In his career, Taylor has recorded 13 goals and 69 assists. Last year he was named Second Team All-ECAC.

"Randy has worked awfully hard since he first came here," Tomassoni says. "He's improved steadily since his freshman year. He's always working on his quickness and on accelerating off a stop. And for a big guy, he has a great set of hands."

"When he was a recruit and even as a freshman few of us expected him to be able to play on the point of one of the country's best teams," says Yale Coach Tim Taylor, who tried to get Randy Taylor to play for the Elis. "He's not a darting skater. He's good on his feet and always seems to get where he has to go. What he lacks in speed and quickness, he makes up for in intelligence."

Randy Taylor never envisioned himself playing on one of the nation's finest hockey teams, let alone being a forceful contributor to that team. He grew up in the small town of Cornwall, Ontario (population 40,000) and played hockey and basketball.

His father and brother are basketball players--Robert Taylor Sr. played at Clarkson Univeristy and Robert Jr. played for Ottawa University. Randy Taylor occasionally puts on a pair of sneakers and hits the court himself--with mixed results. Perhaps the spector of his older (and bigger) brother lurks in the background, even in the pick-up games Taylor plays in.

"My brother was a hockey player, too," Taylor says. "But when he was about 13 he decided to concentrate on basketball. He grew up to be 6'-6" so I was always in his shadow."

"I don't play basketball much during the hockey season," Taylor continues. "I played Saturday night and I couldn't do anything. There must be something about the co-ordination required for the two sports that just don't go together."

Taylor may not be able to put a basketball through a hoop, but he doesn't have much trouble putting a puck where he wants it. He and partner Mark Benning make up one of the most polished defensive duos in the country.

Benning and Taylor have played together for two years, so they know each other's moves inside and out. Sometimes, they know where the other man is without seeing him.

"A lot of times I'll pass it over to Randy without looking," Benning says. "I'll just know Randy's there. Part of it is because we've worked together for so long. And part of it is because he's where he's supposed to be, where a good hockey player would be."

Benning has been in an ideal position to watch Taylor's improvement over the years. From the other side of the blue line, he's seen Taylor grow more confident and more versatile as a defenseman. Taylor has not only become an excellent defensive player, but he now poses a serious offensive threat.

"He's a steady player, but he also shows flashes of brilliance," Benning says. "He's taking more risks offensively. People in the NHL will like that. They like a defensive defenseman, but they like a little offense, too."

The 5-ft., 8-in. Benning concludes ruefully: "I wish I had his size."

Off the ice, Taylor is quiet. He is well-liked by his teammates for both his steady personality and his humorous streak. During road trips, he'll keep the team in good spirits with a joke or two.

"He's always a lot of fun," Harvard forward Lane MacDonald says. "When we were playing in Toronto in my freshman year, he took over the loud speaker on the bus. He and [former Harvard player] Pete Follows started giving us a tour of the city. They talked about the beer in Toronto. Their explanation of the Molson brewery and the Labatt's plant was very interesting."

Perhaps it's no surprise that Taylor's nickname is "Bud."

"I like to keep things loose," Taylor says. "During the last part of the season, there's a lot of pressure. It isn't good to be thinking about hockey all the time. The pressure can become unbearable."

Come February 2--when the Crimson's season resumes with a game against Northeastern in the first round of the Beanpot Tournament--the pressure will be on. And it won't be turned off for several months.

And the Harvard players probably will be grateful then--even more than in the beginning of the season--for the voice which announces cheerfully: "Steady."