The Crimson is most productive in its set offense with Ruggiero or Mleczko controlling the puck at the point while Shewchuk and Botterill look for openings around the face-off circle or along the boards. But Harvard is most vulnerable when opposing forwards can reject slap-shots at the blue line and skate down the ice quickly for a breakaway.

"The keys of this game will be time of possession and where on the ice we commit turnovers," Stone said. "If we can keep the puck in the offensive zone, we'll be fine. If not, we can't afford to make mistakes with the puck."

Mistakes on defense allowed Northeastern to score six goals in the Beanpot, two more goals than the Crimson had given up in any other game this season.

Freshman goaltender Alison Kuusisto, making her first start in place of junior Crystal Springer--who will miss at least the rest of the regular season with a broken collarbone--made 20 saves against the Huskies. But she could not cover up the puck and her teammates were unable to clear the zone, giving up easy rebounds that Northeastern sent into the back of the net.

"We played lousy defense against Northeastern," Stone said. "Our goalie shouldn't have to make second and third saves in one sequence, and we put her in a tough spot."

But UNH will likely get second chances, and Kuusisto may have to make some big saves in her third collegiate start.

This time, however, her defense will be at full strength with the return of junior Courtney Smith, who missed the Northeastern game with the flu. Smith will rejoin Ruggiero on the first defensive line, and Stone should rotate in four other defensemen-co-captain Claudia Asano, junior Christie MacKinnon and sophomores Jamie Notman and Julie Rando.

Sunday Harvard will host last-place Colby (0-15-0, 0-15-0) at the Bright Center. The White Mules are in their last season as a Division I program and score 0.40 goals a game while giving up 9.73 goals per contest.