Sextet Faces Providence Tonight; Quintet Takes Opener

It will be Sophomore Night in Providence when the varsity hockey team opens its season against Providence College tonight in the first round of the battle for New England ice supremacy.

With both sextets bolstered by members of two excellent 1955 freshman squads, more than ten sophomores are expected to be in the first two lineups for the teams at the Rhode Island Auditorium at 8:30 p.m.

However, the Crimson, with an all-junior experienced first line, rates a slight pre-game favorite, since the P.C. Friars, 75 percent of whom are sophomores, have had early-season practice difficulties.

"We compete with Brown and several high school teams for the use of Providence's only ice rink," Providence's new coach, Tom Eckelson, said last night, "and we haven't been able to get the practice we need even for an opening game."

The Friars will start three lines consisting of six sophomores, two juniors (including a former Hamden High line-mate of wing Bob McVey, Lou LaFontaine), and senior Captain Bernie McCrink. Nearly all the sophomores were on the Providence freshman team which last season handed the Yardlings their only loss.

However, the two freshmen who set up or scored the goals against the Crimson last year are not on the P.C. varsity this season so the 1955 comparison may not hold tonight.

Eckelson, a former coach at Burrilvill (R.I.) High School, which won ten consecutive league championships, will use a definite set of offensive plays in his attack tonight. Both teams, in fact, will be relying on offense to provide the difference.

The Crimson will try out this new quartet of blue-line players in this opener, three of whom are sophomores: Woody Harris and Dick McLaughlin and Bill Deford and Pete Bragdon.

While Crimson coach Cooney Weiland has no problem in selecting his starting goalie, Captain Jim Bailey, Coach Eckelson will be drawing lots for one of three goalies before the game.