away from the resurgent visitors.

"That first goal was big one," Cleary said. "They didn't want to give up that one."

Western's little big man, 5-ft., 8-in. Dan Dorion, leading the nation in scoring with 101 points, got a pair of garbage goals in the second game, but he was never a factor in either contest.

The two games marked the Broncos first ever appearance in the 10-year Division I history of their program, and the Crimson gave them a Baptism of fire.

Under the Bright lights. NCAA Quarterfinal First Game

Crimson, 4-2 at Bright Center Western Michigan (32-11)  1  1  0--2 Harvard (23-7-1)  2  1  1--4