It was the first game Harvard has played this year, after only two weeks of practice. Most of the other college teams the Olympians devastated had played at least one warm-up first. This was the classic match-up of age and ability versus youth and inexperience.

Adding to the Crimson's woes, starting goalie John Devin suffered a leg injury midway through the second period, and his replacement, Michael Francis, is only a freshman.

Francis was in goal for 19 minutes (real-time, not clock-time) before he succumbed to the fierce Olympic offensive attack and allowed his first goal. His performance had to be inspirational to a team with no experienced backup netminder.

(Devin, by the way, is walking with crutches and is listed as "day-to-day".)

Another encouraging sign was the fact that Harvard played the Olympians close until the beginning of the third period. In the final stanza, however, the Crimson's lack of practice showed, as Team USA bombarded its weary opponents for eight goals.

The performance of the Crimson power play was another bright spot. The man-up unit, which clicked at a school record 35.9 percent, was the most devastating aspect of the Crimson attack last season. Although the special teams provided the scoring margin between victory and defeat only four times last year, its mind- numbing efficiency was constantly on opponents'minds, causing anxiety and undue caution inpenalty avoidance.

All five first-line power players--LaneMacDonald, Allen Bourbeau, Tim Barakett, MarkBenning and Randy Taylor--have departed FairHarvard, however, and a new attack force needs tobe recruited.

Captain Steve Armstrong, freshmen Ted Donatoand Peter Ciavaglia, and seniors Don Sweeney andJerry Pawloski have been selected to take over inman-up situations. Not only did the new groupcreate plenty of scoring opportunities, it alsoproduced one of Harvard's three tallies.

That unit will have to gel as a dominant forceif the Crimson hopes to reach heights at allapproaching those of last year.

Before writing off the Crimson this year, waitto see how it plays this weekend in "real games."As Crimson Coach Bill Cleary told Peterson afterSunday's exhibition, "this was a joy to watch.That's the way the game should be played."

This game was an exhibition. The trueexhibition of Crimson talent comes Friday night inProvidence