But Harvard really proved it was the best team in the East in the ECAC playoffs as it edged Yale 2-1 in overtime and then easily defeated the Big Green by a score of 4-1 to win the conference tourney.

In the opening round of the inaugural Frozen Eight NCAA championship tournament, the Crimson came in with high hopes, but barely advanced to the semifinal round. Visiting Mercyhurst brought physical play and a rowdy crowd to Bright, and matched Harvard’s play for nearly six periods of hockey before Chu put a pass from fellow tri-captain Nicole Corriero past Desirae Clark to win the game.

The story, however, was on the defense’s stand. “I attribute this win to our defense,” Chu said. “I think offense takes care of itself in a certain way, but defense—you need to be precise about it.”

With a hat trick from freshman sensation Sarah Vaillancourt in a 4-1 blow out of the Saints, Harvard again reached the championship game for the third consecutive year.

And at the end of the road, the Crimson met a familiar fate as it came within a hair’s breadth of the championship before Natalie Darwitz ended its dreams with just over a minute left. The Golden Gophers walked away with their second consecutive NCAA crown over Harvard once again—this time by a score of 4-3.

In each of the last three years, the road has been harder and harder for the Crimson. Yet, with a tremendous run in the New Year, Harvard proved itself once again to be one of the best this past season.

—Staff writer Gabriel M. Velez can be reached at gmvelez@fas.harvard.edu.