B.U. Cops Beanpot, 4-3; Icemen Lose

Your attention, ladieeeeees and gentel-men. Introducing the worst team in Harvard hockey history!

There was no fanfare last night at the Boston Garden, and there shouldn't have been. They call these games "consolation," but there were no consolations for Harvard hockey, only condolences, as the icemen dropped a 5-4 decision to an almost-as-pitiful squad from Northeastern.

Harvard's overall record now stands at 5 15-1 (last place in Division One), and with five games remaining in the regular season this edition has an excellent chance to break the record it now shares with the 1964-65 team for most losses in a year (15).

Add to this the undesirable facts that 1) last night's loss marks the first time since 1967 that a Harvard team has gone winless in the Beanpot, and 2) that the Crimson has registered one win since December 12. and you may be able to understand fully just how poorly the squad has played all year.

The final score does not give justice to what was mostly a game of shuffleboard on ice, but nevertheless. Harvard and Northeastern found themselves tied 4-4 after two periods.

Though Huskie forward Gerry Cowie managed to bat home the winning score at 7:29 of the third, Northeastern had at least a dozen more point-blank opportunities in the final frame to turn the game into a rout.

Crimson pressure was artificial at best in the third until 18:29. When coach Billy Cleary pulled his goaltender for the tenth time this season. Seconds later, defenseman Jack Hughes hit a streaking Gene Purdy at the blue line for an easy breakaway, but the senior winger fired wide of the cage and sealed victory for the Huskies.

The worst fears seemed confirmed early, as Northeastern raced out to a 4-1 lead in the first period.

With Crimson on top 1-0, NU's John Harrison notched goals 19 seconds apart, at 7:03 and 7:22, when he strolled through lackadaisical Harvard defense for two consecutive free throws past John Hynes. Dog Days

The Huskies then waited briefly for a line change before collecting their third goal in 44 seconds when Doug Harvey was left alone at the right face-off circle for the tally that made it 3-1. Less than five minutes later, Harvey and linemates Cowie and Paul McDougall buzzed into the Harvard zone, and this time Cowie did the honors for his first goal of the night.

However, Harvard took advantage of a comatose pack of hounds in the second and made a ball game out of it, scoring three goals in the last half of the stanza to tie the game at four-all.

Bob McDonald got Harvard's second goal at 12:00, thanks to the stick wizardry of George Hughes. The senior forward brought memories of his Malden Catholic days when he ragged and juked by three defenders in the Northeastern zone and zipped the puck over to McDonald for a slam dunk at the right post.

At 15:32 Tommy Murray brought the icemen to within one when he scored the team's second short-handed goal of the year on a breakway.

The Crimson managed to knot the score late in the period, as pressure from the Rick Benson-Dave Burke-John Cochrane unit forced a Northeastern defenseman to fall on the puck in his own crease. Burke was awarded a penalty shot, and deftly pulled goalie Ed Arrington out of position before uncorking a wrist shot to the far side of the tying goal.

THE NOTEBOOK: From the "More Gory Details Department"-the Crimson has a shot at breaking the record for fewest wins in an over-15 game season. The 1937-38 squad went 7-7-1 for the current mark.

Gene Purdy was wearing a protective mask on his helmet last night, the result of losing his two front teeth in the Cornell game last Wednesday.