BU Trips Hockey Team, 9-5, in Curtain Raiser

Boston University's starting sextet scored eight of its team's nine goals to overwhelm Cooney Weiland's varsity hockey team, 9 to 5, in the opening game of the 1951-52 season. A Boston Arena crowd of 2,000 saw the Terriers take advantage of the Crimson's obvious inexperience, as they piled up a lead of 4 to 0 in the first period, and extended it to 9 to 3 in the second.

Harvard's play was hampered by errant passes, weak backchecking, and general difficulty in clearing the puck out of the goal gone. Harvard's weaknesses were magnified by its lack of game experience, and the fact that its opponent is an excellent hockey team. The Crimson improved throughout the game, holding the Terriers scoreless in the final period.

The B.U. team built up a lead of four goals before first line wing Amory Hubbard scored on a pass from center Walt Greeley. The Terriers came back with three more goals. John Bray, right wing on the second line, picked up his own rebound from B.U. goalie Paul Kelly's legs and sent it back for the second Harvard goal.

At 15 minutes of the second period, Jim Colt, the other second line wing, scored on a pass from Bray.

The Crimson scored twice more in the third period. B.U. threatened several times, and twice the puck disappeared in goal mouth scrambles, but the defense managed to hold the Terriers throughout the period. Hubbard scored his second goal, on a pass from rookie center Dick Clasby, and Clasby made the last goal of the game two minutes afterwards.

Defensively, Weiland's team was not convincing in its first performance. Captain Dusty Burke and Bill Bliss, starting defensemen, constantly cleared in front of their own goal. Second string back-liners Jim O'Brien and Tony Patton were also poor in comparison with the Terrier defense, although Patton improved throughout the game. Goalie Nate Corning was mobbed throughout the first two periods because B.U. was able to keep the pressure on for long stretches of time. His performance was markedly eased in the last period.

Weiland used three forward lines during the game. He did not, however, succeed in finding a combination of men who checked back. His second forward line, composed of sophomores Clasby, Colt, and Bray, looked quite promising.

The summary:

Goals--First Period: Richard Kelly (2), Rodenhiser, Zanetti. Assists: Barnhill, Downey, Richard Kelly, Raymond Kelly, Rodenhiser. Second Period: Hubbard, Martin, Denning, John Kelly, Bray, Rodenhiser, Colt, Barnhill. Assists: Barnhill, Greeley, Richard Kelly, Rodenhiser, Zanetti. Third Period: Hubbard, Clasby, Assists: Clasby, Colt, Timson.