Chase Pessimistic as Opener Nears

Two days before the Varsity hockey opener against B.C., Coach Johnny Chase is something short of jubilant about his team's prospects.

In the first place, four key players are still dubious starters because of probation complications. Second, ace defense man Charlie Coulter is out of the lineup with pneumonia until after Christmas. There, the schedule is the toughest in history: all the league standbys are back, and an imposing roster has been added for a vacation roadtrip. "We ought to beat Northwestern and Brown," Chase says with a wan smile.

Many Starters Return

But last season the squad overcame such obstacles and almost all the team is back to face the music again this year. The first line is all veteran, with Johnny Crocker and Wally Sears at the wings and Dave Key at center, while two Sophomores, Myles Huntington and Dave Abbott will join forces with Tom Moseley as alternates. Bob Feloney, shaw McKean, and Bram Arnold make up the third string.

Even without Coulter, the defense is strong: Olympic candidate Lou Preston, Dick Greeley, At Key, and Paul Coste form a solid nucleus, while behind them the goal will have capable protection by Captain Jack Lavalle or Bill Yetman.

As things stand now, this is probably the squad that will dress for tomorrow's opener against B.C., and it certainly is the core of the team that will go west during the Christmas vacation.

Team Hits Montreal

McGill, a team that could give the Boston Olympics a run for their money, is scheduled for December 19 in a game at Wontreal, while the following week the Crimson will travel west for double-headers with Colorado and the University of Minnesota. Both these teams faced--and defeated--Yale and Dartmouth last year.

There will be a brief letup when the Varsity returns to Cambridge, with two games apiece with Brown and North-western flanking the exam period. But in mid-February, Army, B.U., Princeton, Dartmouth, B.C., and Yale follow in quick succession. It's going to be a cold winter.