"We've already started to try and do more with our history," Mazzoleni said. "We've redone the team photos and plaques around the arena. It's a start."

Mazzoleni is not at fault here. He's tried to put some more life back into Harvard home games. The best contribution he's made by far is the exciting team that he puts on the ice every game. But there are little things too, like buying a CD of familiar organ music and cheers to rile up the crowd and keep the game interesting during stoppages in play. When the band is not there, Bright can resemble a mortuary.

Harvard hockey is in need of a facelift. The most pressing need was a winning team, but if it is going to consistently draw fans it needs to modernize its presentation of the contest as well.

As much as it's nice to hear the band rile up the crowd with Harvard's magnificent fight songs, the sport itself is one of rock music and rowdy fans. A group of students has recently shown the school some of the essence of college hockey by printing up shirts that say, "A Pucking Good Time. Win or Lose, We Booze," on the back.

Now there is no need to show up to a game hammered, but the university has not given much thought to the total package presented at the arena.

Cleary, incidentally was part of the problem as well. He preached the fast skating, end-to-end style of hockey that distinguishes the college game from the pros. Somewhere he lost the complete ethos that can enthrall an arena when students, alumni and local fans rally together to boisterously and viscously support the home team

This attitude makes it pure torture to travel to Cornell's Lynah Rink, Clarkson's Cheel Arena, or Appleton at St. Lawrence. Sure, these are among the best programs in the conference, but they also have some of the best fans as well.

Harvard will be hosting Yale again this weekend for the first round of the ECAC playoffs. The team earned home ice advantage with consistent enough play through the year. The little things, like retiring numbers, could help make it as large a home ice advantage as possible.