But Widbin was not yet done, as he scored his third goal of the night a minute later, at 8:18 in the second period. With Kane harassing the clearing defender, Widbin intercepted a bad pass and took the fast-break all the way, faking out the Bucknell goalie and scoring unassisted.

Scholl scored again on Calvert’s rebound when he came across the crease to slide the ball into the net.

Sophomore midfielder Brian Mahler passed to tri-captain attackman Mike McBride, who ripped a high shot to the far side for the score with 0:51 left in the second period to give Harvard an 8-4 lead heading into the break.

The Crimson then capitalized on another man-up opportunity, as Stenmark opened up the third period with a goal at 12:59 in the period.

Stenmark caught the pass from Calvert and ripped a side-arm shot high and into the goal.

Mahler would go on to make two big plays to finish out the scoring run for Harvard.

At 10:24, he set a pick for Samuelson, who ran off it and fired shot that increased the Crimson’s lead to six.

Mahler would then go on to score a goal of his own, as he made a 1-on-1 dodge against his defender and beat the goalie at 6:01 in the third, bringing the score to 11-4.

But even though the Bison would go on a run of their own, scoring four unanswered goals, they could only ever get within three goals of Harvard.

Bucknell scored three goals in the final three minutes of the third period, including an impressive second tally, when the Bison’s Patrick Christensen got checked but still managed to score while falling down.

Bucknell would then end its run with a goal at the 11:38 mark of the fourth quarter.

Calvert registered one last goal for the Crimson on its final man-up opportunity when he faked a pass that fooled his defender, allowing him to step in and fire a goal.

The Bison scored one last goal with 1:06 remaining, bringing the score to 12-9.

O’Donnell started and played the entire game in goal, amassing 10 saves.

The season-opening win should give Harvard a confidence boost, one it will need when it faces perennial powerhouse Massachusetts this Wednesday at Jordan Field.

Last season, the Crimson defeated the Minutemen in Amherst by a score of 11-7.

“We know they’re coming to get us after we beat them on their own field last year,” Cohen said. “We’re really excited.”

—Staff writer Abigail M. Baird can be reached at ambaird@fas.harvard.edu.