Harvard-Cornell, USA-NHL

The Harvard hockey team has won its first title this year.

Harvard captured its seventh straight Ivy League championship last Saturday with a 3-1 victory over Cornell. The Crimson posted a perfect 10-0 record against its five Ivy opponents.

Since the Ivy League began competition in 1934, Harvard has captured 19 titles.

The Big D: That worn-out cliche about defense winning a game resurfaced last weekend at Bright Center.

Some of last weekend's defensive highlights:

With the score tied at one last Friday, Colgate's Mark Holmes had an open shot in the right circle 11 minutes in the middle period. Holmes didn't count on defenseman Jerry Pawloski clearing the puck out before Holmes could get his shot off.

Three minutes later, Pawloski was at it again. This time, he broke up a Colgate breakaway with the Crimson down a man.

Against Cornell, Crimson goalie John Devin made an incredible save off a shot by Jim Goerz in the opening minutes of the middle period. Devin was perpendicular to the net as he made the kick save.

Kevan Melrose, Harvard's newest defenseman, broke up a Neil Paterson breakaway 16 minutes into the second period.

Josh Caplan followed Melrose's lead with 1:20 left in the game and Harvard still holding onto a 2-1 lead. After Bruce Frauley's ice-length pass found Casey Jones in the Harvard zone, Caplan broke up the breakaway.

Harvard's defense has opposing coaches--like Colgate's Terry Slater--grumbling. Slater muttered nothing but praise for the Crimson defense after Harvard defeated the Red Raiders, 4-1.

Harvard is the only ECAC team to give up fewer than 40 goals in the league. The Crimson has allowed only 38 goals, while cashing in 82 times.

Hello, ECAC: ECAC fact number one: Harvard (16-2 ECAC) is assured of home ice for the ECAC quarterfinals. Now it's concentrating on capturing another regular-season title.

ECAC fact number two: St. Lawrence (15-3) is also guaranteed home ice, but Cornell (12-6), Colgate and Vermont (both 10-7-1) are all battling for the final two home ice slots.

ECAC fact number three: Clarkson (8-8-2), Princeton (9-9), RPI (8-10), Dartmouth (7-10-1), and Yale (6-12) will fight for the last three playoff spots.

ECAC fact number four: Forget Brown (2-15-1) and Army (1-15-2).

USA! NHL!: The Harvard band was burned at its own game during the Cornell game. The culprit was the Big Red band.

With Harvard holding onto a 2-1 lead in the final period, the band began one of its usual "Hey, Cornell" cheers.

"Hey, Cornell, you have to go back to Ithaca," the band yelled in unison, "but we go to Calgary." The band was obviously referring to Harvard's Olympic trio.

The Big Red section came back with its own cheer. "Hey, Harvard, you may be in the Olympics, but we're in the pros." Guess Harvard forgot about Cornell's Joe Nieuwendyk, star rookie for the Calgary Flames.