McNally added an empty-net goal with just under a minute left in the game to secure the win for Harvard.

Despite the team’s 5-1 loss to Boston College in the previous game, the Crimson stuck to its game plan in its sixth contest against a nationally ranked opponent thus far this season.

“We didn’t want to stray from what we’ve been trying to do,” Criscuolo said. “The coaches have been harping on getting in front of the net. It’s tough for goalies to stop pucks when they’re coming at them from five feet and with bodies near them…[Against UNH,] when we were around the net, we made the most of our opportunities.”

The Crimson will look to use this contest to build confidence as it enters its final stretch of 2013.

“Once we settled in after the first period, our guys started to realize we are a pretty good team ourselves,” Criscuolo said. “And no matter who we are playing, we are going to fight to the end. Beating a team like UNH is big for us, so hopefully we can keep it going.”

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

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

CORRECTION: Decmeber 3, 2013

An earlier version of this article's headline and a statement in the article incorrectly stated the final score of the Nov. 26 men's hockey game against New Hampshire. In fact, Harvard won that game 6-3 not 5-3.