PROVIDENCE, R.I--Harvard's hockey team held off a furious third period rally by Brown last night and escaped with a 3-2 victory, avoiding a repetition of last year's 3-2 upset to the Bruins here at Brown's Meehan arena.

With Harvard leading, 3-0, on the strength of a good second period and a third period breakaway goal by Billy Corkery, Brown stormed back with two power play goals and barely missed connecting on a six on four situation in the final seconds.

The game did not begin as frantically as it ended. Harvard had looked sick in the opening period, tied up by slow ice, Brown's characteristic tight checking, and their own inertia. Neither team managed decent shot for the first ten minutes, until the Bruins woke up the fans with a flurry at the half-way point.

Brown continued to press, blowing one excellent chance, but returned to Harvard level of slow-motion hockey for the final five minutes of the period. Harvard managed all of five shots for the period, and none of them presented a serious threat to Brown goalie Lou Reycroft.

Brown started picking up penalties in the second period, and Harvard turned its ensuing territorial advantage into some momentum and a 2-0 lead. Larry Desmond drew first blood at 8:17, tipping a Tommy Paul centering pass high into the upper lefthand corner.

Brown held off Harvard's power play through two man-up situations, but the Crimson converted on a third penalty at 17:24. Working the puck around very well, the "Local Line" combined for another tip-in goal, as Bob McManama threaded a perfect pass to Dave Hynes the far corner of the Brown net.

Harvard continued to play well at the beginning of the third period, stretching their lead to 3-0 at 6:58 on a nice goal by Billy Corkery, who took a long pass from McManama and deked Reycroft on a breakaway.

Brown began its comeback surge a minute later as Steve Shea drilled home a 20 footer from the slot. Shea narrowed the gap to one at 14:48, beating Harvard goalie Joe Bertagna on a screened 40-footer.

With Meehan in an uproar, Brown continued to buzz the Harvard net, but Bertagna came up with several fine saves to frustrate the Bruins, who have been an excellent third period team all year.

Despite their miserable first period, the Crimson did not play badly. The Crimson outshot Brown 32-24, and Brown's late rally was more a product of penalties and a frantic Brown effort than a Harvard lapse.