Shewchuk and sophomore Kalen Ingram are both incredibly talented, but Botterill's the only player on that line who matches up against Dartmouth in terms of size.

As long as the Crimson is scoring on fast break opportunities or peripheral shots, size doesn't matter much. Once that line of attack fails, however, it becomes a very big deal and a large liability.

Stone downplayed the importance of Dartmouth's physical play.

"They run a lot of interference and do a lot with the sticks, but we managed," Stone said. "Early on it affected us...but that wasn't a factor in the last two periods."

It wasn't as much of a factor only because Harvard responded by increasing its own physical presence.

When Harvard went toe-to-toe with Dartmouth in the corners and in front of the net, the Crimson generated some of its best opportunities.

It needs to do that more often.

On Harvard's first powerplay opportunity at 7:29 of the third, Francisco plunked herself in front of the net and decided to make Ferguson's life difficult.