Mazzoleni said Cavanagh’s second goal “changed the complexion of the game.” The numbers agree. Harvard held a 19-6 edge in shots on goal over the final two periods, but it wasn’t until Smith’s late strike that the Crimson foiled Clarkson’s bid to become the lowest seed to win the ECAC.

Ironically enough, the scoring play itself was designed to go to Welch, not Smith. “Ninety percent of the time that goes to Noah and I block out,” he said.

Instead, the puck bounced off Bernakevitch’s skate, directly to Smith’s tape. From there, Smith went about fulfilling what Welch had prophesied to him on the bench with five minutes left: “Why don’t one of us go out and win this game.”

Senior Dennis Packard scored an empty-netter with 12.7 seconds remaining to ensure that his senior class would be the first in Harvard history to graduate with two ECAC titles.

Bernakevitch, Cavanagh, McCulloch and Grumet-Morris were named to the all-tournament team. Most importantly, this year’s Whitelaw has taken up residence in Cambridge.

“This,” Smith marveled in the midst of the on-ice celebration, “is perfect.”

—Staff writer Jon Paul Morosi can be reached at morosi@fas.harvard.edu.