Harvard should skate rings around Northeastern, so its primary concern Monday night is setting the tone for the rest of the season. The Beanpot traditionally signals the home stretch for the Crimson, and Harvard's first lap around couldn't have been finer.

Crimson Stars

The Crimson is 13-1-1 overall. It features Drury, whose Hobey Baker candidacy gets a PR boost everyday (yesterday it came from Harvard Coach Ronn Tomassoni and BC Coach Steve Cedorchuk). It features freshman Tripp Tracy, the second-best goalie in college hockey (statistically). And now it features junior defender Derek Maguire, who took the fall term off for personal reasons.

Maguire gives the Crimson added strength on special teams. He's providing a punch to a Crimson team that already packs a whollop with a 30 percent power-play and 85.1 percent penalty kill.

"Derek is a great asset for us. He's big and strong, and he's got a great shot," Drury said.

Tomassoni couldn't be more pleased that his burly Kirkland resident is back in action. "Derek's really talented. We've missed him," he said.

With Maguire as well as once-injured sophomore Steve Martins back on the roster, the Crimson finally has all its personnel together.

But is Harvard peaking at the right time?

Will it sweep the rest of its games, thereby guaranteeing itself a first-round bye in the NCAA tournament?

And will it steal the `Pot from Boston University which has owned it for the past three years?

Harvard held its first official practice in two weeks last night, so it's uncertain how the team feels as a whole.

Monday will be the test. Monday means Northeastern, a weak but potentially dangerous opponent. Monday means Boston Garden night, the home of Bobby Orr. And Monday, of course, means "tradition and emotion."

"I think our players have been in this position before," Tomassoni said. "We're going to make it our building."