As has been reported, Harvard triumphed 3-0 over RPI in Lake Placid, NY,
to take the ECAC Championship.
 
Having just returned from Lake Placid after driving straight for more than
5 hours (it's now 6 AM Sunday morning), I will keep this report brief so
I can get some sleep...
 
We left Cambridge at 1:45 PM Saturday and headed west down the Massachusetts
Turnpike.  We knew we had first entered hockey country when the woman at
the highway tool booth in Albany noticed my sweatshirt and said, "Have a
nice game."  And Lake Placid was still a hundred miles off.
 
The road up to Lake Placid travels through some impressive terrain, winding
upwards continuously.  It seemed as if we were climbing the mountains
toward Valhalla, especially with the light snowfall that was coming down.
 
Finally, we made it to Hockey Asgard, the Lake Placid Olympic Center, with just
enough time to grab some dinner before the game began.
 
Inside the arena, it was obvious that the Harvard supporters were significantly
outnumbered by the RPI contingent.  But we strived to make up for the difference
in numbers through enthusiasm.  And the team sure helped to make it possible!
 
The first period was a fast-paced, end-to-end style of hockey...great to watch.
The defense was both teams played very well and the goalies were in top form.
Few rebounds were given up, and few loose pucks allowed to float around.
 
There were 2 man-advantage situations for RPI and one for Harvard, but neither
team could get through the strong defensive play.  Finally, with just over
a minute to go, Derek Maguire pounced on a loose puck in front of the RPI
goalie, Neil Little, and rammed it through.  It bounced in behind Little,
I think between his legs or low stickside.
 
I breathed a huge sigh of relief that Harvard had scored in first goal in this
close, tense match.  The second period continued the strong skating and
defensive play of both teams, although things began to get somewhat chippy,
particularly around the teams' nets.  It ended with no further scores.
 
In the third, Harvard connected on offense while Aaron Israel's strong
play stymied RPI's bids, generated off their forwards' strong skating into
the zone.  The second Harvard goal, I believe by Ben Coughlin, occured as
two Harvard forwards came across the RPI blue line, with the puck coming in
to Little's left.  A dump pass by ? to Coughlin, who was following behind
in the center (but in front of the covering RPI backchecker) resulted in a clear
shot about 18 feet out.
 
The third goal was scored on a good effort by McCann, who dumped the puck
from Little's right behind the net.  It was picked up by Farrell, who was not
covered by the defense.  Farrell moved in from Little's left, and with McCann
encroaching on the right, Farrell faked the pass, got Little to move off
the near post, and backhanded it in between Little and the post.  (At least,
that's how I remember it...mental clarity is fading fast...)
 
A shutout for Israel, a tournament MVP award for Sean McCann, and an ECAC
title for the Crimson.  Well worth the 600 + mile trip to see it in person.
 
All right, enough for now...
 
Julian Chu HU'93