Hudak plans to roll his top three lines in order to keep players fresh and the pressure high on Boe and Harvard’s blueliners.

“We’re going to try to put a lot of pressure on the offensive zone,” he says. “They’ve always done an outstanding job defensively. We’re going to try to create traffic to the net.”

If past regular seasons are any indication, both teams can expect a tight game. Stone doesn’t mind one bit.

“It’s not fun to blow teams away,” she says. “We want those tight games, those battles, where the outcome is not determined until the very end. It’s a great opportunity to show your skills and team game plan.”

Now, all that’s left for Hudak to do is hope that Piper, who is still recovering from a head injury, will be well enough for Sunday’s contest. She was carried off the ice on a stretcher during a 4-2 win over New Hampshire on December 12 and has been kept sidelined for the past three weeks.

Crimson co-captain forward Lauren McAuliffe, however, is unfazed by Dartmouth’s predicament—no matter which way the pendulum swings.

“It’s not going to impact how we look at the game, or our mindset,” she says of the possibility of Piper missing Sunday’s contest. “Sure, it’s detrimental to their lineup, but we’re not going to get caught up in that. We’re going to approach this game in the exact same way as we were before.”

After all, it is just that mind-set that has kept challengers at bay for 13 straight—Olympians and non-Olympians alike.

—Staff writer Pablo S. Torre can be reached at torre@fas.harvard.edu.