When junior Dom Moore willed the puck past Danis shortly after 11 p.m., the Crimson erased any doubts that the last month might have stirred up.

“It’s a helluva step forward for our kids,” Mazzoleni said Saturday.

It’s anyone’s guess what caused the Crimson to finally wake up. Maybe it was the threat of elimination, or maybe the players were just fed up with losing. All that matters is that the players’ constant talk about “maintaining consistency” and “playing our game” finally translated into action.

And as a result, the Crimson saved what would have been a disappointing season.

The odds are against Harvard winning at Lake Placid and earning an automatic NCAA berth. Even if the Crimson gets by a solid Clarkson squad, it would likely have to play Cornell in the final, by far the best team in the conference.

Still, the Crimson needs only two victories to win the tournament, and it has proven this year that it can beat any of the other four teams playing. And even if its season ends next Saturday, the Crimson can skate off the ice holding their heads high.