On the power play, Packard went in 1-on-1 along the left wing and punched across his 11th of the year for a 3-0 lead 1:09 into the second.
Todd Jackson cut it to 3-1 about two minutes later, but a second-effort goal by Maki restored the Crimson’s three goal lead at 16:47 of the period.
Everything, it seemed, was going Harvard’s way. That was before the Third Period From Hell.
Instead of a loud national statement, the Crimson was left with a near-silent dressing room and very quiet bus ride home.
Meanwhile, Maine went on to defeat Wisconsin in overtime, 2-1, and claim the Frozen Four bid that was seemingly destined to be Harvard’s.
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“Tough way to go,” Smith lamented.
—Staff writer Jon Paul Morosi can be reached at morosi@fas.harvard.edu.