In the Crimson's 1999 national championship run, Harvard won all five overtime games in which it played. The run included 5-4 and 6-5 OT victories against New Hampshire in both the ECAC finals and the national championship game.

"In 1999 we had a really special team," Shewchuck said. "We had a lot of attitude that year, and I think we have it back this year. We had the feeling that no matter what challenge we face we'll overcome it."

But the overtime magic that led the Crimson to its first national championship and a 33-game winning streak in 1999 has been absent for a while now. Last night's thriller may just be the spark Harvard needs to bring those memories back into reality.

"When we come out with a victory like this, you rekindle some of that old feeling," Botterill said. "You just believe in yourself, pull through in tough circustances and it brings back some of those memories."

The Crimson skated with the confidence of a contender last night and barely resembled the team that just lost its first game in three years to an unranked opponent on Sunday.

Even after a series of horrendous defensive collapses in the second period, there was little doubt on the Harvard bench that it could overcome a 3-1 deficit entering the third.

"We've been in that position before," Stone said. "We can handle it. We didn't doubt our ability to come back."