But with all of success’ sweetness came some bitter moments.

Perhaps the most disappointing results of the season fell under the bright spotlight of the 34th annual Beanpot tournament. For the first time in five years, the Crimson failed to reach the finals of the four-team single-elimination tournament.

Harvard fell to Boston College, 4-2, in the consolation game after losing, 5-2, at the hands of Boston University.

“Unfortunately, we biffed against BC and BU,” Pucci says. “Those games showed us where we needed to be.”

The Crimson also came up short in the postseason. Harvard finished second in the ECAC during the regular season but bowed out to fifth-ranked St. Lawrence in the conference semifinals.

In what would prove to be the season’s final game, the Crimson outshot the Saints, 30-27, and had seven power play opportunities compared to its opponents’ three in the 2-1 overtime loss.

But with the core of the team returning, Harvard is hopeful for the upcoming season.

Despite its early postseason exit, the Crimson showed it could hang with the nation’s best.

In its first of two losses to eventual national champion Minnesota, Harvard fell by a single goal, 2-1.

“To lose to them, 2-1, is kind of a good feeling in that we were right there and we know we can play with them,” Dempsey said. “That [result], in addition to many other things, means that we can very much be national champions.”

—Staff writer Daniel A. Grafstein can be reached at dgrafstein@college.harvard.edu.