B.C. Outclasses Crimson, Takes Third from Varsity

Not one of the 5920 fans at the Boston Garden last night would doubt that Boston College has a better hockey team than Harvard. The Eagles registered their third straight victory over the Crimson, this time by a convincing 6-4 score, in spite of a last-second varsity goal. In going down to defeat, the Crimson was eliminated from the Beanpot Tournament, along with Northeastern, which bowed to B.U. by a 7-4 margin.

B.C. simply made fewer errors on defense, skated faster, and showed more skill on breakaways than the Crimson. Too often the varsity defenders were content to poke check at their own blue line, often letting their man get through.

The varsity took the lead in the opening period. Although solo rushes by left wing Bud Higginbottom and center Dick Fischer during the first minute failed to net a goal, the third line tallied the second time it ventured onto the ice. Dave Crosby took two B.C. players into the back boards and Stu Forbes fed behind the cage to Crocker Snow, who skated around from the left side and after goalie Jim Logue had committed himself to the near corner shot into the far side.

Harry Pratt's luck finally ran out on him midway through the second period. After Dick McLaughlin was sent off for hooking at 4:21, the Crimson goalie watched the puck drift by him as he lay on the ice, but a B.C. forward missed the open cage.

Then came two goals in dazzling succession. A heads-down play at his own blue line by Mo Balboni led to a goal by third line wing Don O'Neill on a fifteen foot blast at 8:14. To prove that they were only getting started the Eagles charged in again after the face-off, and Pratt found himself standing face to face with second line center John Cusack, the latter with a puck on his stick. The goalie somehow made the initial save, but B.C. again grabbed the puck and this time Cusack scored, on a rebound from Bob Leonard's shot. The time was only 8:27.

The third Eagle goal was classically executed. Captain Joe Jangro took the puck down the right alley, drawing two Crimson defenders who seemed to be unaware of the speedy Ron Walsh on the left wing. The latter received a perfect pass in the middle of the ice, took all the time he needed and faked Pratt beautifully.

A delayed penalty, called at 20:00 of the second period, led to the Crimson's second goal on a carefully set up power play.