Icemen Look to Minnesota-Duluth

The Harvard men's hockey team will take on the University of Minesota Duluth (UMD) in the NCAA quarterfinals this weekend in Duluth, Minn.

The Crimson 21.7.2. and ranked sixth in the last national poll, will be decided underdogs to the third ranked Bulldogs (33-8-3).

Harvard is the third seed of the four Eastern teams in the journey and UMD in the second seed in the West.

The Bulldogs earned their second consecutive Western College Hockey Association Championship by beating Minneosta in a two-game, total goals series Friday and Saturday After dropping the opening contest to the Golden Gophers, 6-4, the Bulldogs rebounded to claim the second game, and the series, with a 6-2 victory Saturday night.

The Crimson last played UMD two years ago in Duluth and dropped a 3-2 decision to the Bulldogs. Harvard and its coach. Bill Cleary, are 1-3 lifetime against UMD, with the only victory coming in December of 1980.

The Crimson has not faced the Bulldogs ever before in NCAA play.

The teams will face off at 8:05 p.m. (CST) on Friday and 7:35 (CST) at Duluth Arena, which seats 5681 and will be completely sold out.

Hobey Help

The Bulldogs have been led this year by junior right wing Bill Watson Watson, a Hobey Baker Award finalist, is enjoying the best season ever by a UMD skater 46 goals, 54 assists for 100 points.

Watson whose totals included eight game winning goals and 17 power play tallies the WCHA in scoring this year and is fourth, with 201 career on the all time UMD scoring charts in just his third year.

Watson sparks a power play unit that has converted at a .277 clip on the year, but struggled in the playoffs, scoring on just two of 25 attempts.

Also pacing the attack for the Bulldogs are junior center Matti Christiansen (27.43--70) and senior left wing Tom Herzig (24.37--61).

Defensively, the Maroon and Gold are led by junior Norm Maclver (12 46--58) and its standout goalie, sophomore Rick Kosti, who boasts a goals against average of 3.18 and a save percentage of 892.

Of particular interest is the presence of freshman Brett Hull on the Bulldog squad The Little Golden Jet is the son of former NHI great Bobby Hull and has posted some impressive numbers (31.27--58) in his first year.