"We're probably not as big as the other teams." Cleary says. "But it's good to have someone like Neil that can keep those teams honest. Neil's size adds an extra dimension to our team."

Sheehy, et al.

The youngest member of an extremely hockey-oriented family. Sheehy learned his skills from several older brothers. And when he enrolled at Harvard. Sheehy brought an already familiar name back to Boston hockey.

While Neil was the first Sheehy to play at Harvard, three brothers had already made the family name famous at Boston College. Brother Tim (B.C. '70) earned All-American honors as an Eagle, before moving on to nine years of professional hockey.

"I came here to play and everyone's talking about Tim Sheehy," Neil recalls. "It sort of put me in the limelight right from the start."

And ever since Tim retired from the pros two years ago, he has acted as Neil's unofficial coach. Neil often calls his older brother, who rarely misses a Harvard game, for a quick analysis of his play in a recent game.

Tim still has no verdict on his brother's play last weekend in the ECAC tournament, but the younger Sheehy is happy with his performance.

While he didn't match last year's hat trick feat (in the semi-final game against Clarkson). Sheehy feels he "played as strongly as ever in those two ECAC playoff games."

"I'd have to say winning that tournament is my biggest highlight," Sheehy says. "I wanted Providence all the way and we got them. I love beating those scholarship schools. We want to be here [at Harvard] because we want to be here. All those other players are bought and paid for."

Sheehy hopes to become one of those players bought and paid for--but only after he completes his Harvard education. "I'd like to get invited to try out for the Olympics and then eventually I'd like to give the pros a shot," he says. The Hartford Whalers have already scouted the four-year Crimson veteran.

"But if I don't make it. I won't be a frustrated hockey player." Sheehy says. "I'll just go on to other things."

Certainly, Sheehy has had plenty of practice at "other things." Finding ways to finance his college education. Sheehy has been involved in business ventures ranging from selling shirts to selling hockey hats to throwing parties at local discos.

"I started peddling papers when I was about six and I realized I liked to count money," Sheehy says. "In fact, I love to count money. You know, I've always been good at counting money.

"So when I came to Boston, I realized there were 50,000 college kids, and I started looking for ways to make some money. One thing led to another and, well, hey, I say whatever pays the bills, goes," he adds. "Now everyone always says go find Sheehy for a deal."

The only project Sheehy is currently working on, however, is finding a way to win that elusive NCAA championship. "There's no doubt in my mind we can do it," Sheehy says of the national title. "All we have to do is keep skating like we have been."

But even if no NCAA flag flies in Bright Center after this season, Sheehy says he will have enough memories from the ECAC flag. "Now I can understand why all the alumni are so thrilled when they come back and talk about how great that Billy Cleary was," he says. "When I come back and look up at that flag that says 'ECAC Champs, 1983. I'll be able to talk about Mark Fusco's tremendous slapshot from the point or Scott Fusco's amazing goal while he's sliding on the ice.

"I've been a part of that and that's something I'll always remember."