The Boston University hockey team, down 5-3 midway through the third period, rallied with four goals to overcome Harvard, 7-5, in the consolation match of the NCAA Championships Saturday before a meager crowd of 2871 fans in Boston Garden.

The somewhat meaningless contest ended the season for both squads. The Crimson finished the year with an overall 17-11-1 record, placing fourth in the nation, while the Terriers wound up third in the country with 23 wins and 8 losses.

Sophomore winger Bill Robbins brought B.U. victory, tying the game at 5-5 with 7:04 left, and then collecting the game-winner on a power play with only 1:49 remaining. Crimson center Kevin Carr scored the hat trick to lead Harvard's attack in a losing effort.

Paul Haley, assisted by linemate Dave Gauthier, slipped the puck into the left corner of the B.U. net at 3:37 of the opening stanza to give Harvard an early 1-0 lead. Terrier Jim Glover deflected in a Chris Bannerman shot from the right point at 10:52 to knot the score at 1-1.

B.U. went ahead, 2-1, at 2:23 of the middle period when Ken Kuzyk, standing by the right side of the crease, tipped in a perfect pass from left-winger Bill Bishop. Carr earned the first of his three goals at 3:57, but the Terriers regained the lead less than a minute later on a rebound score by Bill Buckton.

The Crimson came back with three goals in the first half of the final period to go ahead 5-3. Carr completed his hat trick by beating B.U. goalie Pat Devlin twice within 42 seconds, scoring at 2:12 and 2:54, and then fourth-line winger Phelps Swift tallied at 9:20 after taking a Kevin Burke pass.

Terrier center Bill Burlington started the B.U. comeback at 9:43 when he flipped the puck over Harvard goalie John Aiken's shoulder. Robbins tied the game at 12:56 after a scramble in front of the Crimson net.

Robbins collected his second goal during the only power play opportunity of the contest, tallying with less than two minutes remaining to give B.U. a 6-5 lead. Buckton scored an open-net goal at 19:58 to make the final score 7-5.

Aiken played the entire game for Harvard, blocking 42 shots. B.U. coach Jack Parker used a different goalie each period as All-American captain Ed Walsh, senior Joe Robillard and sophomore Devlin combined for a total of 24 saves.

Although the Crimson skaters dropped their final three contests, they enjoyed a successful season. Harvard notched an away victory over Cornell, won the Ivy League, made the ECAC finals and gave a strong performance in its NCAA semifinal overtime loss to Michigan Tech.

Junior All-American Randy Roth led the squad with 21 goals and 32 assists for 53 points. Jim McMahon, who scored the hat trick against Michigan Tech and made the NCAA All-Tournament team, placed second with 50 points on 26 goals and 24 assists.

Senior Levy Byrd and Roth were named First Team All-Ivy yesterday.