The players worry about Monday's Beanpot semifinal.

Cleary worries about the quality of our national defense.

February 6: The third period lasts forever, but Harvard's smallest hockey player is bigger than life as the Crimson breaks a seven-year 'Pot jinx with a 5-4 triumph over B.C.

Hughes is the local hero, batting away 19 third-period shots and talking live on the 11 o'clock news.

Harvard earns its first ticket to the Beanpot finals since 1981--but it's economy class and includes a two-day stopover in upstate New York.

February 9: Harvard battles fish and other underwater creatures to claim a 4-2 win in Cornell's infamous Lynah Rink.

Mike Vukonich nets the game-winner 16:02 into the second period, and the bus rolls on.

February 10: Welcome to Starr Rink, where Colgate has not lost a game since last season.

The Red Raiders stave off a third-period Harvard comeback, and Craig Woodcroft earns his Eagle Scout badge as he tallies with only 21 seconds left in OT to give Colgate a 5-4 win.

February 13: MacDonald holds the 'Pot aloft. Ed Presz holds the 'Pot aloft. Everybody holds the 'Pot aloft. Everybody smiles. Except the B.U. Terriers, 9-6 losers to the Crimson in the Beanpot championship.

MacDonald wins the MVP award and talks about Bourbeau. Cleary wins his 300th game and talks about MacDonald. Everybody smiles.

February 17: Coach Cleary discovers that the blue line goes to the airport, but not to Burlington, Vt.

Minus several defensemen, the Crimson wins the battle of the Big Macs, 5-3, and knocks one more team off its ECAC checklist.

Vermont's Kyle McDonough gives the Catamounts an early 2-0 lead. MacDonald scores Harvard's first goal before sitting down with a head injury. Young, Weisbrod and Donato finish the job.

February 18: Young is flattened. Josh Caplan is bashed. MacDonald never sets foot on the ice. But Harvard hangs on to defuse the Engineers, 4-3, in overtime, to end a six-game road streak.