When the Harvard men's hockey team takes the ice Friday night against RPI, it will be facing a squad that it has already defeated twice this season.

Both contests, however, proved to be hard-fought tests, with the Crimson having its hands full until the very end.

Harvard took the first game by a 5-2 margin on January 4 at Bright Center, while on February 20, Harvard clinched the regular-season ECAC title with a 4-1 victory at Houston Field House in Troy, N.Y.

The win at Bright upped the Crimson's record at the time to 13-0, but it marked the first time in the 1986-'87 season that Harvard trailed at home.

When the Engineers' Mike Robinson put the puck past John Devin midway through the first period, RPI had a 1-0 lead that it carried for almost half the game.

The size of the Engineers played a significant role in game one, as the men from Troy used strong checking to prevent the Crimson from striking early. But Harvard eventually was able to wear down RPI, as an Allen Bourbeau tally tied the game in the middle stanza.

With the score knotted at 2-2 early in the final stanza, Tim Barakett took charge and pulled the Crimson into the lead.

Barakett scored with 13 minutes left in the game to put Harvard on top for good and then scored again nine minutes later to insure the victory. Captain Peter Chiarelli iced the contest by sailing in a long emptynet goal with 40 seconds left.

Devin finished with 15 saves on the evening, while RPI netminder Gavin Armstrong stopped 18 shots in a losing cause.

Last month's game at Houston Field House was virtually identical to the one played at Bright. Again, the Engineers played well for most of the contest, holding Harvard to a 2-1 lead after two periods.

But again, the Crimson was able to break it open midway through the final period, as two Harvard goals within a 90-second span gave it a 4-1 lead and sent most fans to the exits.

A huge crowd of 4236 RPI faithful watched as Armstrong turned aside a whopping 43 shots on goal. But Devin was even more impressive; the senior made 27 saves, including a breakaway in the third period that could have evened the game.

No Vacancies

Barakett tallied in the second minute of play at Troy, while MacDonald flipped in another on a Crimson power play midway through the second period. Bourbeau and Nick Carone struck at 12:28 and 13:57 of the third, respectively, to give Harvard the cushion it needed.

Most of the first period was marred by penalties, as six were handed out to both the Crimson and the Engineers. One of those, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty given to Bourbeau, ruined a five-on-three Harvard power play.

In all, 18 penalties were called, but the Crimson only clicked on one of its five man-up opportunities--well below its season average of 34 percent.

It will be interesting to see whether Harvard Coach Bill Cleary starts Devin or junior Dickie McEvoy in the ECAC semifinal. Devin was solid in each of the first two games against RPI, but McEvoy is considered by many to be the squad's number-one goalie. Game One

Crimson, 5-2 at Bright Center RPI  1-0-1--2 Harvard  0-1-4--5

First Period--1, RPI, Mike Robinson (Denis Poissant) 9:33, Penalties--RPI, Graeme Townshend (cross-checking) 6:58; H, Mark Benning (interference) 7:54; RPI, Rob Schena (tripping) 16:05.

Second Period--2, H, Allen Bourbeau (Tim Barakett, Lane MacDonald) 11:10. Penalties--H, Nick Carone (roughing) 1:58; RPI, Townshend (cross-checking) 1:58; H, Butch Cutone (hooking) 8:02; RPI, Robinson (hooking) 8:52; RPI, Mo Mansi (slashing) 9:42; RPI, Bench (too many men on the ice--served by Shannon Mulligan) 17:43.

Third Period--3, H, Don Sweeney (unassisted) 1:29; 4, RPI, Mansi (Mulligan, Neil Hernberg) 3:13; 5, Barakett (MacDonald, Randy Taylor) 7:10; 6, H, Barakett (Rick Haney) 16:45; 7, H, Pete Chiarelli (Steve Armstrong) 19:20. Penalties--H, Carone (elbowing) 1:57; RPI, Schena (tripping) 4:23; RPI Rob Brescia (delay of game) 6:04; RPI, Chris Walsh (kneeing) 19:56.

Saves--RPI, Gavin Armstrong 4-8-6--18; H, John Devin, 8-3-4--15.

A:2382 Game Two

Crimson, 4-1 at Houston Field House Harvard  1-1-2--4 RPI  0-1-0--1

First Period--1, H, Tim Barakett (Steve Armstrong Chris Ciotti) 1:07. Penalties H, Andy Janfaza (high-sticking) 3:50; H, Paul Howley (roughing) 3:50; RPI, Graeme Townshend (high-sticking) 3:50; RPI, Mike Robinson (holding) 4:33; H, Josh Caplan (holding) 5:34; H, Nick Carone (cross-checking) 8:29; RPI, Neil Hernberg (high-sticking) 9:10; H, Caplan (high-sticking) 9:10; H, bench penalty (bench minor) 11:45; RPI, Ryan Kummu (slashing) 14:18; RPI, Robinson (cross-checking) 14:32; H, Allen Bourbeau (unsportsmanlike conduct) 14:42; RPI, Townshend (high-sticking) 19:13.

Second Period--2, RPI, Bill Kopecky (Arik Matheson, Denis Poissant) 10:23; 3, H, Lane MacDonald (Bourbeau, Randy Taylor) 18:19. Penalties--H, Bourbeau (hooking) 4:30; RPI, Rob Schena (holding) 7:17; RPI, Steve Moore (holding) 16:55.

Third Period--4, H, Bourbeau (MacDonald, Mark Benning) 12:28; 5, H, Carone (Tod Hartje, Pete Chiarelli) 13:57. Penalties--H, Biotti (delay of Game) 1:00; RPI, Hernberg (delay of game) 1:00; RPI, Chris Walsh (high-sticking) 14:12.

Saves--H, John Devin, 12-7-8--27; RPI, Gavin Armstrong 18-16-9--43.

A:4236