Apart from Fusco and his first-line cohorts the rest of the Crimson has also been playing well recently.

The second line has continued to generate excellent offensive chances and to forecheck well. Right wing Tim Barakett reinjured his shoulder last weekend and has been unable to practice this week, but he will be ready to go when the horn sounds Friday night at the Garden.

The third line, which has had the most trouble scoring over the course of the year, has also started to get some chances. Saturday night, Andy Janfaza notched a pair against Colgate on the the power play, and Nick Carone came within inches of getting his first goal of the season.

As Janfaza pointed out after the game, the second, third and fourth lines have been playing even with everyone all year, which allows the headliners to score the goals that win the games.

The fourth line has enjoyed success all season, as the Peter Follows-Rick Haney-Stey Armstrong combination has clicked from day one.

* * *

After three years, the two-seeded quarterfinal series has produced no upset winners.

All four of the higher seeded cams won their quarterfinal games this year, with RPI, Harvard, Clarkson and Cornell claiming boths in the semis.

Clarkson alone did not win in two straight, allowing St. Lawrence to tie up the second game with two last-minute goals.

Only one home team however lost a quarterfinal series--Harvard last year to Clarkson.

The Golden Knights had a better regular-season record, however--Harvard only had the home-ice advantage because the Crimson won the Ivy Region and thus was entitled under the old three-region system to host the quarterfinal.

Therefore, no team with a lower regular-season standing has ever upset a team with a better regular-season record.

In three years, there have been three 10-minute mini-games, which are played after the two teams have split the regular games, but each time the home team but claimed the tie-breaking contest.

* * *

Harvard is in good shops to care an NCAA bid if it defense. Clarkson in tomorrow's 6:5 p.m. contest.