“That goal at the end of that first period...was huge for us,” Stone said. “Then we just came out like gangbusters in the second period.”

Harvard caught fire in the second with three goals in less than three minutes, two of which were spaced less than 19 seconds apart.

Before the PA announcer had time to read senior Kaitlin Spurling’s goal assisted by freshman Mary Parker, Dempsey tore across the blueline and launched a shot from the top of the circle that found the net for her first goal of the game and the Crimson’s third.

Dempsey added her second goal of the game two minutes and 21 seconds later. D’Oench rounded out the second period scoring for the Crimson with a coast-to-coast strike.

In the third, Romatoski and Dempsey added to their tallies, scoring their second and third goals of the game, respectively, 22 seconds apart. Dempsey added her fourth with less than four minutes left in the final frame.

The Harvard scoring machine systematically limited Providence’s opportunities as the Crimson outshot the Friars, 44 to 17, and logged only one minor penalty to Providence’s four. Junior goaltender Laura Bellamy appeared on her way to her fifth shutout in six games before Friar forward Jessica Vella scored Providence’s only goal with 10 seconds left in the game.

“[Bellamy] played well; she made the saves she needed to make,” Stone said. “It was kind of a bummer for her at the end, but, hey, it doesn’t matter. A win’s a win; that’s what we’re looking for.”

—Staff writer Michael D. Ledecky can be reached at mledecky@college.harvard.edu.