Yet, on college hockey's biggest stage, Harvard had as much a legitimate claim to part of the history of the Frozen Four as all the other great programs there. Scott Fusco with his 240 career points and McDonald, with his 225 deserved as much recognition among the college elite as Broten before them and Paul Kariya and Chris Drury, who won the award after them.

Seeing the role that Harvard once played in college hockey's greatest stage lends hope for the future that Mazzoleni can in the next couple of years put the Crimson back there.

Will sophomore Dominic Moore be a Hobey candidate his senior year? What if freshman Tyler Kolarik converts just half of the magnificent scoring chances his speed and skill generated in his first campaign? How good will Kenny Smith be in three years? How about the three monsters Mazzoleni recruited to join the blueline next year?

These are questions that are starting to be asked about Harvard. The college hockey buzz is circulating in Cambridge again. As has been said on these pages numerous times, the Crimson is heading in the right direction.

The 1980s will probably always remain the golden era for Harvard hockey. But it is not quixotic that the Crimson will again develop into an ECAC powerhouse that consistently makes the NCAA tournament and occasionally excels there. Scholarships are not necessary for success. Next season the top three teams in the conference may very well be Harvard, Cornell and Dartmouth.

As Eagle sophomore Krys Kolanos scored the overtime winner to finally end B.C.'s title drought, it was not too hard imagining a similar celebration by Ed Krayer '92 twelve years ago.

For all the progress Harvard made this year, the Frozen Four was a bittersweet reminder of how great the Crimson was, and ultimately what could be.