By this time in the game, Harvard’s superior conditioning was evident. With the Crimson controlling possession, the Tigers went looking for the puck and seemed to find the penalty box instead, committing three second-period penalties.

“We’re in really good shape,” Griffin said, “which has to do with how hard coach pushes us in practice, and how hard they push us in the gym.”

With its season on the line, Princeton picked up its game in the third period. After being outshot, 11-3, in the second, the Tigers were only outshot by three in the third, and one of those shots managed to find the back of the net. Melanie Wallace lifted the puck into the high corner of the net on an unassisted play at 6:19, reducing the deficit to 3-1.

Unable to solve Harvard goaltender Laura Bellamy again, Princeton pulled Weber with about two minutes left in regulation. But the Crimson had already killed six penalties by that point and wasn’t intimidated by the man-down situation.

With an empty net waiting at the other end of the ice, all Harvard needed was a possession.

Ryabkina found the puck and charged down the side of the ice, but a Tiger skater slammed her into the boards. As she was hit, Ryabkina managed to send the puck to the middle of the ice, where a wide open Jillian Dempsey picked it up.

With a minute and a half remaining in regulation, the freshman sent the puck into the open net, Harvard into the ECAC semifinals, and the Tigers back to New Jersey.

“We did just what we wanted to do today,” Griffin said.

—Staff writer Christina C. McClintock can be reached at ccmcclin@fas.harvard.edu.