“We dug our own hole, and we have to find a way to get out of this thing and take the next step in our program,” Mazzoleni said. “This is the second time in a row that we have made the Regionals, and we haven’t taken the next step.”

And just what is that step?

“We have to become a better defensive team consistently, and we have to become a more disciplined team,” Mazzoleni said.

Last year, Mazzoleni pointed to the lack of depth on the forward lines and said competition for lineup spots would improve consistency. That depth arrived this year, and so did the steady play.

But the Crimson did not have the same luxury on the blue line—with junior Blair Barlow playing mostly forward, the team had just six defensemen for six slots.

That should change next season with the arrival of hotshot recruit Dylan Reese, who could give this year’s regulars stiff competition for that last lineup spot.

Perhaps defensive depth will be the key to further progress for the men’s hockey program. But if it isn’t, Harvard might be staring at the same wall one year from today.