HAMILTON, N.Y.--The theatres change, but the play remains the same.
THE SETTING: A rink.
THE ACTORS: Harvard Captain C.J. Young and defenseman Kevan Melrose in supporting roles. Center Peter Ciavaglia in the dramatic lead. Linemate John Weisbrod performing the finale.
THE CUE: Ciavaglia winks.
The traveling show was a hit last year in Durham, N.H. It flopped this November in Providence, R.I. Last night the play opened in Colgate.
The scene began with five seconds left to play in the first period and Colgate defenseman Allan Brown serving time for a holding infraction. The teams were lining for a face-off to the right of the Red Raider goalie Dave Gagnon when Ciavaglia gave the signal.
Weisbrod lined up in front of the net to the right of Ciavaglia. Young drifted to Ciavaglia's left. Ciavaglia turned around to position Melrose behind him for a last-second slapshot. No, not there, Kevan, a little to the left. That's too far. Good, that's perfect. Now (wink, wink) be ready, Kevan.
No dunces, they, the Red Raiders realized something was up. Off the draw, the two defenders near Weisbrod took offto block Melrose at the blue line. And thereinlies the rub.
You see, Ciavaglia was acting. Hewanted Colgate to think he was goingbackwards off the draw.
Instead, he pushed the puck forward between thelegs of his Colgate adversary. Young swooped in toslide the puck across the crease beyond the reachof Gagnon, who had drifted out of the net to cutoff Melrose's angle. Weisbrod, streaking down thecenter, flicked the puck into the unprotected goalto give the Crimson a 2-0 lead. It was a perfectway to end Harvard's best period of the season.
"On that play, you try to misdirect them toyour advantage," Ciavaglia said. "We used it inthe past--you figure it's got to work sometimes."
Last season, Ciavaglia and Weisbrod worked theplay to perfection for the overtime goal that beatUNH. The Crimson tried it with seconds remainingin overtime against Brown last month. That time,Ciavaglia and Young did their parts, but theundeceived Bruin defenders held up Weisbrod, whostill came inches away form poking the puck intothe net.
Ciavaglia's theatrics are the key to the play.
"Peter is such a clever player," said CoachBill Cleary, who swears he never directed theplay. "He knows just what to do and when to doit."
But Ciavaglia said that Weisbrod wrote thescript.
"That play has worked great for us," thebudding thespian said. "I can't take credit forit, though. It's John's idea."
Unfortunately for the Crimson, the play wasperformed long before the curtain had fallen onColgate. Harvard went into the dressing room withmomentum, but the Red Raiders scored threesecond-act goals to diffuse it. By the game'sexciting conclusion, the first-period drama hadbeen forgotten.
However, the play's the thing. Colgate CoachTerry Slater admitted he had no idea whatCiavaglia was up to, but teams with a littleadvanced scouting may find out the play's endingbefore they see it. So Ciavaglia and Weisbrod arepondering a few new variations on the theme.
"We'll keep using it until teams catch on,"Ciavaglia said. "Then we'll have to go to plan B."
Auditions begin tomorrow in Lynah Rink.
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