The real X-factor in this weekend’s contest could boil down to the play of both goalies. On the St. Lawrence side, two-time all-American Rachel Barrie has been the anchor of the team’s success, giving up only 1.25 goals per game when the team wins, as compared to over four in the losses. To her team, however, she influences play in more than just her shot-stopping abilities.

“One thing that definitely doesn’t show up on the stat sheet is the confidence she gives to her young defensemen,” Flanagan said.

In last weekend’s 3-0 blanking of Dartmouth, Barrie sparked the decisive moment of the game. Cherie Piper had a clear open chance to bring Dartmouth to within one at 2-1 when Barrie made a save and sent the puck up the boards, leading to St. Lawrence’s third goal of the game.

In the Crimson’s loss to Dartmouth this season, the impressive play of the Big Green’s Christine Capuano was one of the key factors in the Harvard loss.

“We’ve had some problems this year with good goalies, and Berrie is definitely one of those,” Ruggiero said. “We’ve been working lately on crashing the net and concentrating on getting the rebound.”

But Harvard’s history against Barrie is a little brighter than other conference opponents, scoring 4.45 goals per game with a record of 3-0-2 in their last five contests.

Either way the weekend series goes, one streak or another will fall—Harvard’s five-game unbeaten streak versus Barrie or the Saints’ eight-game winning streak.

Both games to decide tops in the ECAC—and should Harvard sweep, most likely the nation—will be played on the Crimson’s home ice, at 7 p.m. on Friday night and 4 p.m. Saturday.

—Staff writer Gabe M. Velez can be reached at gmvelez@fas.harvard.edu./