Boston College Host Icemen Tonight

Now that Neil Sheehy is a scoring star, he wouldn't mind popping one home against Boston College.

The Sophomore defenseman snapped out of an O-for-varsity (22 games) scoring slump with three goals and three assists in non-league action over vacation, including two goals and an assist against Minnesota-Duluth December 30. He realizes his primary duties are at the blueline, but Sheehy will have an eye out for an opening when the Harvard hockey team (5-6 overall, 4-4 ECAC) returns to league action tonight at B.C.'s McHugh Forum in a 7:30 contest.

Sheehy has three brothers who attended Boston College, and one, former NHL and WHA star Tim, holds a bundle of scoring records. "I'd get a lot of satisfaction out of scoring at B.C. with Tim in the stands, although I know my key job out there is playing defense," Sheehy said yesterday.

Along with Mark Fusco, Scott Sangster, Alan Litchfield, Brad 'Dormann and probably Bill Sztorc, Sheehy will be responsible for stopping high-scoring Billy O'D-wyer (eight goals, sevn assists for 15 points), who has teamed with Lee Blossom and Mike Ewanouski to form the Eagles' top trio.

That combination, together with forwards Paul Hammer (5-6-11), Jeff Cowles (4-7-11), and Mike O'Neil (4-7-11) give Boston College, 2-2-2 in the ECAC and 7-2-2 overall, one of the most potent offenses in the region.

"They have dangerous, dangerous forwards," said Princeton coach Jim Higgins, whose squad whipped the Eagles, 6-3, Saturday night. "O'Dwyer is really good, and they have a lot of guys who can hurt you if you let them--like Blossom, Ewanowuski, and [Chris] Wray."

They also have a sterling goaltender in Bob O'Connor (second in the east with a 3.17 average and a 6-1-2 record), and that's bad news to Crimson fans who have watched Billy Cleary's boys fall victim to hot netminders in their last two league outings.

The return of two talented forwards will help the Harvard offense, however. Freshman center Phil Falcone, who has not played since late November, and sophomore wing Greg Britz, injured December 6 at Colgate, will both be on the ice this evening.

"My ankle is pretty strong now, and I'll be ready," Falcone said yesterday evening. "I had a good practice today, and it looks like our line is going pretty well."

Falcone is slated to center for Dave Burke and Rick Benson, while former linemate Jim Turner will play with Jay North and Tony Visone. It appears that Britz has been teamed with Dave Connors (who scored in each of the vacation games) and Shayne Kukulowicz on what should be the third line. Tom Murray, Greg Olson and center Mike Watson comprise the icemen's top connection.

"We're aware that Harvard is strong up front and has one excellent line," said Boston College coach Len Ceglarski, referring to the Olson-Watson-Murray "Instant Karma" unit. "We've been skating very well, but our problem has been that when we make one mistake, the other team capitalizes. We can't seem to take advantage of our opportunities," Ceglarski added, citing "four or five missed two-on-ones" against Princeton as evidence.

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Sheehy continued with a further anecdote. "When I first got to Harvard, I told coach Cleary there is one thing I'd really like to do," he said, "and that is beat B.C. over there. This is the first time I've ever played there, my brother will be in the stands, and I'd like nothing better than to whip them." ...Ceglarski raves over Harvard's Fusco. "In Mark Fusco you have as good a hockey player as there is around," he said. Fusco traveled to West Germany with Olson and the U.S. Junior National squad over vacation, but didn't see much action because of a knee injury he suffered in an exhibition against the University of Lowell before the team left. He is reportedly back at full strength...If Dormann plays, he will make his ECAC debut. The freshman from Warwick, R.I., turned in his first varsity performance at the Great Lakes Invitational two weeks ago, as did sophomore Bill Larson, who doubles as a hurler for Alex Nahigian's Crimson baseball team...Wade Lau is expected to be in the pads for Harvard, and O'Connor, who joined Fusco and Olson in West Germany, is the probable starter for the Eagles, although junior Doug Ellis has played in the last three games.