Varsity Tops Knights 6-4, Faces B.C. in ECAC Finale

An inspired Crimson sextet pumped home five tallies in one fantastic nine goal period against Clarkson last night to upset the Golden Knights 6-4 and push its way into the E.C.A.C. tournament finale tonight. The come-from-behind conquest was Cooney Weiland's 199th victory as a University coach and one of Harvard hockey's finest hours.

Neither team could manage a score in the opening 20 minute period, but Weiland's wonders came close on numerous occasions. While the Crimson's defensive JFK line of Jorgenson, Fryer, and Kinasewich held Clarkson's highly touted first unit (129 points) scoreless, the Crimson worked away on Clarkson goalie Wayne Gibbons.

Even with a man in the penalty box, the varsity forced the action in Clarkson territory. With Berry Treadwell doing time for a tripping foul, the Crimson took no less than six shots against Gibbons. The Knight's net minder finished the period with 17 saves to Godfrey Wood's eight stops in the Crimson nets.

It took Clarkson just 12 seconds of the middle period to break the scoreless tie. The Knight's big left wing Roger Purdie took the opening face-off and fired the puck by Wood from ten feet out.

But the Crimson's Gene Kinasewich countered with the varsity's first goal just 20 seconds later and the wildest period in the E.C.A.C.'s two year history was under way. Kinasewich tipped in a pass off the boards from line mate Gerry Jorgenson.

Skating a four man line with just one defenseman back, the Knights scored a second marker at 1:55 to take a 2-1 lead. Harvard weathered a two minute penalty before tying the score a second time at 6:45. The varsity's leading scorer and Captain, Tim Taylor picked up the goal--his 21st--on a rebound shot.

Unimpressed, the green and gold skaters from Potsdam, New York responded with two quick goals to take a commanding 4-2 lead. The Crimson's E.C.A.C. hopes never seemed dimmer.

Clarkson did its best to help Harvard turn the tide by crowding into the penalty box for the rest of the period. With two Knights off the ice for high-sticking and cross-checking respectively, Gene Kinasewich poked in his second goal of the evening at the 10 minute mark. The capacity Boston Arena crowd didn't sit down for the rest of the period.

Tim Taylor tied the score at 14:12 with a Clarkson defenseman languishing in the penalty box. Ike Ikauniks gave the Crimson a 5-4 lead moments later. The big senior lineman stuffed in Dick Blakey's deflected shot for the score. Blakey gave the Crimson its third period insurance goal on an Ikauniks pass.

Leading by two goals, the Crimson settled back into a defensive game that stopped Clarkson's four-man rushes in the final ten minutes.

In a night full of surprises, Boston College slaughtered St. Lawrence in the semifinal nightcap 6-2. Tonight's tournament finale will be the rubber match between the Crimson and the Eagles who split their two seasonal meetings.