Varsity Hockey Team Meets Yale Tonight

Prospects of no beer, ice-borne music, and a toss-up finale to the hockey season await a capacity crowd at the Garden tonight. Captain Normie Wood leads his league champions against Pentagonal runner-up Yale at 9 p.m. Yardlings meet Bullpups in the 7 p.m. preliminary.

The Big Three title is at stake. So is a 500 season record for the Crimson, and a chance for Yale to establish an unofficial claim to being the best team in the Pentagonal League. But above all, with the pressure of league competition finally off, the two teams will be fighting tonight simply because it is the Harvard-Yale game.

Tonight should climax a season's effort by the varsity to square its won-lost record. The Crimson enters tonight's game with a 10-11-1 record compared to the Ells' 11-5-2.

Back on the ice for Coach Cooney Weiland will be wingman Ned Bliss, to bring the Crimson sextet up to full strength for the game. Bliss, who injured his shoulder in the varsity's 3 to 3 tie with Yale last Saturday, will alternate on the second line with Doug Manchester, Frank Mahoney, and Job Bray.

Also on the ice, between periods, will be 30 members of the band, led by G. Wright Briggs, in their initial attempt at ice formations. But missing from the ice should be the beer cans from the stands that climaxed last year's Yale encounter. The Garden management yesterday reported that beer would not be on sale.

All-New England lineman, Captain Wally Kilrea, who scored all three goals against the varsity last Saturday, leads the Bulldog first line tonight. Chances for a Blue victory depend on his endurance together with that of his veteran wings, Dix Pike and Leigh Quinn. Coach Murray Murdoch will play the three more than half the game if he follows his nearly successful New Haven strategy.

Three year lettermen Sam Yence and Haydn Owens will be at the Eli defense for the last time tonight. Behind them will be sophomore goalie George Scherer.

Captain Wood, second in varsity scoring with 21 points, heads his Crimson team for the last time tonight. Also playing their final game for the varsity will be first line right wing Dick Clasby, second string all-New England defenseman Jeff Coolidge, and defenseman Tony Patton.

Sophomore center Bill Cleary will play with Wood and Clasby on the first line. Manchester, who leads the team with 23 points, Bray, and Mahoney will probably start the second line. Scott Cooledge, who has 18 points, together with sophomores Pete Summers and Joe Crehore will go on the third line.

Mrkonich and Coolidge

Big Ed Mrkonich as usual teams with Coolidge on defense in front of goalie Charlie Flynn. Patton and Ned Almy will form the second defensive pair.

For the freshmen, high-scorer Bill White will center the first line with Captain Derick Nicholas and Tom Crowley on his wings. Jimmy Bailey will be in the goal behind defensemen Bill Allen and Chuck Papalia