This is unfamiliar territory for the Northeastern men’s hockey team. For the first time in 30 years, the Huskies will play on the first Monday in February as the defending Beanpot champions. Instead of asking when they are finally going to win the Beanpot, now their fans are wondering if they can do it again.
“Last year was just a tremendous event,” said coach Jim Madigan. “Finally, our players were able to call themselves Beanpot champions. It allowed the institution, the student body, the alumni, all facets of the university to share in the experience.”
Not only are the Huskies the defending champs, but with a record of 15-8-1 and ranked 12th nationally, they could even be considered the favorites. Northeastern had been ranked as high as eighth this season, but a home-and-home sweep at the hands of the Providence Friars last weekend knocked the Huskies down a peg.
Repeating last year’s feat won’t be easy. In the second game of the opening round, Northeastern will face a Boston University squad that struggled early, but has gone 6-3-1 in its last 10 games. The Terriers (10-11-3) got off to an 0-4 start before coming alive by taking 3 out of 4 points against Northeastern in a home-and-home series in the first weekend of November.
Unlike last year’s high-scoring bunch, the Huskies are winning a different way, relying on veteran defensemen such as Jeremy Davies and Ryan Shea, as well as sophomore goalie Cayden Primeau, to come away with low-scoring affairs.
They have struggled offensively in recent weeks, having scored just five goals in their previous five games. They dropped four of those contests, but the one win was an overtime thriller over then-No. 1 UMass, 2-1.
Freshman Tyler Madden’s winner against the Minutemen went viral, thanks to his celebration in which he skated along the boards before dropping to the ice in a feetfirst slide while using his stick as a kayaker’s paddle.
“I think that’s a young kid thing,” said Northeastern senior Lincoln Griffin when asked about the celebration. “I was right there when he did it. My jaw just dropped, but it definitely made a bunch of people laugh.”
That win illustrated what the Huskies are capable of, as it was not the first time they knocked off a highly ranked opponent. Earlier in the season, Northeastern rallied from a 2-0 deficit against No. 2 St. Cloud State to pull off a 3-2 win on Oct. 27. It was the first loss of the season for St. Cloud State, which now occupies the No. 1 spot in the rankings.
“I think we have confidence,” said Griffin, who grew up in Walpole and played at Thayer Academy. “I don’t know if we’re the favorite or underdog, we’re just looking to get that first win under our belt.”
Primeau recorded a 37-save shutout against Boston College in the first round last year, then followed that up with 38 saves in the 5-2 win over BU in the championship game. He finished with a .973 save percentage and was named the Eberly Award winner as the best goaltender in Beanpot play.
“You need your freshmen to come in and contribute right off the bat,” said Madigan. “We were fortunate last year to have Cayden play a significant role for us in our success in the tournament.”
Whether it’s Madden, Jordan Harris, or one of their classmates, the Huskies may need a freshman to step up this year in the tournament as well.
“They might not feel the pressure, because the pressure is maybe more on the upperclassmen, the leadership of the group,” said Madigan. “That allows them to just settle in. This year we’ve got a couple of freshmen that can provide that same level of contribution.”
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Harvard will take on Boston College in the opener at 5 p.m. At 11-6-3, the Crimson find themselves in contention for an NCAA Tournament berth and have won five of their last six games, including victories over ranked opponents Quinnipiac and Clarkson.
Getting the start in net for Harvard will be senior Michael Lackey, who saw limited action the first three years while playing behind Merrick Madsen. He has seized his opportunity with Madsen’s graduation last spring, posting an 11-5-3 record with a .927 save percentage.
“I think every guy on our team is very competitive, so you’re not happy with sitting,” said Lackey. “But at the end of the day, Mads and I pushed each other, and I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to play alongside Merrick since my freshman year. I think it set me up for my senior year. I learned a lot. Obviously, he had a great college career. I’m just happy I got the experience and learned from him.”
Others in his position might not have exhibited the patience to wait their turn and might have considered transferring, but Lackey said that thought never crossed his mind.
“I didn’t even think about it,” said Lackey. “I love the guys in my class. I love Coach [Ted] Donato and the coaching staff. This is probably the closest team I’ve ever played on.”
Boston College finds itself near the top of the Hockey East standings, but only has a record of 9-12-3, going 0-8 in nonleague action. The Eagles have not won a nonleague game since defeating Arizona State, 3-1, on Nov. 13, 2016. Those struggles outside the league have prevented BC from qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for the last two seasons, despite grabbing at least a share of the Hockey East regular-season title both years.
“That’s something we’re trying to turn around,” said senior captain Casey Fitzgerald. “Obviously, we’ve had a tough out of conference schedule, but that’s no excuse. This will be a good test against Harvard.”
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