Harvard Faces Minnesota in NCAAs

Minnesota and Michigan Tech emerged from the complicated Western hockey tournament as the two representatives of the West in the NCAA championships this Thursday in St. Louis. Top-ranked Minnesota will face Harvard in the first game (7 p.m., Boston time) while Tech collides with Boston University, the East's top team, in the second game.

The Golden Gophers of Minnesota earned the shot at the title after outscoring the University of Michigan, 8-5, in the two-game playoff decided by wins and total goals scored. The two squads tied, 3-3, Saturday and the Gophers took Sunday's contest, 5-2. Tech, meanwhile, dumped Michigan State, 6-4 and 9-4, to clinch the second seed.

Last year Harvard was nipped by Tech in the opening round of the tourney and lost to B.U. in the consolation round. The Crimson squad is hoping for a measure of revenge in St. Louis against the Terrier team that won the ECAC championship last Saturday.

"We'd like to meet B.U. in the finals." Randy Roth said, "I sure don't want to play them again in the consolation round."