Though the teams may bend the rules, this is far from an easy-going exhibition match. The game counts in the standings for the Varsity Reds, which is comprised almost entirely of older players who could not advance past major junior hockey and have returned to school to get a college degree.

They play a rougher style of hockey, and the danger for injury is always high, especially because the Crimson may not be in peak game shape. UNB also has a high propensity to drop the gloves for a fight, an act that would carry a one-game suspension for any Harvard pugilist, exhibition match or not.

The Crimson has been on a training schedule limited by each player's study needs. Last year, Harvard edged UNB 3-2 on a late third-period goal by then-sophomore winger Chris Bala in an extremely tough contest.

Hopefully, this will be the game where junior winger Steve Moore and Bala get untracked. The ultra-talented forwards have combined for just 25 points in 34 total games played.

Men's basketball

At the midpoint of its season, the Harvard men's basketball team has the same record it had at this time last year, but has taken a vastly different route to get there.

Last year, Harvard had posted impressive non-conference wins over B.C. and Santa Clara by the exam break, but stumbled to a 1-3 Ivy start, including two losses to Dartmouth.

The Crimson (7-9, 2-2 Ivy) rode a two-game sweep of traveling partner Dartmouth--picked in some preseason polls to finish as high as second in the Ivy League--to first place in the conference in early January. But a pair of lackluster road losses to Yale and Brown has sent Harvard into its exam break reeling.