Last night, the Harvard men's hockey team needed a break.

A goal.

A hero.

Down 3-2 with 53 seconds remaining in its ECAC semifinal game against Clarkson, the Crimson huddled on the bench.

And despite its 18 league wins and regular season ECAC title, Harvard was desperate.

The Crimson needed something. Someone.

"It was only a one-goal game," Harvard Captain Scott Fusco said. "All we needed was one play."

But with the clock winding down, the Crimson couldn't get a break and couldn't score.

Harvard needed a hero and couldn't find one.

And Clarkson won, 4-2.

The Knights are on their way to the tournament final. And the Crimson--the favorite to wrest the ECAC tournament crown for the first time since 1983--is in the consolation game.

But if only for a break with 53 seconds left...

"We felt we could do it," Harvard defenseman Jerry Pawloski said. "We just couldn't get a bounce. It kept going the other way."

In those 53 seconds, Clarkson flung the puck to the untended Harvard end of the rink three times.

And each time, a Crimson player had to skate the length of the rink, scoop up the puck and bring it back.