Two years ago, the Harvard hockey team came one flick of the wrist away from immortality.

Instead of finding a place in the hall of hockey immortals, it wound up under that obscure obelisk called second place.

Two years ago, Mike Donnelly--whose statue resides in Halycon Hockey House--scored the game-winning goal with three minutes left in the 1986 NCAA Ice Hockey Championship Game.

Michigan State--a team emblazoned forever in the record books--beat Harvard, 6-5, to capture the national championship.

Two years ago, Harvard jumped to a 4-3 lead after the end of two periods. Two years ago, Allen Bourbeau scored a hat trick in the biggest game of his career, in the biggest game of Harvard's career.

Two years ago, Harvard knocked on the door of hockey stardom. But the Spartans answered and said, "What to do you want?"

Harvard responded, "We want to be national champions." And Michigan State shot back: "Sure, and my dog Spot wants to be the next Lassie. Sure, and my uncle Gary wants to be president of the United States. Sure, you want to be national champions. Sure."

Two years ago, Harvard came within one shot of winning a pot twice as big as the Beanpot.

Harvard's captain and all-time leading scorer, Scott Fusco, had injured his knee and was sitting in the stands. Pete Follows, who hadn't played in a month, took his place. Unfortunately, Follows was better know for his sketches than his hockey artistry.

But Bourbeau, with three flicks of his wrist, turned a 2-1 first-period deficit into a 4-3 second-period lead. Harvard was on the doorstep of destiny.

Then, Michigan State roared back Then, the Michigan State crowd began screaming and jumping up and down in waves of green and white.

Scott Fusco sat in the stands, helpless to stop the screaming with a goal. Bourbeau's magic wand turned into--gasp--a hockey stick.

By the end, State had stated its case.

One small step away from immortality, Then, one giant leap backward into obscurity.