At 5:42 in the third, Greiner broke the deadlock by finishing the rebound from a shot from the right by a streaking Blackwell on the counter.

Hartznell, who stopped 20 of 24 shots, was also replaced after Grenier’s score, with senior Dan Clarke stepping up in net.

Harvard finally grabbed its own two-goal lead towards the end of the game, as senior forward Alex Killorn skated down the right side and found junior forward Alex Fallstrom open near the left crease. Fallstrom, who had returned from an injury for Friday’s game, then easily tapped it in.

Quinnipiac outshot the Crimson, 46-33, and won more face-offs, 45-32, but Harvard still came away with the victory, providing Girard with his first collegiate win.

“It felt great,” Girard said. “I always have to be ready to jump in the game, and I just used my opportunity and played well.”

The Crimson is coming on strong at the right time, with the annual Beanpot tournament starting Monday evening. The opening game is against Boston University, who beat Harvard, 5-4, in overtime in January.

“They might have taken us easily when they came in and played in our barn,” Girard said. “But I think we showed them what we’re made of, and it’s going to be a really good game. I think it’s going to be really tight.”

—Staff writer David Mazza can be reached at damazza@college.harvard.edu.