Harvard's defense has been good enough to win, but three of its last seven games have gone to overtime, and the Crimson gave up three, four and four goals in those three games.
"We're going to have to tighten up defensively as well as attack them offensively," Mleczko said.
If the teams' styles contrast-Brown is a defensive team and Harvard is an offensive one-their special teams success does not.
Harvard has the best penalty kill in the ECAC at 93.4 percent. The Crimson mad-down unit has given up 10 goals this season, but has scored nine shorthanded goals.
Brown has the conference's second best kill, 90.8 percent, and has given up only four more goals than it has scored while playing with the disadvantage.
Harvard has the second-best power play in the ECAC, scoring 45 goals in The two teams are also clearly the pride of theIvy League. Mleczko, Ruggiero, Shewchuk,Botterill, Mounsey and Brewer make up the entireIvy First Team. Additionally, Harvard's KateyStone was named ECAC Coach of the Year. Brown's most recent game was a 3-0 loss toDartmouth in the ECAC Quarterfinals on Mar. 12,but Mounsey was playing in the Women's HockeyWorld Championships in Finland that weekend. Itwas the only loss for the Bears since they lostback-to-back games Feb. 13--the second gameagainst Harvard--and 14. Harvard is even hotter, however, and if it winsas expected, it will face the winner of the No. 2seed UNH-No. 3 seed Minnesota (27-3-3) gametomorrow at 8 p.m. Boston time. The Crimson hasbeaten UNH, the winner of last year's inauguralAWCHA National Championship, three times thisseason and topped the Gophers in the first game ofthe year at Minnesota, 3-1. "We've seen UNH three times this year, so itwould be more interesting to see Minnesota,"Mleczko said. "It's at Minnesota, so there wouldbe a lot more fans. As far as confidence goes,we've proven we can beat both teams." Springer said she had no preference, butRuggiero hinted that she would rather playMinnesota, although for different reasons. "It doesn't matter, but I was talking to Angie[a Minnesota native], and we said 10 years ago,the men's team beat Minnesota at Minnesota[actually at St. Paul Civic Center] for thenational championship," she said. "We think thatwould be kind of cool to do the same thing 10years later." No matter what, Brown and possibly theUNH-Minnesota winner will have to tangle with aCrimson team that, if the statistics are correct,is the most talented and deepest in the country.Based on its recent close wins, Harvard alsoappears to have the knack to pull out the victory. Maybe Ruggiero puts it best when summing upwhom she would rather play if Harvard makes thefinals. "Either way, bring it on." The Sports Cube Predicts