Union, RPI Next For Men's Hockey

The Harvard men's hockey team travels to Union and RPI this weekend for a series that will most likely set the tone for the rest of the Crimson's season. Coming off last weekend's near upset of Vermont, followed by a humbling loss to previously ECAC-winless Dartmouth, the Crimson must rebound this weekend to stay in the hunt for an ECAC title.

The test for the Crimson: two below .500 opponents whose hopes for an ECAC crown have long since been forgotten.

Today, Harvard (6-9-1; 5-5-1 ECAC) travels to Achilles Rink to battle a Union team that has had a near abysmal year. The Skating Dutchmen (4-9-2 overall, 2-5-1 ECAC) have yet to mount an impressive attack, dropping to tenth in the league over the first half of the season. The Dutchmen, however, are coming off a 6-1 trouncing of Princeton on Saturday and will no doubt try to take advantage of a struggling Crimson squad.

Harvard will then travel to RPI to battle the Engineers at Houston Field House tomorrow. The Engineers (5-11-2; 3-4-1 ECAC) are also coming off a successful weekend, tying Princeton Friday, and destroying Yale 6-1 Saturday.

The bottom line is that the Crimson must post two victories over lesser teams this weekend if it entertains any hopes of a solid finish in the ECAC.

Spirits were high as the squad left for Union yesterday.

"Any 18 to 22 year old competing in an athletic event is going to expect to win," senior defenseman Peter McLaughlin said. "We're expecting two wins. I don't think we can settle for anything else."

There were no surprises in practice this week, silencing speculation by some that Harvard head coach Ronn Tomassoni would make some line changes to stimulate a more potent offensive attack.

"I don't think there will be any lineup changes," freshman forward Craig Adams said. "It would be wrong to look at the lineup as the reason for our play last weekend. It was more a lack of concentration."

Not to mention the absence of a key element for any winning team...luck. The Crimson has simply been an unlucky team in its skid of late.

"It [luck] hasn't been there," McLaughlin said. "We're going to have to work hard to create our own luck."

One thing is certain, Harvard had the right attitude as they boarded the bus for Schenectady yesterday.

"We've let it go on long enough," Adams said. "We have to start winning games."