Tap, Tap, Tap.

With that noise, the Harvard men’s hockey team broke out of its post-exam funk.

Sure, it’s a routine sound during most hockey games—the result of a player hitting his stick on the ice. Three times, to be exact.

But it meant more on Friday night.

Tap, Tap, Tap.

I don’t remember hearing it during Harvard’s 6-3 loss to Cornell on Feb. 1. Nor the day after that at Colgate. Certainly not against Northeastern in the Beanpot.

But I heard it during the Crimson’s 6-0 rout of Vermont. It told me something: the boys are back.

Tap, Tap, Tap.

The first time I noticed the sound was about 13 minutes into the game. Sophomore wingers Tyler Kolarik and Rob Fried had just scored back-to-back goals to put Harvard firmly in control of the game. All of a sudden, the Crimson was a different team. It was truly amazing—a complete metamorphosis.

This was not the Harvard team who mustered only 16 shots on goal during the Colgate loss. On this night, the Crimson totaled that many in the first period alone.

This was not the same Harvard team that was beaten in its three previous games. And I use the word “beaten” because there’s a difference between losing and being beaten. You can lose and not be beaten: sometimes you just don’t catch the breaks.

Well, Harvard was beaten three times in a row.

But that’s ancient history now. This was a new team, but at the same time the “Cardiac Crimson” of old. The team who thrilled the Bright Hockey Center faithful with three late-game comebacks early in the season. The one who beat No. 8 Cornell and tied No. 11 Michigan.

The boys are back.

Tap, Tap, Tap.