About six minutes into the second period on Dec. 3, Max McTague and Keegan Costello started throwing their bodies around a little more. That’s when the spark happened and the light flickered to life.

“It took them four periods to wake up and realize that some of the players who were here last year are no longer here, and they’re the ones who have to step up and shine,” said Southern Regional ice hockey head coach Graham Borg.