CANTON, N.Y.--Three thousand hungry St. Lawrence fans, their appetites whetted by last Wednesday's 5-5 tie against Cornell, filled Appleton Arena here last night, hoping to witness the Larries' first victory of the year.

Instead they watched Harvard's varsity hockey team edge St. Lawrence, 6-4, to even its season record at 2-2. St. Lawrence currently stands at 0-8-1.

Sophomore Kevin Burke scored what proved to be the game-winning goal at 9:22 of the second period, when he gave the Crimson a 5-1 lead which proved insurmountable. Burke scored on a close-in shot from the right side, assisted by Wiz Wyatt and Dave Hands.

Harvard collected four goals in the opening period, the first coming on a power play at 5:17, when Randy Roth scored on a tip-in.

Less than three minutes later, junior Steve Janicek took a high shot from 15 feet inside the blue line, and Dan Bolduc, standing on the right side of the crease, deflected the puck past St. Lawrence goalie Jacques Martin.

Junior center Jim McMahon scored the next two goals at 12:55 and 15:47, to give Harvard a 4-0 lead. Todd Nieland, on the point, set up McMahon's first tally, a deflection, and McMahon collected his second goal on a rebound.

St. Lawrence narrowed Harvard's lead to 4-1 at 19:11 of the initial period on a power-play goal.

Burke tallied midway through the second period, but the Larries came back with two goals in the next five minutes to make the score 5-3.

St. Lawrence forward Allen MacCormack scored from the point on a power play at 13:46, and his teammate Brian Bennet tipped a shot past Aiken at 14:12. Harvard held a two-goal lead going into the final period.

St. Lawrence co-captain Scott Graham brought his team within one goal of the Crimson at 3:27 of the final period, when Harvard was two men down.

McMahon iced the game for Harvard with 53 seconds left when he completed his hat trick after St. Lawrence had pulled its goalie.

Left-winger Bolduc skated on the first line with Roth and co-captain Bob Goodenow, as Jim Thomas dropped back to the second line, joining Leigh Hogan and Ted Thorndike.

Harvard faces Clarkson tonight in Potsdam, N.Y.