WORCESTER, Mass. – Mark Mullen, Bryan Miller and Frantisek Skladany scored in the opening 3:34 of the third period Friday as Boston University defeated Harvard 6-4 in the first round of the NCAA Northeast Regional.

Boston University (25-13-3), the second seed, will play New Hampshire, a 5-2 winner over St. Cloud State, in the regional final on Saturday.

The win sends BU to the quarterfinals for the ninth time in 11 years.

The teams entered the third period tied at 3 before the Terriers took control with three goals in 3:34.

Mullen converted a 2-on-1 break by taking Brian McConnell’s pass and firing a wrist shot past goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris 45 seconds into the period.

Just 1:18 later, Miller scored a power play goal off a faceoff by firing a shot from the left point.

Skladany scored on his own rebound 1:31 later, making it 6-3.

Dominic Moore’s team-leading 24th goal cut the Crimson’s deficit to 6-4 midway into the period.

Harvard (22-10-2) grabbed a 3-2 lead Brett Nowak’s goal 8:33 into the second period. The Terriers tied it when Brad Zancanaro slipped a blistering wrist shot by Grumet-Morris at 14:44. The score came seconds after BU goalie Sean Fields made a diving saving on Tyler Kolarik, who was alone in front.

UNH 5, St. Cloud St. 2

WORCESTER, Mass. – Colin Hemingway and Preston Callander each scored a pair of goals to lift top-seeded New Hampshire to a 5-2 victory over St. Cloud State in the first round of the NCAA Northeast Regional on Friday night.

The Wildcats (26-7-6) will play Hockey East-rival Boston University, a 6-4 winner over Harvard in the other opening-round game, in the regional final Saturday night. The winner advances to the Frozen Four at Buffalo, N.Y. on April 10.

St. Cloud State (17-16-5), from the WCHA, fell to 0-6 in NCAA tourney games.

New Hampshire, the Hockey East’s tournament and regular season champions, started quickly when Hemingway broke in alone and slipped a short shot past goaltender Jake Moreland 10 seconds into the game.

St. Cloud State tied it 1-1 on Ryan Malone’s power-play goal at 8:11, but Hemingway pushed the Wildcats back in front by scoring off a rebound with 1:13 left in the period.

Callander gave UNH a 3-1 lead when he scored on a backhander 1:20 into the second period.

Ferris State 5,

North Dakota 2

MINNEAPOLIS – Ferris State appeared in the NCAA Division I tournament for the first time Friday, but you wouldn’t know it by talking to the Bulldogs after their 5-2 win over WCHA power North Dakota.

“I don’t think we had any jitters, because we have a team that we think can win the whole thing,” Phil Lewandowski said after the Bulldogs’ win in the West Regional semifinals.

“I think we’re one of many that can win it,” added Ferris State coach Bob Daniels, whose team has won 14 of its last 15 games. “I think we’ve got a chance.”

Ferris State used its speed on the larger Olympic-size ice sheet at Mariucci Arena to race to a 3-0 lead after two periods. Chris Kunitz assisted on all three goals.

“We were champing at the bit to get out there,” said Troy Milam, who set up the Bulldogs’ second goal of the game. “I knew coming into the game that this big ice surface was really going to play to our game.”

The Bulldogs got 44 saves from goaltender Mike Brown, who survived a furious 20-shot third period by the Sioux.

In a game filled with unsportsmanlike conduct and roughing penalties by both sides, the Bulldogs won for the first time in six tries over the Fighting Sioux, who were appearing in the tournament for the 18th time.

Minnesota 9, Mercyhurst 2

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Freshman Gino Guyer notched five assists as Minnesota routed Mercyhurst 9-2 in the semifinals of the NCAA West Regional.

Guyer, who set a record for most assists in a regional game, assisted on his team’s first four goals and added one more in the third period.

Grant Potulny had three goals for the Gophers (25-8-9), who will face Ferris State on Saturday night for a trip to the NCAA Frozen Four.

David Wrigley and Scott Reynolds scored third period power play goals for the Lakers (22-13-2), who were making their second NCAA playoff appearance.

Potulny scored 75 seconds into the game, taking a pass from Guyer and jamming the puck between the right post and the right skate of Lakers goalie Andy Franck. After Guyer set up a goal by Keith Ballard, Potulny scored late in the opening period to give Minnesota a 3-0 lead.

The game turned into a blowout in the second period as the Gophers scored five goals on a regional-record 27 shots. Ballard got his second goal, with Thomas Vanek, Barry Tallackson, Paul Martin and Jon Waibel also scoring for Minnesota.

Potulny got his third goal just 65 seconds into the final period, producing a hail of hats from the stands. The Lakers scored their two goals in the middle of the third period, but were never in serious contention for a comeback.

Franck finished with 47 saves for Mercyhurst. Minnesota goalie Travis Weber, making his first start since suffering an injured finger in a March 15 WCHA playoff game with Michigan Tech, had 15 saves.

AP-ES-03-28-03 2341EST