Some tests require more studying than others do.

That's what the No. 6 Harvard women's hockey team learned this reading period as it prepared to take on No. 5 Northeastern and No. 9 Providence tonight and tomorrow at Bright Hockey Center. Faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. both nights.

In particular, the Crimson (9-6-0, 9-2-0) has focused its last week of practice on turning shots into goals. Harvard has routinely outshot its opponents this season, usually at a ratio of nearly two-to-one, but that has not been enough to beat teams with good defenses and quality goaltenders.

"We always outshoot teams, but we realize that we have to work on finishing shots," said sophomore winger Tracy Catlin. "This week we've been working on shooting to score. That means not just shooting to get a shot off, but taking more shots around the net that will get past the goaltender."

Outside of one goal by co-captain Angie Francisco, the second line of Francisco, Catlin and senior winger Kiirsten Suurkask generated plenty of offense but very little scoring last weekend against No. 3 St. Lawrence and Cornell. And the Crimson's next two opponents have the players to slow down Harvard's high-flying offense this weekend if the Crimson cannot produce more quality shots.

The Harvard offense, which is second in the ECAC and scoring an average of 4.13 goals per game, was held in check for most of the weekend even though the Crimson outshot St. Lawrence and Cornell by a combined total of 75-41. Despite the discrepancy on the shot clock, the Saints managed to escape Cambridge with a 3-2 victory last Saturday thanks to timely offense and a 33-save performance from outstanding freshman goaltender Rachel Barrie. On Sunday, the Big Red had the lead after two periods despite a 28-15 Crimson edge in the shot column, but Harvard came to life in the third with three goals to win the game.

Northeastern and Providence play the same physical, defensive hockey that St. Lawrence used to beat Harvard last week. Those defenses start and end between the pipes.

The Huskies (11-4-0, 8-1-0) rely on one of the nation's best netminders in senior Erika Silva, who shut out No. 1 Dartmouth last Friday with 40 saves to hand the Big Green its first loss of the season. Providence, meanwhile, has trusted its crease to rookie Amy Quinlan, who leads the nation in goals-against average (0.74) and save percentage (.967).