Varsity Sextet Loses Four Games To Top Canadian, Eastern Teams

Followers of the varsity hockey team have been shaking their beads all vocation. They have had good reason, for the Crimson lost four straight games, scoring only 13 goals to 27 for their opponents and finishing with a record to date of three wins and seven loses.

Behind the depressing facts, however, there are some encouraging developments. In the first place, the opposition was good: McGill is a traditional Canadian powerhouse and the other three--all went through the annual Christmas Invitation Tournament undefeated.

Welland Notes Improvement

As Crimson coach Cooney Welland remarked yesterday, "playing against opposition like that, any team is bound to improve." To Welland and many followers of the varsity, there was definite improvement, especially in the Tournament's final game with Dalhousie.

For one thing, the defense has improved markedly over its performance in the opening games of the season. Well-and noted that seniors Marlo Cell and Denny Little played fine games against Dalhousie, and John Copeland and Dan Ullyot were conspicuous in giving out some really solid checks.

Covering of opposing wings near the goal had also improved, but once again it was the temporary lapses that hurt. Captain Charlie Flynn played some brillient hockey, especially against St. Lawrence, and the goals against him were almost invariably well-earned.

Sophomore center Bob McVey came down with mononucleosis at the start of the vacation, which will sideline him until mid-January. Welland put defense-man Pete Summers in his place on the second line for the last two games, hoping thereby to inject more scoring punch into the attack. The third line was changed each game, but Tom Worthen and Derick Nicholas seemed to be mainstays.

The loses to McGill (6 to 2) and to Clarkson (11 to 5) were early ones, since both teams compiled an unchallengable lead in the first period. Penalties proved disastrous against Clarkson, the first-ranked team in the East, as five of the visitors' six first-period goals came with the varsity shorthanded.

Little's Goal Narrows Gap

Little's goal at 4:32 of the final period in the St. Lawrence game put the Crimson within one goal of the Larries, trailing the No. 2 team in the East 2 to 1. But Don Raper scored unassisted just three minutes before the end, and the last St. Lawrence goal came on neatly set up play at 19:40.

Cell's penalty late in the final period of the Dalhousie game enabled the visitors to gang up for the winning goal by Alex MacSween at 17:54. Four times the varsity had come from behind to tie the game, as center Bob Cleary scored three times and assisted twice. The final score was 6 to 5.