So forget Harvard. Go Gophers.

For 75 minutes in Saturday's championship game, the Gophers went. But Krayer's goal stopped them. The best of the West was not good enough.

"This year, they can't say anything," Bourbeau said. "We beat everybody, the best from the West and the best from the East."

The 1989 NCAA final summarized Cleary's hockey philosophy. With less than a minute left in regulation, Cleary put his fourth line on the ice. Most coaches would not trust their last line in a situation like that. But early in his coaching career, Cleary made a point of skating all four lines--even at crucial points in the game. So with the game on the line, the Crimson's green line was on the ice.

The pressures of college hockey's biggest game could not change Cleary.

"We've won 31 games this year, skating four lines," Cleary said. "I've been skating four lines since 1975."

Harvard is only the third Eastern team to win the NCAA tournament since 1973. If there ever was a time for Bill Cleary to spill his cliches about Harvard's special brand of hockey, it was Saturday. It was the perfect time to talk about the virtues of a skating team as opposed to a physical team. ("If you can't catch us, youcan't hit us.") It was the perfect time to talkabout the hockey world's anti-Harvard sentiments("Everyone wants to get the Johnnies.") Instead,Cleary gave a season valedictory.

"I'm delighted we did it," he said. "I thinkit's great for the program, I think it's great forall these youngsters."

And great for the coach.

There is little Cleary has not accomplished inhis hockey career. As a player at Harvard, hescored 89 points in the 1954-55 season, still aHarvard record. He led the Olympic team to asilver medal in 1956 and a gold medal in 1960. Hecoached teams to ECAC and Beanpot tournamentchampionships. And now, he has won the NCAA title.

Cleary has never been shy with his smile.Thanks to a goal he did not see, he can wear itall year long