And for the Crimson, maybe that was the most important thing: fun.

Even with all the penalties (it was BC, after all), the Crimson showed that work ethic brings results. And success usually lifts the spirit.

"In the first period, everyone was a little rusty," Cohagan said. "Sometimes you lose a step over the break. But we kept working hard. It was exactly what we needed."

One resolution down, many more to go. But maybe this drive for success doesn't have to be about sacrifice at all.

"As long as we keep working, we'll be all set," Tomassoni said. "This team still hasn't played its best hockey. I think that's very encouraging."

G. Bart Kasowski is a Crimson Staff Writer. ECAC TEAM LEADERS (44 of 132 GAMES PLAYED)

Offense (goals/gm) 1. Yale  4.91 2. Harvard  4.63 3. Brown  4.38

Defense (allowed/gm) 1. St. Lawrence  2.25 2. Harvard  2.56 3. Rensselaer  2.57

Penalty Minutes/Game 1. Princeton  29.5 2. Colgate  23.5 3. Rensselaer  22.0

Power Play 1. Yale  41.5% 2. Harvard  28.8% 3. Rensselaer  27.0%

Penalty Killing 1. Rensselaer  92.3% 2. Brown  85.4% 3. Harvard  83.3% St. Lawrence  83.3%

Home Attendance 1. Rensselaer  4,368 2. Vermont  4,035 3. Cornell  3,733