But given the overwhelming advantage, Grumet-Morris could merely delay the inevitable.

Silencing chants of “now it’s fair” emanating from the Harvard student section, the Catamounts buried two goals in 29 seconds to pull within one.

Under normal circumstances, the Crimson penalty kill was flawless, rebounding after a shaky performance down a man against Vermont one week earlier, in which Harvard allowed three goals on five power plays.

Despite playing with four skaters on 13 occasions, the Crimson allowed just those two goals as the Catamounts struggled for their playoff lives in Saturday’s final moments.

Throwing their bodies across the ice while forcing Vermont’s largest threats to remain on the outside, Harvard’s penalty killers surrendered just 13 shots, including a mere two in Friday night’s six power plays and one during that crucial 5-on-3.

“We typically feed off our power play,” Sneddon said. “It doesn’t even always have to result in a goal. But, [we had] some real good opportunities and we looked like five individuals out there on that 5-on-3. That’s not gonna get the job done in playoff time.”

The Crimson set its defense high and prevented the Catamounts from even positioning themselves to attack, let alone find a passing lane to create some much-needed offense.

And on the few occasions Vermont teed up a shot, the puck rarely found its way to the net, as Harvard’s skaters sprinted out to challenge shots with their sticks and occasionally their chests.

In all, the Crimson blocked 21 Catamount shots before they reached Grumet-Morris.

STREAKY PLAY

Not that Grumet-Morris had much difficulty with the few that found their way on goal.

Recapturing the early-season brilliance that saw him allow three goals or fewer in nine consecutive starts, the junior netminder entered the third period of Saturday night’s contest on the verge of accomplishing a feat unseen in 73 years—three straight shutouts, last recorded in 1931 against Toronto, Army and Middlebury.

After shutting down Dartmouth for Harvard’s first shutout since Nov. 28, Grumet-Morris was quick to repeat the feat, blanking the Catamounts with ease in game 1, as he faced just 19 shots—12 of which came in the final period.

“I thought he was very consistent in there tonight,” Mazzoleni said. “I think we all know, sometimes those aren’t easy games to play, especially the way it went for two periods. They only had about six shots after two, and it’s more difficult in those circumstances to keep your concentration.”

But Grumet-Morris was ready when Vermont launched its late-game charge. Though he may have been restless and untested through the first 40 minutes, his footwork was sharp and his positioning perfect, leaving nothing to chance in earning the first back-to-back shutouts for Harvard since 1987—then against the Catamounts and Clarkson.