Action Jackson: W. Hockey Peaking at the Right Time

No. 9 Northeastern was a confidence builder. No. 1 Dartmouth was revenge. No. 6 Brown has made it a bandwagon.

After falling to Princeton, 3-2, two weeks ago, the No. 3 Harvard women's hockey team has defeated three top-ten teams in a row for the first time this season.

"We just came off the big win against Dartmouth and were ready to beat whomever was in our path," said senior winger Kiirsten Suurkask.

The Crimson (18-7-0, ECAC 17-3-0) shutout Brown (15-5-3, 12-5-3) 5-0 last night, which all but assures Harvard of a top-two finish in the ECAC regular season.

"Brown has always been a nemesis," Suurkask said. "When we won the national championships, they were the only team that beat us, and ever since it's a big game every time we play Brown."

Harvard is peaking at the just the right time. If the past ten days were a make or break point in the season, the Crimson has made it.

The big players have been scoring the big goals. The second line has found new life. The goaltending has been absolutely spectacular.

"The kids are stepping up when we need them to, and it has been Kiirsten for the past couple of games," said Harvard Coach Katey Stone. "As long as someone steps up, however, it doesn't matter who it is as long as they're there."

Heading into the season, everyone knew the top-line would be dominant. Senior winger Tammy Shewchuk, junior co-captain Jennifer Botterill and sophomore winger Kalen Ingram were expected to perform. They have.

What has made the difference in the past week is the performance of everyone else.

Suurkask has scored four goals in her past three games after going 17 without finding the back of the net.

Last night, Suurkask scored a pair, including the game-winner. In the previous week, she scored the game-tying goal against Dartmouth and the goal that forced overtime in the Beanpot final against Northeastern.

Sophomore winger Tracy Catlin, Suurkask's linemate, scored her first goal in six games last night and knotted her first assist in seven games just last Saturday against Dartmouth.

Even senior Tara Dunn, who is filling in for injured co-captain Angie Francisco on the second line with Suurkask and Catlin, is quietly contributing. Dunn has picked up assists in three consecutive games, and prior to Saturday she had not had assists in back-to-back games all season.

Although kept off the score sheet for the past five games, the third line has been pulling more than its usual weight during Harvard's recent run.

According to Stone, the third line was the best line on the ice for the first two periods of Harvard's 4-3 OT win over Northeastern last Tuesday. If the trio of freshman Lauren McAuliffe, junior Vanessa Bazzocchi and freshman Mina Pell can continue to eat ice-time early in the game, they may be the Crimson's biggest weapon.

With the third line staying on the ice, the top two lines can rest for when it really counts.

"The last three weeks have been pretty grueling for us," Stone said. "Our conditioning has been a huge bonus for us. As a result, we've been able to maintain a high level of play."

Harvard has also been getting some stellar play in pressure-filled games from freshman goaltender Jessica Ruddock.

"Ruddock earned the shutout today, no question about it," Stone said. "Some days you get lucky on a shutout, but she had to come up with a very solid performance tonight. She kept us in it today."

Ruddock registered 37 saves last night for the first time in her career as the Crimson exploded at the other end of the ice against one of the conference's top goaltenders.

Brown netminder Pam Dreyer had not allowed more than four goals in a single game all season, and she had allowed four only twice, once against Harvard earlier in the year.

Brown outshot Harvard 37-24 last night. It was only the fourth time all season the Crimson has been outshot and Ruddock made the difference.

"Everyone understands that she's a freshman and we can't too much pressure on her," Stone said. "We are trying to build some consistency. Everyone of these big games is the first for her."

The Harvard team hopes that Ruddock has more big games left in her as the Crimson enters the stretch run and prepares for the playoffs.

Harvard could still finish first, but it would need some help. Harvard trails Dartmouth by just one point, but the Big Green has lost only twice all season and has a relatively easy finish to the season.

"Brown and Harvard have the toughest roads till the end of the season," Stone said. "We understand that every game is going to be a dogfight, and if we lose our edge, we are going to be vulnerable."

With victories last night and Saturday, however, Harvard has almost guaranteed itself of a showdown with St. Lawrence in the ECAC semi-finals.

While only the ECAC and WCHA conference playoff champions receive automatic bids to the Final Four, the winner of a Harvard-St. Lawrence semifinal game would be assured of an at-large bid regardless of its performance in the final. The loser would most likely be done for the season.

Harvard is currently four points ahead of No. 5 St. Lawrence, who sits third in the conference, with four games remaining.

Last night was the Crimson's last test against the one of conference's elite before the playoffs, and the team passed with flying colors.

Harvard still has to play three top-ten teams, Northeastern, No. 8 UNH and No. 10 Providence, in its final four games. But compared to the past ten days, those challenges may be anti-climatic.

"We can't slack off at all," Suurkask said. "It's great that we're playing teams that are fighting for playoff spots. It makes us fight and work harder. If we are going to win, we need to come with our best game."