Eli Sextet Ties Varsity In 1-1 Overtime Contest

NEW HAVEN, March 4--Eli goalie Ted Forstman astounded a standing-room-only crowd of over 4,000 fans at Ingalls Memorial Rink tonight by holding Ivy champion Harvard to only one goal in a surprising 1-1 "upset-tie."

The acrobatic Forstman turned in one of the most amazing one-man performances in recent Ivy hockey history, making 44 seemingly uncanny saves in the three regulation periods and 10-minute sudden-death overtime period. Inspired by Forstman's performance, the hard-fighting Yale sextet could not be beaten tonight--only tied.

Harvard did not let down in its last game--every bit exciting and to both squads a tribute--as it dominated play with impressively good passing and team coordination; hard checking and aggressive defensive play; stifling forechecking; and constant shooting at the impenetrable Forstman. Yale got off only 16 shots all night, as Crimson goalie Bob Bland, who also had his moments, made 15 saves.

Left wing Crocker Snow scored for the Crimson, and sophomore center Steve Gunther scored for the Bulldogs--both in the second period.

After a frustrating first period (to Crimson fans) in which Harvard peppered away at Forstman, who made 16 saves as compared with Bland's one in that stanza, the Crimson's efforts were finally rewarded. On a break, Crimson wing Dave Crosby moved in from the right about 30 feet out from Forstman and slapped the puck at the stomach of the Eli goalie. Awaiting the rebound was Snow--unguarded five feet in front of the cage--who poked the puck into the net past the overworked Forstman with apparent ease at 2:55 of the second period.

Moments later, Yale came back with an overpowering three-one break led by center Steve Ripley--only to be stopped by Bland, who miraculously caught a shot by Ripley from only a few feet out. The face-off which followed gave the Bulldogs' all-sophomore third line the puck in front of the Crimson cage. Bill Hildebrand and Lea Pendleton piddled with the puck on the right hand side of the crease, and eventually caused the puck to dribble off Bland's stick over to the left side, where the awaiting, unwatched Gunther poked it in at 6:10.

In the second period Bland took the spotlight away from Forstman, turning away six shots including one by John Schley, who broke away on a solo flight and faked cleverly from Bland's right to left before shooting from a few feet out. Yale fought especially hard during the second period, and tried hard to capitalize on two Harvard penalties which overlapped and for 26 seconds dwindled the Crimson attack to a forward and two defensemen.

After the game, the Crimson locker room was silent. Despite the championship and one of the best records in the history of Harvard hockey (18-4-2), the team was bewildered. By Forstman's uncanny feats, no doubt.