With the clock ticking down in the final period, the focus of the game centered on Hughes. Shutout or no shutout, that was the question.
For a brief moment it looked like Hughes would not record the doughnut. With 1:33 left in the game, Jamie Hanlon broke away from the Harvard defense and set up a showdown with Hughes.
Hanlon swept to his left, but so did Hughes. Hanlon shot, but Hughes was there to make the save.
"I was kind of laughing," Hughes said. "It was kind of ironic. I wanted the shutout more against Cornell [when Hughes gave up one goal], but I'll take this one against Dartmouth."
"He had to come up with a big save at the end," Cleary said. "He made a good move."
In the first period, Harvard jumped out to a 5-0 lead and outshot the Big Green, 25-4. The Crimson defense was so tough that Dartmouth did not take a shot from in front of the net.
Because of exams, the Big Green had not played in three weeks. But even if Dartmouth had been at the top of its game, it probably would not have been able to stop Harvard.
"Playing the way we played in the first period," Cleary said, "I'm not sure it would have made much difference."
THE NOTEBOOK: The Crimson will take a break from ECAC action until January 6 and go on a European vacation to Finland and Sweden this week for four exhibition games.
Crimson 10-0 at Bright Carter Dartmouth 0-0-0--0 Harvard 5-3-2--10
First Period--1, H, Vukonich 2 (Donato, Carone) 2:03; 2, H, Young 9 (Ciavaglia, Bourbeau) 14:19; 3, H, Vukonich 3 (Donato, Caplan) 16:02; 4, H, Carone 5 (Weisbrod, Ciavaglia) 17:33; 5, H, Ciavaglia 5 (Young, MacDonald) 18:54. Penalties--D, Hanlon (hooking) 6:00; D, Desmond (tripping) 13:22; D, Tomalty (elbowing) 18:11.
Second Period--6, H, Murphy 7 (Krayer, Ciavaglia) 12:42; 7, H, Young 10 (MacDonald) 19:32; 8, H, Young 11 (MacDonald) 19:46. Penalties--H, Bourbeau (holding, roughing) 3:22; D, Nieman (high-sticking, roughing) 3:22; D, Hanlon (10:00 misconduct) 7:45; D, Tomalty (elbowing) 12:42; H, Weisbrod (5:00 slashing) 13:22; H, Melrose (4:00 charging) 19:17; D, Miller (slashing) 19:32.
Third Period--9, H, Young 12 (Caplan) :21; Young 13 (MacDonald) 12:49. Penalties--D, Goulet (charging) 4:55; D, Tomalty (cross-checking) 7:43; H, Ciavaglia (roughing) 8:53; D, Freedman (elbowing) 8:53; D, Tomalty (game misconduct) 9:46; D, Desmond (hooking) 13:18; D, Goulet (holding) 14:59; H, Caplan (roughing) 14:59; D, Freedman (high-sticking) 16:59; H, Melrose (high-sticking) 17:57.
Saves: D, Osby 20-12-x--32, Laurin x-x-19--19; H, Hughes 4-11-14--29.
Power Play: D, 0-4; H, 2-7.
A: 2555