Streaking Icemen Hit the Road

Crimson-haters are rubbing their hands in glee, because this weekend presents a golden opportunity for an ECAC team to end Harvard's well-publicized undefeated streak.

The Crimson ventures to St. Lawrence on Friday and Clarkson on Saturday to face the two teams it has yet to play in the conference. The Saints (5-4 ECAC, 10-4 overall) are tied with Yale for second place in the league, while the Golden Knights have fallen to the middle of the pack (4-5 ECAC, 7-8 overall).

But this road trip has always been a difficult one for the Crimson, as it has swept the New Yorkers on the road only twice, in 1973-'74 and again in 1984-'85. Overall, the icemen are only 3-10-1 at Clarkson's Walker Arena.

The desire for revenge should be an important motivating factor for the Crimson in both contests. St. Lawrence was the last team to beat Harvard at Bright Center, when they skated away with a 4-3 overtime victory in March, 1985. And since 1981, the Saints lead the series between the two schools, 4-3.

A Better Reason

Harvard has an even better reason to want to knock off Clarkson. Toward the end of last season, the Golden Knights served up two punishing defeats to a Harvard team which was gunning for the NCAAs, knocked Scott Fusco out with a separated shoulder, almost single-handedly spoiling the team's season in the process.

This year, the Knights are led by Luciano Borsato, fifth in the ECAC scoring race with 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) and goalied by John Fletcher (.914 save percentage, 3.01 goals-against-average) and Jason Porier (.887, 3.79).

Power Versus Power

Mainly on the strength of their strong defense, the Saints have been living up to their high pre-season expectations. It will be power against power when the Crimson power-play, leading the nation at 35.5 percent, faces the stingy Saint penalty killers, who are leading the ECAC at 89.3 percent effectiveness.

St. Lawrence goalie Scott Year-wood is sixth in the ECAC with a 2.84 g.a.a.

Pete Lappin (13-10-23), Captain Dave Saunders (5-15-20), and Pete's brother Tim (6-13-19) lead the St. Lawrence scoring attack.