A Crimson Surprise: 3-1 Upset at B.U.

It was the last edition of a longstanding early-December tradition, and it had everything the best B.U.-Harvard hockey games always had.

There was great goaltending, end-to-end skating, plus some hard hitting and hard feelings between the two teams A few empty seats were visible, but the 2355 on hand at Walter Brown Arena did their best to imitate a full house. In classic fashion, a strong Crimson team was pitted against a powerhouse Terrier squad, this one a top preseason pick for the ECAC crown

Harvard had the last laugh on its old rival last night, with the two foes going the separate ways in different leagues next year, scoring all its goals in a 2:27 span in the second period in a 3-1 upset.

With three straight victories under its belt, the Crimson is starting to win over the critics who thought the graduation en masse of last year's stars meant a rebuilding year for harvard At B.U., one of the key players on last year's Eastern titlists sophomore goaltender Grant Blair, showed his ability to carry the team while the players around him continue to find the groove.

For nearly half the game. Blair matched his outstanding Terrier counterpart 50 yards away, senior Cleon Daskalakis, save for spectacular save. Then, after a crucial seven-minute period in which Harvard fell behind and rallied, he held the pressing home team at bay down the stretch He had 41 saves when it was all over.

Blair couldn't do it all by himself, though Spectators at the far end of the arena could hear the high pitched ring produced when B.U. left wing Mark Pierog hit the post early in the second period On a key Terrier power play late in the same stanza. Blair left the short side wide open--for perhaps the only time all evening--and B.U.'s Joe Cappellano slammed one off the near pipe. Also, defenseman Tim Smith and Ken Code notched aves of their own in the third period, sliding into the crease behind a wandering Blair.

Unwanted Guests

But it was clear from the opening faceoff who was going to do the bulk of the work. The Terriers carried the puck right into the Harvard zone and stayed there. And stayed And stayed Throughout the period Blair had to lend off a barrage of B.U. shots, mostly from the perimeter

In the second period it looked as if Daskalakis would steal the show. In a little less than four minutes, he produced the two finest saves of the game.

With six minute gone in the stanza. Harvard's Rob Ohno made a great move on defenseman Chris Matchett at mid-ice, zoomed in on goal alone, deking and shooting Not following the deke. Daskalakis somehow brought his stick hand up just in time to prevent a sure Crimson goal.

Just before the midway mark of the contest, after B.U. center Denis Lagarde had broken the ice with a hard shot from the faccoff circle to Blair's right. Daskalakis again stymied the visitors. This time it was with the glove hand, which he flicked up to rob Phil Ealcone after a perfect centering pass by Smith

The Terrier crowd was on its feet. Smith practically jumped with visible frustration and Crimson Coach Bill Cleary was bravely clapping behind the bench to really his team.

Suddenly, it was an entirely different game B.U. somehow forgot how to keep the Crimson away from its net and paid for it

Scoring in the Zone

Three minutes after Daskalakis's second big stop. Jay North carried into the B.U. zone, tried to set up Brian Buscont, took the puck back and, with Buscont pushed into the crease and falling over on the Terrier netminder, found the smallest of openings on the short side to tie the score.

Harvard took the lead 64 seconds later. Tony Visone failed to control a pass from Shayne Kukulowicz on a Crimson two-on-one, but again the Terriers couldn't clear. Visone soon got the puck again and dumped it into an unguarded side of the net from five feet away.

Fighty three seconds later, the Crimson widened the gap on a more picturesque tally. Rob Wheeler working a crisp give-and-go with Rob Starbuck, taking the return pass just in time to slam it between Daskalakis's pads.

B.U. didn't get many chances to come back. Its best was a power play late in the period, in which it tested Blair with four hard but tutile slapshots in quick succession.

Early in the final 20 the Terriers had two threats serious enough to force Smith and then Code to play goalie momentarily. But after Blair used his pads and stick to smother a blast by Pierog from between the circles with seven minutes left. B.U looked unexpectedly flat, almost resigned as the clock ran down. Its only success was in avoiding an open-net goal (just barely), when Kukulowicz hit the post with three seconds remaining.

THE NOTEBOOK: Three different lines scored for Harvard last night. The Crimson's chance to extend its record to 4-0 will come Saturday night at Brown, before a Sunday night home game versus RPI. . .B.U., one of the preseason favorites for the ECAC crown, now stands at 1-2 in conference play. At Boston University Harvard  0  3  0--3 B.U  0  1  0--1

BU Denis Lagarde (Chris Matchett, Joe Cappellano) 8 30. H. Jay North (Brian Busconi. Tim Barakeff) 12 35. H. Tony Visone (Rob Ohno, Shayne Kukulowicz) 13 39. H. Rob Wheeler (Rob Starbuck Peter Chiarelli) 15 02

Saves--H. Grant Blair. 11-18-12 B.U. Cleon Daskalakis, 14-6-7--27

Att--2355

BU Denis Lagarde (Chris Matchett, Joe Cappellano) 8 30. H. Jay North (Brian Busconi. Tim Barakeff) 12 35. H. Tony Visone (Rob Ohno, Shayne Kukulowicz) 13 39. H. Rob Wheeler (Rob Starbuck Peter Chiarelli) 15 02

Saves--H. Grant Blair. 11-18-12 B.U. Cleon Daskalakis, 14-6-7--27

Att--2355