But that didn't stop Francisco, who set the single-season scoring record at 57 points last season, although all four of her power-play linemates easily passed that mark in 1998-99. She fought for position in the crease as she let her teammates set up the offense with expert passing. Suurkask took the puck in the corner and immediately swung it to junior defenseman Christie MacKinnon, a hard worker on defense not known for her offense. MacKinnon walked into the right circle and unveiled a hard slapshot UNH might not have been expecting.

Francisco won the battle for the puck in the crease and knocked it past Roberts.

A hooking penalty against UNH junior defenseman Kerry Maher with 10:38 left in regulation had given Harvard the man-advantage its first opportunity of the final period. Ruggiero took a pass from Mleczko and fired a slapshot from center point. Roberts made the initial stop, but the force of Ruggiero's slapper sent the puck bounding into the slot, where Francisco sent it top-shelf past Roberts for the 4-3 lead.

The Wildcats narrowed the deficit to 5-4 with 5:19 left in regulation when junior center Carisa Zaban went top-shelf against Kuusisto with help from classmate Tina Carrabba. UNH knotted the score at 5-5 2:41 later when junior winger Samantha Holmes slipped the puck under Kuusisto's glove after rebounding a shot by classmate Melissa McKenzie. The Crimson's first goal of the period came after a checking penalty against Maher at 2:49 of the third. Ten seconds later, Francisco sent the puck from behind the goal to Shewchuk skating into the slot. The nation's leading goal scorer sent the puck into the far corner of the net to give Harvard the lead at 3-2.

The Wildcats tied the game exactly a minute later when Holmes skated down the right wing untouched. Kuusisto rejected Holmes' shot from the crease, but McKenzie was waiting in the left post to put back the rebound.

With the score even at 3-3, Harvard's forechecking and defensive zone coverage came to life. The Crimson penalty-kill unit allowed just one shot on goal in the third period after penalties against sophomore forwards Tara Dunn and Francisco for slashing and elbowing.

Although Harvard made UNH play catch-up in the third period, the Crimson was trailing before it tied the game at 2-2 11:13 into the second on yet another power-play goal. Mleczko swung the puck to Ruggiero, who faked a slapper and found Shewchuk in the left circle. Shewchuk sent a shot into the crease, and Francisco deflected the puck past Roberts.

Then Ruggiero almost single-handedly shut down the UNH offense, and Harvard's vaunted top line began to dominate the action as the Crimson outshot the Wildcats, 20-6, in the second. Harvard even managed a few shorthanded shots after a roughing penalty against Francisco. It was a stark contrast from the first period, when UNH's power-play unit scored twice.