Hardly anyone was still around the Boston Garden to see it, the comeback was so unexpected. Not only was first-seeded Clarkson beating seventh-seeded Providence, 3-1, with one minute remaining in their ECAC semifinal match, but the contest had never been close. Clarkson had dominated play from the opening whistle, and had to merely shut down the Friars for 60 more seconds to move into the finals against Cornell, which had earlier beaten Colgate.

And, the Golden Knights had the league's best goalie (Don Sylvestri) and defenseman (ECAC Player of the Year Ed Small) on hand to protect the two-goal lead. No wonder only a faithful few remained.

So what happens? Providence scores twice in the final minute, wins the game on a Steve Anderson tip-in five minutes into overtime and upsets Cornell, 8-4, the following night to win its first title since 1964. It was that kind of year in ECAC hockey.

If possible, this season will be even tighter. Fifteen of the 17 clubs have legitimate chances at playoff spots (the top two teams in each of the three divisions automatically qualify; the two with the next-best records round out the field).

Providence, Clarkson and Boston College are almost everyone's picks for the top three, but past that it's a guessing game. New Hampshire and Colgate, surprise teams last year, should both be even better. Cornell, the class of the Ivies, lost superstars Brock Tredway and Geoff Roeszler but return with a pair of fine goalies, some experienced defensemen and firepower up front.

Maine and St. Lawrence, two more of last year's surprises, should both contend. The Black Bears finished with the fifth-best record in the converence last year, but lost All-American forward Gary Conn and goalie Jeff Nord (now with the St. Louis Blues) to graduation. The Larries faded after a quick start and missed the playoffs, but have everybody back including crack goalie Gary Laskoski.

And then there is Northeastern. The Huskies had the most amazing collapse in college sports last season, racing to a 12-0 start and number-one national ranking before losing 12 of 13 the rest of the way, culminating the skid by dropping a 5-3 decision to Colgate in the first round of the playoffs.

The squad that shocked the east last fall returns intact, with one notable exception. All-American forward Sandy Beadle has left Northeastern for the NHL's Winnipeg Jets, and that leaves a hole coach Fern Flaman will be struggling to fill. Still, enough should be left for the Huskies to challenge for the top four--if they are the team of last December, not the flops of February and March.

Counter-Offer

And of course there will be surprises. In the Ivies, Harvard may finally return to the playoffs behind its strongest senior contingent since Gene Purdy and the Hughes Corporation. Or, Princeton, behind goalie Ron Dennis, might sneak into playoffs for the first time since 1968.

Out west, RPI is always a threat, and senior Mike McPhee heads a cast of big, talented scorers who should help the Engineers rebound from a sub-par year. And another traditional powerhouse, Boston University, may be back in the playoff picture after a couple of surprising seasons. The five-time ECAC champions return only three seniors, but Robbie Davies and junior Tom O'Regan (a Cambridge product) highlight a bunch of young forwards who will improve in front of the solid Terrier defense.

The following are my choices for the eight playoff teams:

1. BOSTON COLLEGE--The winners of 45 games in the last two years, this is a team that can't seem to make it out of the quarterfinals. Bob O'Connor, whose 2.99 GAA was second to Clarkson's Sylvestri last year, returns to man the Eagle nets, helped by an experienced crew on the blue line. Up front, the big line is Billy O'Dwyer (second team all-ECAC last season), Gary Sampson and freshman Jim Herlihy, with pluggers like Ed Rauseo and Billy McDonough also chipping in.

"I hope we can just win the right games, that's all," says B.C. coach Len Ceglarski. "I think the competition will be a little tougher this year."

2. CLARKSON--Mike Prestige, Bryan Cleaver and Small are gone, along with almost half of last season's 17-2-1 (in the ECAC) first-place squad. But Sylvestri is back, and second-team all-ECAC forward Steve Cruickshank (29 goals, 54 points) and Colin Patterson (51) are back. The Golden Knights were clearly the class of the league last year, and although the pack has caught up, second place should be the farthest they will fall.

3. PROVIDENCE--Everybody's talking about the one that got away, Bobby Carpenter, but even without the St. John's Prep star, who signed with the NHL's Washington Capitals after a summer of deliberation, the Friars had the East's best recruiting year. At the top of the list are Rich Costello and Timmy Army, a pair of forwards that will team points) and Kurt Kleinendorst up front Scot Kleinendorst and Jon Hogberg on the blueline to form the nucleus of this year's defending champions. In net, goalies Mario Proulx and Scott Fiske return to anchor a squad that traditionally starts slow but picks up speed around playoff time.

4. NEW HAMPSHIRE--"We need more than a line and hopefully we have more than a line," says UNH coach Charlie Holt. The Andy Brickley-Dan Forget-Chris Pryor connection may be the best in the East, and Holt hopes his young squad can produce another scorer or two to compliment the trio up front. The other question is a replacement for stalwart netminder Greg Moffett, who graduated after a sterling four years in the Wildcat nets. Todd Pearsob, the back-up-for three seasons, should be the man.

5. CORNELL--This is a team that may mature quickly and go all the way. "It takes some time to adjust from high school to college hockey," says coach Dick Bertrand, who is dressing nine freshmen. "I don't really see us getting going until the middle of January." But Darren Eliot and Bryan Hayward are back in goal, Roy Kerling, Jeff Baikie and others return up front, and Bertrand could be pleasantly surprised if his timetable is moved up and the Big Red catches fire early.

6. COLGATE--Colgate? Believe it or not, the Red Raiders are a genuine ECAC power after last year's 12-7-1 league mark. Seniors Denis Lapensee and Dan Fridgen will lead the club up front, if the former can stay healthy all year, while Guy Lemonde (one of the finer names in ECAC hockey now that RPI's Jacques de St. Phalle is gone) returns to mind the net.

7. NORTHEASTERN--The optimism is guarded around Boston (oops, sorry, Northeastern) Arena these days, but the Huskies have the talent to crack the league's top four. The only question is, will they be shellshocked from last season's monumental collapse? If so, look for a sub-500 record and a nasty year from Boston's newest hockey power.

8. Maine--It is tempting to put Harvard or Princeton in this last slot, but Jack Semler's Black Bears just have too much talent not to sneak into the playoffs somewhere. The main man is senior defenseman Andre Aubut, a second-team all-league selection who might be the ECAC's finest all-around defenseman. Look for diminutive senior Robert Lafleur to light the red lamp with regularity.