George Hughes is Just the Utter Most

George Hughes scored four goals last night for the first time in his awesome Harvard hockey career. The mustachioed senior was asked if it was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time, and the man said, "Yeah, that was it."

But the modest Hughes has more than just that sense of where you are. George picks corners with his shots. He stickhandles deftly. He dekes the goalies into oblivion. Also, George has two new linemates and a younger brother named Jack who supplement his powers.

After three juniors, Jack Hughes, Bob McDonald and Jon Garrity, propelled the Crimson to a 3-0 first-period lead over the UNH Wildcats, George caught fire, exploding for all four of his tallies in the sizzling second stanza.

NUMBER ONE: This one came on a Crimson power play. Jack Hughes sliced through the UNH forwards at mid-ice and two Wildcat defensemen converged on Jack at the blue line. Jackie magnificently juked and deked, penetrated the offensive zone and slid the puck to brother George streaking onto the UNH net. A quick fake right drew goalie Greg Moffitt and George zinged his shot just inside the far post.

NUMBER TWO: George, carrying the puck, led a two-on-one break with linemate Jackie Burke. Hughes lured the lone defender, and using the screen, Harvard's top goal scorer tattooed the upper left corner from 15 feet. Freshman David Burke, the center on George's line, freed Hughes and Jack Burke for the two-on-one with a pinpoint pass.

NUMBER THREE: The goal that gave the Somerville senior his third career hattrick (second of the season) came just 13 seconds after UNH's first score. Again, Jack Hughes attracted the UNH defensemen in the Wildcat zone, and again brother George received the puck with just Moffett to beat. A quick wrist shot sent Harvard to a 7-1 advantage.

NUMBER FOUR: George popped home a rebound for his fourth. A David Burke pass sent a flying Jack Burke into the UNH end on a clean breakaway. The freshman from Winthrop, Mass. drilled a shot onto the crossbar, and out of nowhere, big George tucked the rebound into the net.

George's slate now boasts nine goals and three assists in Harvard's first six games. The man needs just 19 points to move into the number three position in Harvard career scoring, surpassing such stars as David Hynes '73, Randy Roth '75, and Bob McManama '73. And then, hopefully, George will play for the 1980 U.S. Olympic team at Lake Placid, N.Y.

However, George's concern right now is with the team's success. He said last night, referring to the effect of the big win, "Maybe this is the lift for us." Maybe so. Let's all hope so. But, at any rate, George is the utter most