Another reason Mleczko played defense was that Harvard sophomore Angela Ruggiero, a gold medalist in 1998, is currently playing for the Crimson--Smith decided that no collegiate players would be on the select roster this year since the team is training in residence at Lake Placid. Ruggiero assisted on one of the Harvard goals against her other teammates.

"It was fun playing a game where I knew everyone on both teams," said Ruggiero, who did not wear her usual stars-and-stripes bandana. "Tonight was great for us to play at the level of the national team because it gives us a chance to see and imitate good hockey."

Ruggiero and her Harvard teammates will practice today and tomorrow, then break until Dec. 29. When the team (10-2-1, 8-2-1 ECAC) returns to Cambridge just before New Year's, it will begin preparing for what should be the toughest conference road trip of the season: games at No. 8 Providence and No. 1 Northeastern on Jan. 8 and 9, respectively.