Harvard Hockey Team Downs Clarkson, 8-3

The Harvard hockey team broke Clarkson 8-3 Saturday night by methodically bending the Golden Knights until, in the third period, they snapped.

The Crimson's Pete Mueller scored twice within eight seconds in the last period to put the game out of Clarkson's reach. Kent Parrot and Captain Jack Garrity also tallied a pair of goals apiece.

For Harvard followers, the victory left a pleasant taste in the mouth because the Crimson, against an opponent with an impressive record and a number of capable players, simply dominated the game.

In fact, Harvard's best period--the second--was its least productive. The Crimson entered the period with a 3-2 lead, but lost Ron Mark for two minutes almost immediately on an interference call.

But penalty-killers Chip Otness and Don Grimble, along with defensemen Ben Smith and Bob Carr, ran out the two minutes with a flawless display of passing and craft.

Three minutes later Harvard went a man down again, only to score a short-handed goal at 9:06 when Terry Flaman's slap shot bounced off the goalie's chest at Parrott's feet. All Parrot had to do was slide the puck into the nets.

Back to full strength, the Crimson began to shell Clarkson netminder John Miller unmercifully in a sustained stretch of offensive brilliance. Only Miller's countervailing brilliance prevented several goals. The period erased any lingering doubts about Harvard's Cornell trauma.

The Crimson did not enjoy the fruits of virtue, however, until 9:17 of the third period, when Mueller scored from the middle of a scramble in front of the Clarkson goal. Then Harvard grabbed the faceoff and Mueller was in again at 9:25, on a feed from Parrot.

Garrity Scores Again

Garrity added another at 14:10 on a whistling 20-footer, and Parrot capped the Harvard scoring by ramming a 25-footer into the left corner of the cage at 15:16. Clarkson got the last word when Crimson goalie Bill Diercks juggled but could not hold the puck at 16:22. Bob Empie was credited with the score.

Harvard recorded the game's initial goal at 10:21 of the first period, when Garrity broke into the clear and passed to Bob Fredo, whose 20-foot shot trickled through Miller's pads and bounced into the nets.

Clarkson finally capitalized on one of numerous first-period opportunities as Harvard's Chris Gurry failed to clear a loose puck the side of the cage. The Golden Knights' John McLennan drove a shot past Diercks to knot the score 1-1 at 17:08. Clarkson's Luc St. Jean quickly broke the tie at 18:40 on a straightaway 10-footer.

Tie Lasts Seconds

But seven seconds later, the score was even again as Bob Carr slapped the puck into the Clarkson end. The puck ricocheted off the boards, eluded Miller, and gave Jack Turco a delicious setup at 18:47. Then, with only 18 seconds left in the period, Bobby Bauer's perfect pass allowed Garrity to put Harvard in front, 3-2.

Diercks, who had his second strong night in a row in the goal, stopped 20 shots. Miller recorded 38 saves. Harvard's record now stands at 8-5, with only a game against Dartmouth remaining before exam break.