Josh Caplan, who shared defensive chores with Biotti at Belmont Hill, doesn't have Biotti's size (at 5-ft., 10-in., 160-lb.) or reputation, but the swingman has the skating ability to help the fleet Crimson.
Both Biotti and Caplan come from the same institution that produced Coach Cleary, his brother Bobby '58, the Crimson's all-time leading scorer, Fusco and his older brother Mark '83, who claimed the Hobey Baker Award in his senior season.
Three-year starting goalie Grant Blair may be the key to the whole season.
Blair is 49-27-4 in his three years in the Crimson nets with a goals-against average of 2.90 and a save percentage over 90 percent.
Most important, Blair has saved his best play for the post season each year. He pushed the Crimson to the Final Four his freshman year and claimed the team's MVP award the following season.
Last year, he was selected to the All-ECAC Second Team and sparkled in the playoffs.
Blair is backed up by sophomore John Devin and senior Dickie McEvoy, back after a year off. Neither should play much.
All the elements are there.
"We have the talent," Fusco says, "and that's the first ingredient.
"The one problem is that I don't think a lot of guys realize what it takes to win. We started so well last year, I don't think they realized what happened."
If the Crimson can figure that out and deal with the pressure of being at the top, then that's where it might end up.