“In terms of comparing us to other teams,” said sophomore forward Jennifer Raimondi, “our game plan works around our strengths.”

This depth is certainly one of those assets.

“Our third line is probably the best third line in the nation,” McAuliffe said. “They get on the ice, get the puck deep into the offensive zone and get off.

“Our fourth liners will play against our power plays in practice,” she added, “and are comparable to most penalty killers that we see in games.”

The Crimson also utilizes a crisp, quick game.

“We like to move the puck fast,” Ruggiero said. “[We employ] a lot of passing and try to generate a lot of shots on net.”

The squad has launched 1, 319 shots on goal over the course of the season—that’s an average of 42.5 per game—while the stellar Harvard defense has held opponents to only 532 shots, or an average of 17.2 per contest.

And as opposed to the NHL clutch-and-grab style of play seen in teams like ECAC rival Brown, the Crimson’s game has remained orderly, relying on accurate movement and finesse—much like powerhouse No. 1 Minnesota.

“We’re a very clean team,” Ruggiero said. “[We play] more [of] a European style of hockey. I think passing is a big part of our game, just moving the puck.”

Chu agreed, saying that “although we are not afraid to be physical with our opponents, our game really centers around having flow by moving the puck quickly and having quick changes.”

It is this game which has led the squad to another dominant season, one which produced only three losses, two of which were decided by just one goal.

The Crimson has averaged 4.48 goals per game and—backed by solid defense and an impenetrable wall of a goalie between the pipes—allowed only 1.16.

Sophomore netminder Ali Boe, who has seen the majority of the Crimson action this season, carries a dependable .927 save percentage. Meanwhile, freshman goaltender Emily Vitt has collected an impressive .954 save percentage of her own.

With such strong weapons at both ends of the ice, Harvard has had little trouble stringing together unbeaten streaks of 15, nine and currently, five games.

So in the end, what is this “Harvard hockey” which has put the team in sole possession of the best Division I win percentage of .887?