One key player to watch will be sophomore Jennifer Raimondi, who will fill in as one of the team’s centers.

“She did a lot of great things for us last year,” Stone says. “[She] really transitioned well, came on strong at the end of the year at the center position versus the wing.”

Fellow sophomore Carry Schroyer and junior Kat Sweet will also play pivotal roles on the wings.

“If Kat’s on top of her game, I’d see her stepping in to one of the top two lines,” Ruggiero says.

The Crimson hopes these players can complement Chu, McAuliffe and Raimondi and put the “pow” back in the team’s power play.

“This is my fourth year at Harvard, and we’ve had the same number one power play all four years. We’ve been number one [in the league in power play percentage] all four years that I’ve been here,” Ruggiero says.

“But the players will be different. And now it’s more of a team effort,” she adds.

“We’re not going to back off as much as I thought we were,” Stone says. “We’re going to be fairly potent offensively.”

Although the Crimson lost a talented class last season, other powerhouse teams around the league did as well, resulting in a leveling effect of sorts.

“It’s not going to be a typical year.” Stone says.

This should make for one of the more exciting and competitive seasons in women’s hockey and Harvard remains optimistic about it’s prospects.

“Providence—that’s our goal for the season,” McAuliffe says. “Everyone knows that’s where we’re going to end up.”

“We’ll go to the Frozen Four this year,” Ruggiero agrees. “Without a doubt.”

—Staff writer John R. Hein can be reached at hein@fas.harvard.edu.