Icemen Stretch Ivy Lead As Blair Stops Elis, 2-1

Forget that only one member of the Harvard hockey team played an inspired second and third period Saturday night. Forget that the Elis outshot the Crimson. 27-9 in the final 40 minutes.

Remember only the 2-1 first period and the 2-1 final score that lifted Harvard to a 7-7-1 ECAC record and a two-game bulge in the Ivy Division standing And remember Grant Blair

"We went to sleep after the first period," Crimson Coach Hilly Cleary said after the game "Thank God for Grant Blair."

Only a queer bounce kept the sophomore goal tender from his third shutout in four games With Harvard leading 2-0 late in the first period. Blair went behind his net to play the puck instead, the puck played him, or off his stick, and out in front of the now-empty net Yale's Ed McManous took advantage of the opportunity to score the Elis' only goal of the night.

After that, the Harvard offense went into hibernation. "We were sluggish," Cleary said afterwards, "don't ask me why."

The Yale offense didn't dazzle, either, but the Elis did manage to generate a few excellent opportunities At 7:40 of the second period, freshman sensation Bob Kudelskiled linemate Bob Logan on a two-on-one break Kudelski skated down the right wing, deked left and went right. Drawing Blair. At the last second, Kudelski slipped the puck across the crease towards Logan, who couldn't get his stick on the puck to the the game.

Yale goalie Paul Tortorella made his share of great saves on the night, too, but it was a breakaway be couldn't handle that broke the ice just 3 24 into the game. In a repeat of Harvards opening goal against Dartmouth Wednesday. Brad Kwong sent an outlet pass along the left boards to Brain Buscont, who was all alone at Yale blue line Buscont skated in on Tortorella, faked right, and then tucked the pack behind the sprawling Eli to give Harvard the 1 0 lead.

The Crimson doubled the margin 14 minute later with a rare power play goal in its last 30 man-up chances. Harvard had scored just once Nine out of 10 times this year, the icemen haven't scored on a power play.

"I was going to have a moment of silence [in thanks for the goal]," "Cleary said.

Ken Code scooped the puck out from the corner to Tony Visone at the point Visone's cannoblast was headed wide of the net The puck caromed off Tim Barakett in the slot and bent back inside the post.

Visone tried to make it 3-0 30 seconds later, but his slapshot hit nothing but pipe Just 17 seconds after Visone nearly broke the game wide open. McManus scored Yale's freak goal. A potential blowout became a one-goal affair.

But the game was far from a barnburner Harvard got off only 20 shots the whole night, and the game was characterize by sloppy passing.

The whole thing didn't seem to bother Cleary, though--With Yale falling to 5-9 and Cornell sinking to 5-10 (after a 6-3 loss at Vermont Saturday), Harvard's 7-7-1 conference record gives it the inside track to the Ivy division title and the accompanying ECAC playoff seed, And with the Beanpot starting tonight at 6-15, the Crimson has a red-hot goalie. Two periods of no offense not-withstanding, Cleary was pleased.

"A classic it wasn't, "he said, smiling, "but we'll take it." At Bright Hockey Center Harvard  2  0  0--  2 Yale  1  0  0--  1

Scorning H. Bnan Busconi (Brad Kwong) 3 24. H Tim Barakeff (Tony Visone. Ken Code) 17 50. Y. Ed McManus (Unassisted) 18.46.

Saves Y. Paul Tortorella 1.H Grant Blair 34

Scorning H. Bnan Busconi (Brad Kwong) 3 24. H Tim Barakeff (Tony Visone. Ken Code) 17 50. Y. Ed McManus (Unassisted) 18.46.

Saves Y. Paul Tortorella 1.H Grant Blair 34