One offensive foray did get past the Harvard defense, though, a two-on-one dash by Guay and Kurt Kleinendorst. But Guay lost control of Kleinendorst's pass as he skated by the Crimson net.

It was in the middle stanza that Harvard turned to the attack, pumping 22 shots on Proulx.

Less than two minutes into the period, the puck got past the Friar goalie, but referee Robert Quinn disallowed the goal, ruling that winger Dave Connors had kicked the puck with his skate. Mark Fusco and Code kept Proulx on his toes with several tough slap-shots in the next few minutes. And after Greg Chalmers stole the puck in the Providence end, forcing defenseman Randy Velischek to take a holding penalty, the Crimson finally broke the ice.

With time about to expire on the two-minute penalty. Code blasted the puck just wide of the net. The rebound came out to Mark Fusco at the point, who set up Code for a second try. This time, he connected, putting Harvard ahead at the 7:12 mark.

Both teams had their chances in the ensuing minutes. With Blair out of position after a tough save. Providence's Steve Anderson faced a wide open net but couldn't keep it on his stick long enough to backhand it into the ocean. At the other end. Mark Fusco, hit the post flush five minutes later.

But after his near-goal, the senior defenseman took a booking penalty, giving the Friars the chance to tie it up with a power play goal of its own.

A half-minute of sharp passing led to Velischek, the ECAC Player of the Year, slapping the puck from the left point into the upper corner of the net, just beyond Blair's outstretched glove.

The Friar goal apparently reduced the title game to a simple 20-minute showdown in the third period. But in fact, the Crimson had a substantial advantage--Providence was by now a much more tired team. Having played the late game Friday night, the Friars were no longer able to keep up with the fast-skating Crimson. (St. Lawrence, Providence's lategame opponent Friday, also lost its game last night; both late-game semifinalists lost their Saturday games last year, too.)

Providence was no longer able to combat Harvard's fast-moving game with its own more aggressive style. "We didn't have the stamina to be as physical as we'd like to be," said Lamariello.

Scott Fusco broke the tie 4:08 into the final stanza, scoring what proved to be his sixth game-winning goal of the season. Linemate Jim Turner dug the puck out of the corner and passed to Fusco, who put a 10-footer through a slim opening in Proulx's pads.

Without going into a defensive shell for the remainder of the game, Harvard defended its lead.

Blair made a tough glove save at the 11:15 mark, scooping up a shot by Providence's Taylor, and Mark Fusco broke up a very threatining two-on-one just before Friar Dave Wilkie could take a pass directly in front of the Crimson net. And with Fusco grabbing at him. Wilkie failed to score on a semi-breakaway with four minutes left.

But the Crimson never stopped applying pressure at the Friar end as time ran down. With three minutes left. Proulx made a fantastic save to rob Shayne Kukulowicz on a two-on-one.

And just a minute-and-a-half later, right after a Providence timeout. Olson took the puck off a faceoff in center ice, skated into the Friar zone and found Turner to his left heading for the net. Proulx made one more diving save, his last of the night, to stop Turner's shot but was hopelessly out of position when Olson lifted the puck into the goal.

Providence immediately lifted Proulx in favor of a sixth skater. But after one rush into the Crimson end. Harvard sent the puck the other way and the Friars couldn't threaten again. With 48 seconds left Mark Fusco gave himself a little more to celebrate on his 22nd birthday by putting a soft backhander into the open net from the red line.