But Harvard would not let the Catamounts make a game of it, as Nowak scored on a 4-on-3 just 50 seconds later to squash all hopes of a Vermont comeback.
Captain Dominic Moore made it 5-1 with another 4-on-3 score early in the third period. Yet the goal never should have happened. Harvard had five skaters on the ice during the faceoff, but referee Jack Dunn dropped the puck anyway.
“I can see why they’d be upset, but it’s not our fault, and I’m not going to wait around for them to call a penalty,” Moore said.
Incensed at the non-call and with its season now all but over, Vermont took out its frustrations on the Crimson physically. But unlike Friday, Harvard simply walked away and avoided the box all period.
The Crimson’s newfound discipline was a fitting final touch to a brilliant game. It’s a level of excellence Harvard will need to maintain, as the competition gets much tougher starting Friday.
“There’s nothing at all [to change],” Mazzoleni said. “We’ve got to keep on doing what we’ve been doing. It’s a good momentum builder for us going into Friday night.”
—Staff writer Elijah M. Alper can be reached at alper@fas.harvard.edu.