ITHACA, N.Y.--Despite holding a two-game winning streak over Cornell on the road during the regular season, the Harvard men's hockey team once again fell prey to the Big Red in the ECAC quarterfinals, a scene reminiscent of four years ago.

Harvard's eight seniors are no strangers to the nagging curse of Lynah Rink in the playoffs. Their freshman year, the Crimson bowed out to the Big Red on its home ice in the first round of the playoffs. Harvard lost the race to three points, tying Cornell 2-2 in the first game, and falling 4-1 to the Big Red in the second.

Coming into Lynah Rink, undoubtedly the most hostile hockey environment in the conference, the Crimson was at a distinct disadvantage to the No. 3 seeded home team. And despite the best efforts of the Harvard parents, who engaged in a little pre-game taunting of their own, sporting "Cornell Sucks" shirts and signs to that effect, the Crimson could only come away with a pair of 4-3 losses to end the season.

Prior to this weekend, Harvard boasted a 9-2-2 record when scoring first. Unfortunately, the Crimson could not hang onto its early lead either night, as the Big Red rallied from 1-0 deficits in each game en route to the sweep.

"We lost this series in two games, but we could've easily won it in two games, forget about three," senior goaltender J.R. Prestifilippo said. "A few bounces, a few plays made the difference. Unfortunately, we're the ones going home."

Junior center Steve Moore started off the scoring in Game One with a power play goal at 8:03 in to the first period. Senior winger Scott Turco dished to Moore who was waiting at the left crease. Moore couldn't handle the pass but managed to nudge the puck across the goal line to put the Crimson up 1-0.

Harvard possessed the lead three times over the Big Red throughout Game Two, but could not hang on to any of them.

Sophomore winger Jeff Stonehouse notched a shorthanded goal to put the Crimson ahead by one at 5:26 in the opening stanza. Junior winger Chris Bala picked up the puck in the neutral zone and rushed down the right wing, sending a pass to Stonehouse, who snuck it past Cornell goaltender Ian Burt.