Icemen Face Big Green for Ivy Title

Harvard's varsity skaters will battle for sole possession of first place in the Ivy League tonight when they face Dartmouth before a sellout crowd in the Big Green's Davis Rink at 7:30 p.m. in Hanover, N.H.

The Crimson is currently tied with Dartmouth at the top of the Ivy standings, both teams having registered seven wins and three losses in Ivy play. Cornell, which has held the Ivy title for the past eight years, stands 7-4.

Although all three squads play their final league contest this Saturday, tonight's game is key. If Harvard downs the Big Green and then defeats Yale this weekend, the Crimson will win its first Ivy title since 1963.

If Harvard and Dartmouth each split their remaining two games, and if Cornell defeats Penn this Saturday, the season will end in a three-way tie for the Ivy Championship. A Crimson victory tonight would assure Harvard of at least a share of the Ivy crown.

Dartmouth, after suffering seven straight losses, has won its last two games, downing Yale, 6-3, and coming from behind to edge Brown, 4-3. Last Saturday the Bulldogs upset Harvard, 6-1, in New Haven to end the Crimson's seven-game winning streak.

No Major Shakeups

Harvard coach Bill Cleary does not plan any major shakeups because of the Yale loss. "We don't get excited and panicky over one game, especially when we've been playing so well," he said. "The Dartmouth game is going to be tough; it means a lot, and playing up there is always a chore."

Sophomore Kevin Burke and junior Ted Thorndike will return to action tonight, having recovered from the flu. Both co-captain Mark Noonan and sophomore center Kevin Carr have been hampered by injuries, and their status is uncertain.

Dartmouth lacks Harvard's scoring power, but the Big Green offense is far from ineffective. Sophomore Tom Fleming leads his team with 19 goals and 13 assists, while his classmate, Ken Pettit, has earned 26 points (13-13).

In contrast, Harvard's Randy Roth has scored 17 goals and assisted 23 times for a total of 40 points. Jim McMahon has notched 34 points on 18 goals and 16 assists, and co-captain Bob Goodenow has earned 31 points.

Dartmouth edged the Crimson, 5-4, earlier this season in Watson Rink, but Harvard has not lost in Hanover since 1965.