Looking solidify its presence at the top of the ECAC, the No. 6/6 Harvard women’s ice hockey team took a step down to second in the league at the hand of No. 5/5 Clarkson.

In the final weekend of regular-season home play, the Crimson (20-4-3, 15-3-2 ECAC) stumbled against the top offense in the nation to drop Friday’s contest, 2-1, against the Golden Knights (23-4-5, 14-2-4) at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center.

Tied at 1-1 with just five minutes left in the third period, it was evident that a game involving two top-10 teams would be less a flashy battle of trick shots and more of a gritty contest that continuously went back-and-forth across the ice.

Finally, Clarkson defender Erin Ambrose, who leads in the nation in assists with 24 to the season, caught a crucial break from teammate Shannon MacAulay. Ambrose received MacAulay’s pass from the goal line up at the blueline and slapped the long-range shot into the net past Harvard sophomore goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer.

“In the second [Clarkson] possessed most of the puck in our D-zone, but I think we did a really good job of keeping things to the outside,” said interim Crimson head coach Maura Crowell. “Shots on net—you can analyze that all you want—but it was a 1-1 game until five minutes left.”

As the clock ticked down, the Crimson couldn’t convert on looks and had trouble obtaining possessions in order to pull Maschmeyer for the man-advantage. The goalie finished with 37 saves as the Golden Knights sent puck after puck her way. The leader in goals and points in the county, Clarkson forward Jamie Lee Rattray notched a game-high eight shots, while Ambrose trailed with seven of her own.

Ambrose wasn’t the only Clarkson skater to get past Maschmeyer, as MacAulay added her own tally 5:14 into the first period. Forward Christine Lambert found an open lane to her teammate and dashed off the biscuit to MacAuley who, waiting in front of the crease, connected with the back of the net.

Crease action was crucial for Harvard too. Sophomore Mary Parker took an assist from captain Marissa Gedman to overwhelm Clarkson goaltender Erica Howe and score a tying goal for the Crimson, 1-1, as Harvard junior Hillary Crowe and senior Gina McDonald crashed into the net.

“I think the timing of it was great...in a period where there was back and forth action,” Crowell said. “Mary got a nice shot off-angle on Erica and she kind of bobbled it…. Tons of pressure in the crease always causes good things for us.”

The goal was Parker’s fifth in six games and came just as the first frame was about to expire with 2.4 seconds left on the clock.

“I think things have been starting to click,” said Parker of her recent scores. “I’ve been working hard and trying to do little things all over the ice.”

Despite a number of good looks from a flurry of Crimson players during the second and third periods, not another Harvard goal would materialize. Instead, Crowell and her squad were forced to take the L, and to perch at the end of the regular season looking to win out for the league title.

“Every game’s huge,” Crowell said. “It has been for a long time, and we have to put this one behind us rather quickly.”