Mark wrote the first account which follows.  I listened to the game on
Harvard's broadcast, and I will attempt to summarize their play by play in
the second account.  I'm not taking sides, but it is interesting that the
two accounts are almost exact opposites.
 
> streaking down the middle toward the net. The puck deflected off a
Harvard
> defenseman and never reached Riva. But it didn't matter. Six feet away
> from the net, Harvard defenseman Mark Moore, who was trailing Riva, gave
> Riva a vicious cross check across the back of the neck, pushing Riva,
> completely out of control right into JR Prestifilippo who went sprawling
> left as Riva crumpled to the right. None of the players nor the referee
> must have seen this. All they saw was Riva hit the goalie and all hell
> broke loose. Harvard's Craig Adams jumped on Riva who was on the ground
> holding his neck and pulled his helmet off and started smashing his
> head against the ice.
 
According to the Harvard announcers, Riva ran Presifillippo from several
feet out, intentionally turning around and skating into him backwards.
Adams then grabbed Riva while Riva was upright, and they tumbled together.
Neither got the better of the scuffle.  When Riva pointed back towards the
Harvard bench, the announcers exchanged thusly:  A1:  "Riva is apparently
attempting to claim that a Harvard player hit him from behind."  A2:  "That
is simply a lie."  The announcers made various references throughout the
rest of the period to this play (i.e., they never changed their stance),
and opined that Riva should have been kicked out of the game, the
building... possibly off the continent.
 
Two eye witness accounts, and no reason to doubt either witness' sight or
veracity.  I don't suppose there was  also a Harvard fan at the game, and a
listener to the RPI boradcast, to make this an even foursome?
 
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