As midnight fell on the final night of the Beanpot Tournament, one team walked away with a trophy it was expected to win, while 20 other players were left to contemplate what could have been and what almost was.

In one of the most exhilirating and memorable games of the 46-year old tournament, the Harvard men's hockey team fell at the 5:51 mark of overtime to the favored Boston University Terriers, 2-1.

The Crimson marched into the championship game after an overtime win against Boston College one week ago. And for awhile last night, it appeared that the fairy tale ending would come full-circle and the darkhorse Harvard team would steal its first Beanpot victory since 1993.

It wasn't meant to be, however, and a penalty called against sophomore Brett Chodorow five-and-a-half minutes into overtime sealed the Crimson's fate.

With the extra attacker on the ice, the Terriers dropped into their power-play umbrella and worked the puck around the Crimson zone. It only took a few passes before Tom Poti, the Tournament MVP, rifled a right-point blast toward the Harvard net. Camped out in the low slot was freshman Nick Gillis who tipped in the game-winner, opening the flood gates to the B.U. bench.

"It was a great hockey game. What can I say?" said Harvard Coach Ronn Tomassoni. "Going into that overtime, the kids were up and they were confident and they really, really felt that they were going to win this hockey game."

After a period of even hockey which saw the Terriers outshoot the Crimson by a margin of only 10-7, the favored team struck first midway through the second stanza. Gaining momentum off a Crimson penalty, B.U. attacked the Crimson zone in transition and at the 9:16 mark, Hobey Baker candidate Chris Drury netted the game's first goal.

It was a drop pass by Poti from the right wing which allowed Drury to tip-in his 17th goal of the year.

"From a coaching point of view it was a very sound technical game," said B.U. Coach Jack Parker. "There were times when there was close checking and then all of a sudden a rush would break out and there would be some great opportunities and some great saves. Then it would be back to control again."

Harvard was able to keep the Terriers in check for the remainder of the game thanks to the stellar goaltending of J.R. Prestifilippo, who warded off 34 B.U. shots.

"We tried to play smart and simple and play them physical," Tomassoni said. "They are a great hockey team and our boys went toe-to-toe with them."

That containment set the stage for yet another Crimson comeback.

With time running down in regulation and with Drury's goal still looming as the game-winner, the Crimson burst into the Terrier zone. Holding the puck along the right side boards, sophomore Brice Conklin laid a beautiful pass across to a streaking freshman Harry Schwefel who beat Terrier netminder Tom Noble through the five-hole to tie the game at one goal apiece.

Despite a flurry of chances in the waning minutes of the period by B.U., Harvard looked poised to finish off the upset heading into the extra period.

"We weren't surprised that we took B.U. to overtime," Prestifilippo said. "In the lockerroom we were saying `Let's get a goal, let's get the Beanpot and let's get out of here.' We just came up a little short."

For a team that was slated to finish dead last in the tournament, the Crimson gave the No. 2 Terriers a run for their money and made the 46th Beanpot trophy one to cherish.

"I was surprised by [Harvard] and we were hoping that they would lay back a bit, but they didn't and they came at us hard," Poti said. "It was a lot better than last year's win and Harvard was just an awesome team and you have to give them a lot of credit."

Unfortunately, all that the Crimson has to show for their efforts is a runner-up trophy which will serve as a bitter emblem of a game which was almost theirs. HARVARD, 4-3 at the FleetCenter Boston U.  0  1  0  0  --  3 Harvard  0  0  1  1  --  4

First Period

None

Second Period

B.U.--Drury (Poti, Kellher) 9:16.

Third Period

Har--Schwefel (Conklin) 13:13.

Overtime

B.U.--Gillis (Poti) 5:51. (PPG)

Saves: B.U.--Noble 7-4-5-1 17; Har--Prestifilippo 10-12-11-1 34.

Power Play: B.U.--1/4; Har--0/3.

Attendance: 17,565.