It was over before it was over.

Last night, the Clarkson hockey team pulled away early in the third period and coasted to a 6-4 ECAC semifinal victory over Harvard before 8423 fans at Boston Garden.

The Golden Knights came into the tournament ranked sixth, but have now pulled out a pair of upsets over Cornell (a week ago) and the Crimson to advance to tonight's final against St. Lawrence.

Harvard, the defending ECAC Champion, entered the tournament as the top seed, but struggled last night.

"We let it slip away," Harvard defenseman Don Sweeney said. "You dig yourself that deep a hole, and it's tough to get out."

Last night, one of the meek inherited the earth.

"We had nothing to lose," Clarkson forward Luciano Borsato said. "We were the big underdog. We were relaxed. We went in and played our best."

And one of the bleak inherited a consolation game it had wanted no part of.

"Clarkson deserved it," Harvard Coach Bill Cleary said. "We had our chances, but we just didn't capitalize."

Harvard let an early 2-1 advantage dissolve into a 5-2 defecit early in the third period. Harvard (now 20-9 overall) had beaten the Golden Knights (17-14-4) twice during the regular season. Number three was not to be.

"We've got a taste of the good life now," Clarkson forward Steve Williams said. "We're hungry and we want more."

Today, Harvard will face Vermont in the ECAC consolation game, which may have a bearing on bids for the NCAA Tournament.

Last night, Josh Caplan got the Crimson on the board first with a drive down the right side, a slippery move across the middle and then a flip shot past Clarkson goalie John Fletcher with the game eight minutes old.

Clarkson jumped back less than two minutes later when Dan O'Brien took a pass from Mike Morrison in front of the net and then jammed a shot past Harvard goalie John Devin.

But with a minute remaining in the period, Ed Presz dug the puck out from behind the Clarkson net and found Tod Hartje driving across the middle. Presz put the puck on Hartje's stick, and Hartje put the puck in the back of the net for a 2-1 Crimson edge after one period.

In the second period, things began to fall apart for Harvard. First, Dave Tretowicz hit the Crimson post with a slow roller from the blue-line. Then, with 11 minutes remaining in the period. junior Dave Mellen converted his first career goal from the same sport Tretowicz had launched his bowling ball six minutes earlier.

Mellen's shot went over the forest, through the woods and into the Harvard net. The game was even.

Four minutes later, Clarkson again did damage to the Crimson's ECAC Championship hopes.

Crimson Captain Steve Armstrong missed from in close, and Clarkson sprung on the rebound and carried it up ice. Sophomore Ron Reagan sent a pass with the presidential seal of approval to Pierre Morin, who converted his first goal of the season--and the second of his career--from 40 feet.

"The goal that turned the game around was our third goal," Clarkson Coach Cap Raeder said. "It gave us a lot of momentum. That seemed to really turn us on."

Harvard's bad times got worse with four-and-a-half minutes remaining in the second period, when Williams unlocked the Crimson's defensive vault and went in alone on Devin.

Devin, who finished with 18 saves, got drawn out of his net, and quicker than you could sing, "Johnny, we're sorry...won't you come on home," Williams converted for a 4-2 Clarkson advantage.

In its two previous meetings with the Crimson, Clarkson had scored a total of five goals. Last night, the Knights did one better than that.

"We really haven't been a team that's scored a lot of goals," Raeder said.

Golden Knights, 6-4 at Boston Garden Clarkson  1-3-2--6 Harvard  2-0-2--4

First Period--1, Caplan (Vukonich) 8:08; 2, C. O'Brien (Morrison) 9:45; 3, H, Hartje (Presz, Howley) 18:37. Penalties--H, McCormack (holding) 6:06; C, Morin (hooking) 7:14; H, Farden (high-sticking) 14:57; C, Borsato (roughing) 14:57.

Second Period--4, C, Mellen (Huiatt, Reagan) 8:52; 5, C, Williams (M. Tretowicz) 15:15.

Third Period-- 7, Borsato (LaVoy) 1:18, 8, H, Murphy (Weisbrod, Vukonich) 2:13; 9, C, Casselman (Williams, Trombley) 5:17; 10, H, Pawloski (Armstrong, Sweeney) 13:24. Penalties--H, Janfaza (roughing) 17:03; C, D. Tretowicz (roughing) 19:03; H, Young (roughing) 19:03.

Saves-- C, Fletcher 11-12-12--35; H, Devin 5-6-7--18.

Power Play Opps: C, 0-1; H, 2-2.

A: 8423