Against Duluth, 22 shots were enough to earn the Crimson five goals. But offensively, Duluth was on fire, scoring eight goals on 33 shots for an 8-5 win.

This year, however, Harvard may be able to outgun the Bulldogs.

“They’re good, but they don’t play a lot of defense,” Hagerman said. “We have to keep the puck deep in their zone.”

Harvard has momentum on its side, having downed No. 4 Dartmouth 9-2 last Saturday with a 34-shot performance.

This weekend, however, Harvard will have to contend with tough goaltending, particularly against Duluth in senior Patricia Sautter, a member of the Swiss national team.

For the Crimson, goaltending is a question mark. Having faced only 17 shots against Dartmouth and Vermont last weekend, neither junior Jessica Ruddock nor freshman Ali Boe have been tested this season. Ruddock faced Minnesota last season, but is coming off a hip injury. Boe, a freshman, has never faced attacks of this caliber.

It will be up to an improved Harvard defense, led by junior and U.S. Olympian Angela Ruggiero to protect its goaltenders form the onslaught.

On paper, these matchups look too close to call.

“It’s still early, and both teams will change and grow,” said center and captain Jen Botterill.

Botterill is another Olympian that will be on display in a weekend that will display some of the highest quality women’s hockey in the world.

While rankings will be at stake, the game has greater significance than NCAA polls.

“It’s about bragging rights,” Holldorson said.

Stone was hesitant to place that kind of importance on the weekend.

“I don’t think there are any bragging rights until the end of March because you haven’t won anything yet,” Stone said.

Perhaps judgment day will only come to Duluth in March. This weekend, however, has the looks of an exciting sneak preview.

—Staff writer David A. Weinfeld can be reached at weinfeld@fas.harvard.edu.