Western hockey teams are known for their hugeness, and North Dakota is as big as they come. But bigger does not mean better.
"If I were the Harvard coach," Sertich said, "I would try to utilize my speed to neutralize [North Dakota's] obvious advantage in strength and size."
Automatic Disposal
Harvard had little trouble disposing of big Bowling Green--the Crimson's NCAA quarterfinal opponent--last weekend. Bowling Green never got rolling against the high-flying Crimson and fell, 10-1.
St. Lawrence, the runner-up to ECAC champion Harvard this year, gave the Sioux a battle in its quarterfinal series, staying within two goals after the first night of action. But North Dakota pulled away during the second contest and finished with a 9-4 total-goals victory.
Harvard is not only a quick team but an experienced one too. The Crimson has played in the NCAA Tournament two years in a row, and three of the last five. Sixteen players from this year's club were on the team that made it to the title game last season.
"I definitely think experience is a factor," Harvard Assistant Coach Ronn Tomassoni said. "North Dakota is a fairly young team. They have three freshmen and two sophomores playing on defense. They have a freshman in goal. When you've been there before, you know what to expect."
"I've got five or six seniors who played in [the 1984 NCAA Tournament]," Gasparini said. "The rest are pretty inexperienced. I've been to eight tournaments myself. I know what to expect, but whether they do or not, I don't know."
Joe Louis Arena has one thing the Crimson likes (big ice surface) and one thing it despises (soft ice.). Harvard proved that it could make the best of a small ice surface in tackling Boston Garden for the ECAC Championship two weeks ago.
But Harvard has yet to show it can turn the corners on a soft ice surface. The Crimson fell to Yale, 4-2, in Ingalls Rink, the much bowl of the East, in December.
When it comes to tournament time, however, all advantages and disadvantages melt away. Teams play on adrenaline, on passion, on whatever is left in them after long seasons.
"It's going to be a great match-up," Sertich said. "It will be Harvard's discipline, speed and puck movement versus a very physical North Dakota team. If the teams played each other 10 times, it would probably be five apiece."