Why is Bill Cleary smiling?

No, it's not because he was named ECAC Coach of the Year yesterday.

No, it's not because someone just announced a cure for baldness.

No, it's because Harvard is back in the Garden. And it's March, not February. It's time for the ECAC Tournament, not the Beanpot.

"Do we play here in February?" Cleary joked yesterday, "I don't think they schedule any games for us in February."

With its fourth-place Beanpot finish relegated to the bad memory file, the Crimson will face Clarkson tonight (9 p.m., WHRB broadcast) in the semifinals of the ECAC Tournament. Vermont and St. Lawrence will square off in the other game at 6 p.m.

The winners will advance to the tournament final (tomorrow, 9 p.m.)

Harvard, making its fourth-straight ECAC Final Four appearance, will be looking to capture its second-straight ECAC title, and its fifth overall. Meanwhile, Clarkson--which entered the tournament as the sixth seed, but upset Cornell last weekend in a quarterfinal series--will be looking for its second crown.

Harvard (20-8 overall) bested the Golden Knights (16-14-4) twice during the regular season. Both times, though, Harvard had to come from behind to win. In January at Bright Center, Clarkson slipped away to a 2-0 lead before succumbing, 5-3. Two weeks ago in Postsdam, N.Y., Clarkson pulled ahead 1-0, but surrendered three unanswered goals and fell, 3-2.

"They're not as talented a team as some of the Harvard teams in the past, but they work extremely hard and they are very well coached and very disciplined," Knight Coach Cap Raeder said.

Two years ago, the heavily-favored Crimson met the Knights in the ECAC semis. Clarkson's Luciano Borsato, who is still around, put in an empty-net goal in the game's final seconds to doom Harvard, 4-2.

This year, Harvard entered the tournament with a less-talented squad than the one it sported in 1986, but overcame RPI in two games in the ECAC quarterfinals last weekend. Come ECAC Tournament time, talent doesn't count for beans. Or Beanpots.

Hockey by-words--like hard work and cohesiveness--seem to have more importance.

"One quality is that we're a really tight and close-knit group," Harvard Captain Steve Armstrong said, "We have had a lot of tough games, and when it gets down to the third period and you look around at each other, you say, 'These are your best friends and guys you spend time with.' You want to go out there and you want to work hard and play well."

Clarkson's path to the ECAC semis came through the tortuous backroads of Ithaca, N.Y., where the Knights met Cornell in the quarters a week ago. The two clubs split a pair of playoff games, and then the Knights prevailed, 1-0, in a 10-minute mini-game that followed the end of the second game.

"That mini-game was something else," Raeder said. "We played four minutes and 24 seconds without a whistle. It was some of the greatest college hockey that I have seen."

Playing Cornell in Ithaca is like wrestling Hulk Hogan with one arm tied behind your back.

"Any team that goes up to Lynah Rink and wins up there, you've got to be ready for them," Cleary said.

On paper, the Knights should fall short of the Crimson by a goal or two, a fate Clarkson should be conditioned to. This year, the Knights have played in 19 one-goal games.

Clarkson sports a fine first line led by Borsato (14 goals, 29 assists, 43 points) and right wing Steve Williams (16-19--35). The Knights also have a shining, armored fellow to guard the nets. First Team All-ECAC goalie John Fletcher stops over 90 percent of the shots flung his way. His goals-against average is a solid .908.

As in the past, Harvard's defensive corps is the best in the ECAC, Give credit to Harvard goalie John Devin. No one else does.

Devin, who devoured zero honors in yesterday's awards feast, sports a .896 save percentage and a 2.80 goals-against average.

"Dev's a fellow that has had to sit in the background for three years because of [former Harvard goalies Dickie] McEvoy and [Grant] Blair, some pretty good goaltenders," Cleary said, "Look at the figures, and I think John has earned his stripes this year. You don't get to be 18-4 without a good goaltender. He's a battler; he's a fighter."

Harvard doesn't do too badly on the offensive end, either. Freshman forward Peter Ciavaglia leads the Crimson with an 8-21--29 line, followed by Armstrong at 13-14--27.

"We don't have a lot of top goal scorers this year, but we do have 25 talented, hard-working players," Armstrong said. "We're asking for a few more games from these 25 players."