TROY, N.Y.--Almost nothing has gone right for the Harvard men's hockey team this season.

It started the year 0-8-1 in its division. Several key players missed time with injuries, including junior goaltender J.R. Prestifilippo just this past week.

But after all the Crimson setbacks, the ECAC quarterfinal series stood tied at two points apiece with a 2-2 score heading into the third period last night.

The trip to take Placid was in reach, but No. 3 Rensselaer scored two third period goals to elevate it to a 4-2 victory.

The win sets up a Friday night semifinal game for RPI, which won this weekend's series four points to two. No. 8 Harvard won Friday night's game 2-1 but dropped the next two, losing 4-0 on Saturday.

"We showed a lot of character out there tonight," captain Craig Adams said. "After our horrible start, we found ourselves and we damn near well beat one of the best teams in the league."

Sophomore goaltender Oliver Jonas played three magnificent games filling in for Prestifilippo, nearly pulling off an alltime classic Harvard playoff performance.

Jonas, whose last victory had come on Jan. 3, stopped 86 of 93 RPI shots. RPI had entered the series with the ECAC's best offense, with five players scoring over 35 points.

As a team, Harvard played its best defensive hockey of the season, slowing down the RPI attack throughout the entire series up until the final period.

In the end, Harvard could not solve junior goaltender Joel Laing, who made 93 saves of his own, and RPI's potent power play, which connected four times on 15 chances.

"I thought both goalies were outstanding this series," Harvard Coach Ronn Tomassoni said. "We couldn't have asked more from Ollie."

The loss perhaps comes in an especially disappointing way for the Crimson. Through all the turmoil this year, Harvard had established itself as a tough third period team.

The Crimson faced adversity in various forms this season and battled back each time. This weekend, it fell just a little short.

"After the God-awful start we had this year, our team showed a lot of heart," Tomassoni said. "Not many teams would have come-back like we did. The way we finished leaves a lot of hope for next year."