Freshman Skaters Down Exeter, 7-2

The Harvard freshman hockey team skated to its 15th victory of the season yesterday by trouncing Exeter, 7-2, at Watson Rink. The Crimson has lost only two games this winter.

"It was a typical freshman victory," coach Tim Taylor said. "We had well balanced scoring, which has been the key to our whole season. We don't rely on any one person or line to get our goals."

Seven different players tallied for the Crimson in the game. The team's four top scorers--Jim Thomas, Steve Dagdigian, Leish Hogan, and Ted Thorndike--each contributed at least one point.

The Crimson dominated the game, taking 39 shots on net as compared to Exeter's 24. Ted Thorndike got Harvard's first goal 12 seconds into the first period. Teammates Randy Roth and Brad Wilson added goals in the last two minutes of the period, and the Crimson went into the dressing room with a 3-0 lead.

At 1:42 of the second period, Harvard's David Gauthier put a rebound past the Exeter goalie, but Exeter retaliated with its first score less than a minute later. There were two penalties during the period, but neither team was able to capitalize on its power play.

Exeter narrowed Harvard's lead to 4-2 with a breakaway goal by Sean Hanley at 3:18 of the final period. But 12 minutes later the Yardling's Jim McMahon skated down the left wing and popped a shot into the right-hand corner to give Harvard a three-goal advantage.

The Crimson iced the game in the next two minutes. Wayne George scored at 13:18, and Thomas tallied on a shot from a face-off at 14:26. Thomas's goal increased his team-leading point total to 41.

The Yardlings play their last game this Saturday, when they meet Yale on home ice. Exeter lost a close 3-2 game to the Bulldogs earlier this season, and the Crimson has also beaten Yale once this year.