Quinn and Lane Hutson are both freshmen but they've been big for the Terriers en route to Tampa.
Boston University is two wins away from its first national championship since 2009. If the Terriers want to net the school's sixth Frozen Four title, they're going to need the Hutson brothers to bring their usual magic.
Lane Hutson, a Montreal Canadiens second-rounder, led the Terriers in scoring this season with 48 points in 38 games - and did so as a defenseman. Very much in the mold of new-school blueliners such as Cale Makar and Adam Fox, Hutson has been a dynamic presence as a freshman and even got Hobey Baker buzz - though ultimately, the finalists have come down to Michigan's Adam Fantilli and two of Hutson's opponents in the semifinal; Minnesota's Logan Cooley and Matthew Knies.
Meanwhile, older brother Quinn Hutson (two years older but also a freshman) sits tied with his brethren for third on the team with 15 goals. Quinn played for USHL Muskegon before he got to college, while Lane was with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. Once foes on the ice, they're now enjoying life on the same squad.
"It's been awesome," Lane said. "He's a super-gifted player with a gifted shot. Just a pure goal-scorer. I saw it when I played against him the past few years and it's pretty cool that I get to play with him now and be on the right side of that shot. Just having him here, we're always pushing each other, whether it's in the weight room or on the ice. It brings out the best in both of us."
The kids grew up in a big-time sports household, two of four hockey-playing brothers. The younger kids are 16-year-old Cole, who is with the NTDP now, and 14-year-old Lars, who plays for the same North Jersey Avalanche program that the other three came through. Father Rob played NCAA and minor pro hockey, while mom Julie was an elite gymnast who made the U.S. junior Olympic team.
"It made being a parent fun," Rob said. "There was always a lot of chaos, a lot of dynamics to work with, but from a competitive standpoint it really built a home competitive culture - you didn't have to go to the rink to compete, you competed in everything."
And when things got too heated in mini-sticks, road hockey or whatever they were playing at the time, there were consequences.
"We always had a rule in our house, and they knew where the line was: If you injured your brother and he had to sit out a game, you had to sit out as well," Rob said. "They pushed hard, but they were pushing each other to the limit."
Whether it was genetics or the environment, there's no doubt the Hutson kids are making a big impact already. Cole just set an NTDP record for points by a U-17 defenseman with 42 and counting, while Lane won the Walter Brown Award as New England's best American-born college hockey player. He was the first freshman to earn the accolade since Brian Leetch.
Habs fans are already amped about Lane's future potential with the team, and he does have all the skills an NHL team covets in a defenseman these days - but he does need to get bigger and stronger. Listed at 5-foot-10 and 155 pounds, Lane undoubtedly has grandmas everywhere urging him to eat more, but the kid just has a fast metabolism.
"Yeah, everything I eat just burns really quickly," he said. "It's tough, but I haven't had any problems with it."
The key is for Lane to put on the right kind of weight - bulk for the sake of bulk would just slow down a player who has already added more quickness to his game. And that's where a top NCAA program such as Boston University comes in handy; weight and strength training is one of the biggest benefits of the college schedule.
So Lane has time to develop before he hits the pro ranks, but the immediate goal right now is to get those wins in Tampa, where the Frozen Four kicks off on Thursday. And with Quinn up front, the Terriers have two Hutsons for opponents to contend with - just don't mess with the brothers, because they stick together. That bond makes their dad beam.
"When you are brothers and best friends, it's even cooler," Rob said. "As hard as they battle with each other, they won't let anybody battle with them. If you want to see Quinn break a stick over someone's head, mess with Lane. I'm very proud of how close they've become - and they've always been close."