Big Red Icemen Smash Crimson, 9-4; Cornell Becomes ECAC Frontrunner

ITHACA N.Y.--The Big Red hockey team has done it again. The Cornell icemen have clinched their eighth straight Ivy League championship at the expense of Harvard's standing in the East, as they bombed the Crimson, 9-4, here Saturday afternoon.

The game was never in doubt. Cornell, spurred on by a wildly enthusiastic standing-room-only crowd, struck for four first period goals and held the lead the rest of the way. The closest the Crimson could come was within two goals in the second period, but the Big Red tallied the next two to squelch any hopes of an upset.

Harvard lost it in the first period, as the Crimson came out looking tight and unorganized. Cornell played better positional hockey and forechecked well, allowing them the better of the chances. The Crimson power play failed to convert on three opportunities, one of which was a three-on-two situation.

Bill Murray scored first for Cornell, with both teams skating a man down, as he blasted one past Joey Bertagna at 3:05. Doug Marrett made it 2-0 on the Big Red's only power play of the period at 6:03, and George Kuzmicz scored while Cornell was a man down to give them a three goal lead at 12:19.

Kuzmicz's shot sailed in from about 50 feet to Bertagna's chest. Joe caught the puck, but in an effort to get rid of it, the puck rolled between his legs for the score. Dave Peace capped the opening stanza scoring at 14:36.

Harvard played its best hockey in the first half of the second period. The team came out looking a lot looser and began to forecheck better. The play of Jim Thomas and the fourth line of Harry Reynolds, Leigh Hogan and Steve Dagdigian picked up the Crimson pace.

Bob McManama let loose a blazing slapper from inside the blue line that beat Dave Elenbaas cleanly at 5:14 to make the score 4-1. Hogan tallied the second Crimson score at 10:20, taking a pass from Reynolds in the corner.

The semi-rally was short lived, however, as Kuzmicz and Bob Murray again gave the Big Red a four-goal lead. Dave Gauthier tipped in a shot from Elliott at 18:49 to bring Harvard back within three, but by then it was too late.

The Big Red continued its domination in the final period, racking up three more goals to Harvard's one. Gary Young capped off a three-on-one rush with George Sheilds and Mike McGuire at 11:17, followed by Peace's tally three minutes later. Marrett took advantage of a two-on-one rush to nab Cornell's ninth of the afternoon at 15:19.

Randy Roth scored the Crimson's fourth and final goal during a power play situation at 17:02, on a hard shot from about ten feet out. The period ended with each team skating a man short and the Cornell fans shouting "We're number one!"

The game was physical throughout, with the Big Red getting loud cheers for every check. Each team was handed nine penalties, most of which were coinciding minors resulting from players jamming.

Cornell is now 8-1 in the Ivy League, while Harvard is 5-2-1.