Slumping Six Drops Game to Eagles, 6-2, at Garden

No hustle, no Colorado.

The Crimson hockey team just about beat itself last night, 6 to 2. Boston College happened to be on hand to take credit for the victory, a probable ranking as best-in-the-East, and a probable invitation later to the NCAA tournament.

Hustle was actually only one of the Crimson's problems. One-third of the time, the team didn't seem to know what it was doing, one-third it played brilliantly, only to be foiled by the breaks. Seven penalties took care of the rest of the other third.

The penalties were what hurt most. Especially since many seemed questionable calls. Three Boston College goals came with the Crimson a man short.

That's the offensive story. Defensively, the Crimson back-checked poorly fumbled in front of its own cage, held the puck too long, and let hard-hitting B.C. set up shot after shot.

For the first few moments, the Crimson completely outplayed B.C. At one point, is shook second-line center Norm Wood loose; his shot beat goalie Joe Carroll, bounced off both posts, and out.

That was symptomatic. A few minutes later Dick Clasby let the puck go in front of his own net, and Eagle Bob Siblo had the first of B.C.'s three goals in that period. Latter Bob Babine, perfectly positioned, took care of the other two.

Meanwhile, the Crimson had collected no less than four penalities. B.C. got none.

The Crimson pikced up its first goal at 3:07 of the second period, with Jeb Bray, broken hand and all, converting an Almy assist. But Silbe on a Wimpy Burtnett pass, scored at 4:47 to make it B.C. 4, Harvard 1. That's the way the period ended, with Harvard picking up two penalties, one slightly before the B.C. score.

Wing Sherm Saltmorsh slammed a long screen shot past Brad Richardson at 6:07 of the third period. A few seconds later, B.C. got its first penalty of the night, but the Crimson failed to convert, mainly because it, too, got a penalty immediately alterward.

Only Good Play

Finally, at 16:01, came the only good play the Crimson was able to set up all night. Dick Clasby pushed in Walt Greeley's pass for the Crimson's second score.

With Greeley and Hubbard tired by too much excellent penalty defense, Burtnett broke loose at the blue-line, and scored B.C's final goal at 19:27.

The Crimson's back was broken by goalie Joe Carroll. Six times the Crimson shook man loose in front of the B.C. eage: six times Carroll saved. He collected 16 for the night, Richardson 30.

Siblo's second goal, early in the second period, marked a relaxation of the Eagle offense. With a 4 to 1 margin, B.C. began to play mainly a defensive game.

But the Crimson's real weakness lay in its inability, again, to capitalize on rebounds. B.C., in contrast, always had the right man in the right place