The problem with--and perhaps the beauty of--a one-game semifinal is just that: it's one game.

This year, the Harvard hockey team handled Clarkson, its ECAC Tournament semifinal opponent, twice during the regular season. Once, 5-3, in early January. And again, 3-2, two weeks ago.

The scores are a bit deceptive. In January's game at Bright Center, Harvard jumped to a 4-0 lead and then practiced its triple jumps at center ice before allowing Clarkson back in.

And in the game in Potsdam, N.Y., the Knights scored as the gun went off. By that time, the Crimson was already deciding on which shampoo to use during its post-game shower.

If the first two meetings are any indication. Harvard is Head and Shoulders above the Knights.

It seems a trifle unfair that Clarkson should get another crack at the Crimson. The Golden Knights couldn't even beat the Crimson in their own building. Why should they get a third life on so-called neutral territory?

Boston Garden, of course, is far from neutral to Harvard. The Crimson would probably rather play up in Potsdam than in the Garden.

This year, Harvard, playing against a pair of teams (Boston College and Boston University) no longer in contention for any title, went 0-2 in the Garden.

How good was B.C.? The Eagles finished a distinguished sixth in the seven-team Hockey East. Then, in the first round of the playoffs, they blew up in a puff of feathers.

B.U., although it placed third in its league, didn't advance past the first playoff round either. If Harvard's battles against representatives of Hockey East say anthing. It's that the Crimson should B. on guard when playing in the Garden.

Ideally, the Crimson would have been the team seeking its first victory against a league opponent. Vermont, the ECAC's number-four team going into the tournament, beat Harvard twice this year. Ideally, number-one Harvard would have met number-four Vermont in Friday's semifinal contest.

But number-four Vermont became number-three Vermont when reigning number-three Cornell became number-nothing Cornell after losing to Clarkson in the ECAC quarterfinals.

The Big Red, incidentally, had defeated the Golden Knights twice during the regular season.