The Dartmouth men's hockey team has been on a roll. As of December 20, the Big Green has won three games in a row and emerged victorious in four of its last five contests. Off to its best start since the 1982-83 season, Dartmouth hopes to carry its momentum into the 1996 Auld Lang Syne Classic.

"In the past, we've looked at this tournament as an opportunity to turn things around and get on the right foot," head coach Roger Demment said. "But this year, there's a different feel among the players and the team. It's an opportunity to continue our winning ways and win our first Auld Lang Syne Championship since 1992."

Now in its 15^th year since 1978, although nonconsecutive, the tournament returns to Thompson Arena with a lineup that includes Dartmouth, Northeastern, St. Lawrence and UMass Lowell.

The first game of the Classic, scheduled for 5 p.m., pits Northeastern against St. Lawrence. The Huskies, a member of Hockey East, have been struggling so far under first-year coach Bruce Crowder (formerly of UMass Lowell). After starting the season 2-3-1, Northeastern is winless in its last nine games (0-8-1).

On the other hand, the Huskies' opponent ¯ St. Lawrence ¯ has been playing better hockey recently after an unheavenly start. After opening the season 1-7, the Skating Saints put together a 3-2-1 span prior to their two games in the Grand Rapids Tournament this past weekend. St. Lawrence is a member of the ECAC.

In the nightcap, the Big Green will entertain the River Hawks at 8 p.m. UMass Lowell, third in Hockey East, has been flying high this season under first-year coach Tim Whitehead. After winning the last two games, the River Hawks soar into Hanover with an 8-6 record. Dartmouth has turned in back-to-back six-goal games, but will have its hands full with junior goalie Martin Fillion. Fillion (5-3) has allowed an average of less than three goals per game while stopping more than 91 percent of shots this season. The River Hawks have won the only two lifetime meetings between the clubs, a 4-3 road win in 1990 and a 7-1 home victory in 1991.

"UMass Lowell's hockey program has improved tremendously in recent years," Demment said. "This will be a good test for us." Dartmouth owns the lifetime series with Northeastern, 31-23, but is only 14-36 in its previous 50 matchups with St. Lawrence, including losses in 16 of the last 17 meetings.

Last year, the tournament ¯ called the Sheraton/USAir Classic ¯ was held in Burlington, Vt. Minnesota Duluth defeated Dartmouth for the championship in a field that also included Boston College and Vermont.

UMASS LOWELL NOTES: The River Hawks returned 15 letterwinners from a team that went 26-10-4 last season. . . First-year head coach Tim Whitehead is no stranger to the program, as he spent the past five seasons as an assistant behind the River Hawks' bench. During that time, UMass Lowell compiled a 99-75-19 record (.562). . . Whitehead has quite an offensive weapon in tri-captain Neil Donovan. The senior forward has already registered seven goals and 15 assists in 14 games this season. Donovan has 111 points in his collegiate career. . . Senior Ryan Sandholm (6 g, 8 a) and freshman Greg Koehler (5 g, 9 a) are second on the team with 14 points apiece. . . UMass Lowell has gotten some special play from its special teams. The River Hawks have converted on 20 of 76 of their power plays (26.3 percent), while they have successfully killed 73 of 85 penalties (85.9 percent).

NORTHEASTERN NOTES: First-year coach Bruce Crowder, who built a 99-75-19 record in five years at the UMass Lowell helm, played four seasons in the NHL. As a one-time member of both Boston and Pittsburgh, Crowder scored 47 goals and 97 points in his 243-game career. . . The Huskies, winless in their last nine games (0-8-1) have been outscored 72-39 this season, including 31-11 in the second period. . . Northeastern is 0-8 when trailing after the first period and 0-10 when its opponents score first. . . Junior forward Justin Kearns leads the team in goals (8) and points (10). Junior center Scott Campell (4 g, 5 a) and freshman forward Roger Holeczy (5 g, 4 a) are tied for second on the team with nine points. . . Northeastern has made good on 13 of 69 power-play opportunities (18.8 percent) while killing 60 of 72 penalties (16.7 percent).

ST. LAWRENCE NOTES (Prior to the Grand Rapids Tournament, Dec. 27-28): Head coach Joe Marsh, in his 12th season with St. Lawrence, has a career record of 220-150-15 (.591). Under Marsh, the Skating Saints have made 11 straight post-season appearances and won three conference championships. In addition, his teams have made the NCAAs four time. . . St. Lawrence returns 21 letterwinners from a team which went 20-12-3 and finished third in the ECAC last season. . . Junior Paul DiFrancesco is one of the top offensive players in the region. This season, he has a team-best 20 points (8 g, 12 a) for an average of 1.54 per game. For his career, DiFrancesco has 111 points in just 81 games. . . Senior goalie John Bracco registered 46 saves in shutting out Boston University, 2-0, on Nov. 29. The game before, Bracco made 53 stops in a 6-3 loss at Rensselaer. . . The Saints have been outscored, 22-11, in the third period this season.