If you thought that Harvard's success in the Ivy hockey league depended primarily upon its two performances against defending champion Cornell, you might have been overly farsighted.

If the Crimson loses at Brown tonight, it can forget about the Ivy championship, and may have to struggle to find a spot in the East's top three in March.

The Bruins slipped by Harvard, 4-3, at Watson Rink last month, despite a late Crimson rally that almost pulled out a victory, and the unexpected loss-which Harvard could ill afford-dealt a severe blow to title hopes at Cambridge.

Cornell is undefeated in 11 games, has beaten Yale and Brown in Ivy play, and is unlikely to lose a league game at all, unless to Harvard. But Harvard must win both meetings with the Big Red, and, of course, tonight's encounter at Providence.

Brown has had mixed success since its victory at Cambridge. It ripped apart Army in the consolation match at the ECAC holiday tourney in Boston, and it destroyed Yale in the opening round of another at St. Louis.

But three days after their victory over Harvard, the Bruins were shocked in their own rink by a mediocre Providence squad that was missing its top player, junior Rich Pumple. They lost to Clarkson. 3-1 at the Boston tournament, and again at St. Louis, in the finals against Wisconsin.

But it is precisely its inconsistency that makes Brown dangerous. The same team that can blow an easy game with Providence can also beat Boston University and force Cornell into overtime.

And at Meehan Rink, where Harvard had to rally several times last year before winning in overtime, and where it lost horribly, 9-1, two years before, it will play before a screaming, sellout crowd that hates the Crimson passionately.

When Prown played at Harvard last month, the noisy Bruin partisans nullified the Crimson home ice advantage. And last week only 103 tickets were sent up from Providence for the use of Harvard supporters. Meehan seats 2400.

So in terms of significance, the game will probably be the most important so far this season. But in terms of difficulty, it may not be quite as tough.

Last month's loss was not exactly a fluke, but it may not have served as an accurate means of comparison between the two squads. Harvard was frustrated all evening-missing open nets, hitting posts, being robbed by goaltender Don McGinnis. It is unlikely that the Crimson will lose again in the same manner, or at least not to Brown.

And it is no secret that the scoring power of Curt Bennett, who had tallied 15 points at Christmas, and the performance of McGinnis, is the key to Brown's ability. ? McGinnis has an off night, and Harvard can hamper Bennett, Brown is in serious trouble.

And even without Dan DeMichele and Ron Mark, Harvard can still fly, and after games at Boston College and New Hampshire, it has become accustomed to snakepits. The Crimson should win tonight. If it doesn't it has to beat Cornell twice. The first alternative is more easily attainable.