Defense Was the Difference In Crimson's Win Over B.U.

"That was the greatest team effort I've seen since I've been here," forward Dave Gauthier said in the jubilant Harvard locker room last night after the Crimson's 7-2 demolition of the vaunted Boston University Terriers.

"We played a perfect game," added forward Jimmy Thomas. Both players were close to the truth, as Harvard out-skated, out-hustled, and out-everythinged an outclassed Terrier hockey team.

The key factor in the game was the outstanding effort turned in by the Crimson defensive corps of Eddie Rossi, Steve Janicek, Todd Nieland, Larry Piatelli, and Jon Schuster, which constantly disrupted B.U.'s powerful offensive machine.

"The defense was the best I've ever played in front of," Harvard goaltender Brian Petrovek said. "I didn't face too many shots."

Todd Nieland was particularly impressive in blocking innumerable shots in front of Petrovek. Eddie Rossi, in one of his best games in a Harvard uniform, played a strong offensive game in addition to turning in a stalwart defensive performance.

The Crimson offense looked the best it has all season. The passing was sharp, and constantly kept the pressure on in the B.U. end, pouring 38 shots at the Terriers beleaguered netminder Pat Devlin. The Harvard forwards were all over the ice, continually hounding any Terrier puck carrier, with ferocious forechecking and backchecking.

"The difference was their goaltending," said Thomas. "Last year we had to work like dogs for a goal with Eddie Walsh in nets, but tonight everything went in."

"We didn't go out and try to hit them that much," said captain Randy Roth. "We tried to disrupt their passing game by getting to the man with the puck as soon as possible. I think we really tired them out."

The game saw the nation's second-and third-ranked teams clash--B.U. was number two--to decide the number one ranking in the East. "If that was the toughest team in the East," Petrovek said, "then we shouldn't have too many more tough games."