Such inconsistency is excusable during the regular-season, especially during the grueling month of February. In the playoffs, however, it can be deadly.

If Harvard comes out on flat Saturday night, the team could spend Spring Break watching the NCAA tournament on cable.

RPI's biggest threat, much like the Crimson, is its youth. The Engineers have been getting good production from a crop of wily forwards, including freshman center Craig Hamelin (20-19-39), sophomore center Xavier Majic (13-19-32) and sophomore winger Ron Pasco (11-21-32).

In the past two meetings, Harvard, however, has had no trouble shutting down the Engineers. The Crimson outscored RPI 11-1 over the regular-season.

Harvard looks ready to repeat such a performance this weekend.

Key Players Return

Though freshman forward Ben Coughlin and freshman forward/defender Bryan Lonsinger are both questionable for this weekend, two key players will return to the lineup.

Freshman forward Steve Martins, sidelined three weeks ago with a shoulder injury, and sophomore defender Derek Maguire, who sat out last week with a pulled abdominal muscle, will both suit up tonight.

With Martins' blistering speed and fine stickwork and Maguire's potent slapshot, Harvard will undoubtedly get a boost where it most needs it: the power play.

"One of the reasons [the power play] hasn't been clicking is injury. Hopefully the return of those key guys will be enough," Tomassoni said.