Hopes for a Crimson victory over the formidable Toronto hockey team next Wednesday night, were raised when a greatly improved Harvard team fought stubbornly before bowing to the veteran McGill sextet in the Madison Square Garden rink on Saturday night by a 5 to 4 score. The Canadians were able to claim the victory only after three overtime periods which went scoreless until the final minute of play.
The University squad, which has showed potential power in individual play during the first two games, displayed a finished style of team play against the McGill skaters. The game was fast and a succession of brilliant dashes and tangled mix-ups in front of the respective cages kept the large crowd on their feet.
Forward Line Works Well
The Crimson forward line which started with Chase at center, and Hamlen and Gross on the wings, worked smoothly in combination and outskated the Northerners with the exception of St. Germain, flashy McGill wing. Scott, who replaced Chase at the pivot position during part of the game, turned in some brilliant dashes and scored in the first period after a long carry, with a hard drive through Murphy, the McGill goal keep.
The Crimson stick men appeared to be on the road to victory when Chase finished the second period with a pretty score, giving the University a 4 to 2 lead. St. Germain, who had scored the first two goals for the winners, pulled his team out of the hole in the final minute of the third period when he passed Cumings after a sensational run, tying the score. The first two overtime periods passed scoreless but in the third session O'Donnell, substitute center, sent the puck into the net for the winning counter, on a pass from St. Germain.
Clark and Harding Tally
The Crimson defense men divided scoring honors with the attack line, when Clark caged a hard shot in the first period, followed by Harding's easy goal in the second period. Zarakov, stepped on the ice in a game for the first time this season and narrowly missed several shots after long runs. Coady was not used by Coach Bigalow, but will probably see service in the Toronto game next Wednesday.
Toronto Looms Heavy Favorite
The contest with "Varsity" on Wednesday night in the Boston Arena looms as the most severe test of the season. The Toronto squad has been characterized by hockey authorities who have witnessed the Northerners in their overwhelming victories of the last week, as "the best hockey team ever assembled." Coach Smythe has a team of veterans who have played several seasons together and have worked up a system of team play which has proved uncanny in its effectiveness. The Toronto puck chasers have won from Boston College twice by 6 to 1 and 5 to 1 scores, from Boston University with an 8-0 score, and on Saturday night shut out the strong Dartmouth ice team, 10 to 0. Three of these games were played on successive evenings. The flashy Canadians have run up these scores with little apparent effort and without any strict training rules during the holidays.
Crimson Stock Rises
In the face of this record Captain Cumings and his team will strive to repeat last year's win over the invaders. Last year's Crimson squad, which humbled the Toronto six for the first time since 1913, by a 2 to 1 margin, was in much the same condition as this year's team. The skaters started slowly in the first two games but were coming along fast at the time of the Toronto game. The showing of Coach Bigelow's men in the McGill game Saturday night proved them a dangerous team. McGill has won once and lost once with the Toronto puck chasers.
Second Squad Gets Under Way
The second University hockey team, which was organized this year by Coach Bigelow to give the Juniors and Sophomores who had been cut from the first squad an opportunity to continue training, will hold its first official practice at 3.15 o'clock today, following the University session on the Arena ice. The second squad has held one or two practice sessions but the teams have not been definitely organized as yet.
Four games have already been scheduled for the second University and several more may be arranged. The first contest will be played with the Noble and Greenough sextet on January 14, at the Arena. Two days later the Crimson seconds will meet Andover at Andover and on February 10, will clash with the Cambridge Latin skaters on the Arena ice. Country Day, on February 13, completes the schedule although a tentative date has been set for a meeting with Browne and Nichols on either February 17 or 20. The second University will practice regularly from now on with the Freshmen, and an opportunity for advancement to the first squad will be given by Coach Bigelow who will assist in coaching the second squad.
The Summary:
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