If the Harvard men's hockey team needs a motto, here's a suggestion: One point is better than none.

The Crimson played two periods of lackluster hockey last night before finally coming together in the third to tie a fired-up Cornell team 2-2 before 2940 fans at Bright Center.

Few on the Harvard side were satisfied with the game.

"There've been a lot of overtimes," Harvard Coach Tomassoni said. "Too many of them."

Harvard forward Tim Burke, who scored the tying goal, was more forceful.

"We have to beat a team like Cornell at home," Burke said. "You can't expect to stay in first place if you tie every game."

Burke is right. The tie pushed Harvard's one-point, no-decision total to an ECAC record of six and dropped the team into second place in the conference with 26 points. St. Lawrence, which pounded Union 5-1, is now in sole possession of first with 27 points.

The game was primarily a defensive struggle, with Harvard's Allain Roy and Cornell's Parris Duffus putting in superb performances in net.

Duffus recorded 38 saves and shut out Harvard for two periods with aggressive and poised defense.

Harvard did have its chances, though. While its defense played solidly, the Crimson's offense looked slow and out of synch for much of the game, failing to capitalize on breakaways and loose pucks.

Harvard, which has always prided itself on its power play performance, went a woeful zero-for-six on extra-man opportunities.

Was it the grueling schedule that rendered Harvard so weak?

Burke would have none of that. "The last four games we've been passive," he said. "[Duffus] gives up a lot of rebounds and we weren't crashing in. We can't keep saying its exhaustion and injuries. That only goes so far."

Down 1-0 at the end of the first period, Harvard undoubtedly left the ice frustrated. Despite a vigorous attack, the Crimson failed to break through a tough and determined Cornell defense.

The Big Red, in contrast, capitalized on its chances early. 4:10 into the first period, senior forward Joe Dragon slid the puck to junior forward Ryan Hughes behind the net. With Crimson defense tangled up elsewhere, Hughes skated unmolested across the crease and shoved the puck through Harvard goalie Allain Roy's legs.

Harvard had two power plays after Hughes' tally but could not even the score. Duffus and defenseman Dave Burke stymied several Harvard opportunities, including shots by sophomore Chris Baird, senior Jim Coady and Burke.

Duffus closed the period with 10 saves and a truckload of confidence.

From the beginning of the second session, the big (6'1", 193-Ibs.) goalie dominated the Crimson, making brilliant saves throughout the period including a pick-off of a Baird shot at 1:01 and a solid stop against freshman forward Cory Gustafson at 11:16.

Harvard's offense grew increasingly listless as the game progressed and Cornell picked up its pace, pounding Roy throughout the period and controlling the momentum. Roy stood his ground, however, and remained solid in net, stopping 15 Big Red shots.

Harvard finally broke through 2:01 into the final period when the unlikely trio of freshman forward Ben Coughlin, freshman defenseman Bryan Lonsinger and senior defenseman Rich Defreitas teamed up for a breakaway goal.

But it took the Big Red only 37 seconds to end the stalemate. Dragon flicked a Vogel pass by Roy's right leg to put Cornell up 2-1.

Cornell's quick burst pushed the Crimson back into its offensive shell. After two Cornell penalties, the Crimson gained a 5-3 advantage. Harvard pressed Duffus and finally broke through after the penalty expired.

Junior forward Matt Mallgrave fed junior forward Steve Flomenhoft behind the right post. Flomenhoft, battling with a Cornell defenseman, kicked the puck into the crease where Burke tipped it home to knot the game at 2-2.

A wild ten minutes followed, with a slew of penalties to both sides, but neither team could score. In the overtime session, Roy and Duffus came up huge on both ends to keep it even.