Crimson Takes Home Five Titles

CANTON, N.Y.--Frank Sinatra and Peter Ciavaglia have something in common: they both love New York.

Sing it, Peter.

"I'm from Buffalo, and I seem to have my best games in New York," the Harvard hockey forward said Saturday. "I play my best on the road."

So, apparently, does the Crimson. At least lately. Saturday here, the Crimson--behind a pair of Ciavaglia goals--held off St. Lawrence, 6-5, and wrapped up first-place in the ECAC. Although both teams own 17-5 league records, Harvard edged SLU for first place because of a better head-to-head mark.

Harvard topped the Saints, 4-3, at Bright in early January and finished the year with a 2-0 record against SLU.

This weekend, Harvard will face-off against RPI (9-13) at Bright Center in the quarterfinals of the eight-team ECAC Tournament. Plenty of tickets remain on sale ($4 with coupon, $7 for each additional ticket) in the basement of Harvard Hall.

In other quarterfinal match-ups: number-two SLU will meet number-seven Princeton (10-11) in Canton, N.Y.: number-three Cornell (15-7) will face number-six Clarkson (10-9-1) in Ithaca, N.Y.: and number-four Vermont (14-7) will take on number-five Colgate (12-9) in Burlington, Vt.

Saturday, Ciavalglia and fellow freshman John Weisbrod recorded a pair of goals apiece to lead the Crimson to a stunning victory in front of 3600 screaming Saint fans in Appleton Arena. Last Weekend, Harvard dropped home games to Vermont and RPI and needed twin victories on the road this weekend to finish first in the league.

Friday, Harvard bumped off Clarkson, 3-2. And Saturday, the Crimson came out storming, jumping to leads of 3-0 and 6-2, before holding on for the final margin.

"A lot of people didn't think we'd do this thing," Harvard Coach Bill Cleary said. "I told the kids, I've had a lot of great teams...but I'm really attached to this team. People thought we'd fall down this year. It's a real tribute to the kids."

Saturday, the Crimson recovered its long lost fire power, put on low heat since Harvard's 8-1 torching of Yale in late January.

"They deserve to be number one," SLU Coach Joe Marsh said. "They played tough. They're a real hard team to come from behind on."

Down 6-2 with 11:37 left in the game, SLU the ECAC's highest scoring team roared back, scoring three goals--including two by forward Joe Day--to pull within one with 1:21 left in the game. SLU goalie Paul Cohen lifted his stick, encouraging an already boisterous crowd to turn up the volume to defeaning levels.

But Harvard hung on for the regular-season title, its third in a row.

"Last weekend, we had a tough time," Weisbrod said. "We got a little too comfortable. It took those losses to get us going."

Weisbrod returned from a nagging knee injury in February, and has steadily reveved up his engine. Saturday, Weisbrod shifted into fifth gear. On his first goal (11:10 of period one), Weisbrod flew down the left side of the ice and canned a shot over Cohen's shoulder. On the second, "John Murphy gave me a great pass," Weisbrod said. "My little brother could have put that in."

As for Ciavaglia, he has made the road his home. He has seven goals away from Bright, none in the Crimson's home building. In addition, he has scored over half his goals in the Empire State.

"Pete's theme song is "I Love New York," said Cleary, his cheeks as red as a Big Apple.