This is getting a little too predictable.

For starters, the Boston College hockey team brought Harvard a defeat as a New Year's present for the fourth year in a row last night.

Even better, it was defense the Crimson forgot to take on its two ill-fated reading period trips to B.C., while it couldn't turn on the red lights two January ago and last night at Bright Hockey Center.

Two third-period power plays and a penalty shot weren't enough to create the scoring the home team needed to catch the highly-rated Eagles, as it started 1984 with a 3-1 loss. It was Harvard's third straight setback in ECAC competition, evening its record at 4-4 I in conference play. And B.C. (12-2 overall, 7-2 in ECAC play) was just the first Crimson opponent in what shapes up as an especially difficult schedule for reading period--traditionally a rough stretch for Harvard. This weekend features an imposing road trip to St. Lawrence and Clarkson, with a visit to Providence College next Thursday.

A near-flawless checking game brought the Eagles their fifth consecutive game in a Bright Center both as crowded and quiet as Lamont Library. The visitors observed the ancient axiom--go for the man, not the puck--and generally kept the Crimson at a safe distance from goalie Scott Gordon

A shuffled Harvard lineup, with five skaters from the team's last appearance at Bright not playing, couldn't seriously test the B.C. netminder in the early going while his teammates held a 1-0 edge. Defenseman Domenic Campedelli sent a power play slapshot from the right point that deflected off Crimson goalie Grant Blair into the twines just 94 seconds into the game.

Pressure on Ice

Blair had to survive a couple of waves of pressure applied by Eagle linemates Neil Shea and Doug Brown later in the period, be fore Harvard got its best break of the night With six minutes left in the stanza, Harvard's Rob Wheeler collided with B C's Bob Emery in center ice, leaving a loose puck and a clear path to the Eagle net for sophomore left wing Rob Ohno, who deked and scored with a backhander.

The tie held up, and an upset seemed possible, thanks largely to a stellar middle period on the part of Blair. First he was lucky--when defenseman Jim Chisolm's slapshot hit the post flush at the 13:45 mark. Then he was good, frustrating Chisolm twice more-doing a split to the left to stop one slapper and block a rebound attempt, and stopping another drive with a crowd around the net.

But Shea ruined that performance, coming off the B.C. bench to take a pass for a breakaway in the final minute. Blair made the first save, but Shea grabbed the rebound and barely nudged it across the goal line to make it 2-1 at the period's end.

An intermission and 29 seconds later, the Crimson failed to take a puck Blair had tried to clear before left wing Chris Delaney smacked it in to widen the gap.

After that, no amount of Harvard pressure could do the trick. Tim Smith hit the post twice, once catching the inside of the far pipe. Twice Gordon robbed center Tim McMahon, who was playing his first varsity game since last year's Beanpot consolation contest.

But the highlight for the Eagles came with 7:05 to go, when a B C defenseman covered the puck in the crease and Harvard's Tim Barakett was awarded a rare penalty shot The freshman center faked a move to his backhand, then sent a forehand shot wide to the right of the net.

When a pair of Crimson power plays, one of them right after the penalty shot, went for naught, B.C. skillfully killed time the rest of the way Blair couldn't leave the ice for a sixth skater until only 17 seconds remained, as the Eagles won their third straight in the local rivalry.

THE NOTEBOOK An unusual sight for Harvard fans was the replacement of Blair with a sixth skater when a delayed penalty was called on B.C. early in the second period In the past, Bill Cleary has been one of the few coaches who kept his goalies in net in those situations. The Crimson hand made a point of needling the Eagle fans with a rendition of the Notre Dame fight song a reference to B.C's Liberty Bow loss. At Bright Hockey Center Boston College  1  1  1--3 Harvard  1  0  0--1

B.C. Domenic Campedelli (Jim Chisholm, Ed Rausao) 1-34, H Rob Ohno (Rob Wheeler) 16 01. B.C. Neil Shea (Scott Harlow. Kevin Stephens) 19 22. B.C. Chris Delaney (Stevens Kevin Houle) 29

Saves B.C. Scott Gordon 7-8 14--29. H. Grant Blair, 11-14-7--32

Aff--2960