I’m not going to beat around the bush, I’m just going to say it.
We lost the Beanpot.
Plain and simple, the fact is we lost. For the 29th time in their school’s history, that squad from Commonwealth Avenue stepped up their game and won on the second Monday in February. There’s no blaming the referees, bad luck, superstitions or conspiracy theories. We lost.
I know it meant a lot to the players, the coaches, the students and alumni to end the two-decade drought.
If anybody was at the Garden, and by the number of Northeastern supporters I saw I’m sure a lot of you were, there was a noticeable buzz in the student section in anticipation for what might come at the end of the night. Husky fans easily filled up the allotted sections and spilled into the sections reserved for Boston College and Harvard.
NESN mentioned it on air and many reporters and bloggers from other media outlets commented on it as well:’ Northeastern fans were loud Monday night.
I think we proved even in the waning seconds of defeat that we have a dedicated fan base that supports our team throughout. And though we are disappointed, we cannot let a non-conference tournament in February mark the end of our season.
Head coach Greg Cronin downplayed the tournament before it even began. Although the thought of holding the trophy as the city champions is a nice honor, that it not what Northeastern is playing for this season.
More than a month remains in the season and NU has bigger goals ahead.
‘The nice thing about this season is, we’re still in a fight for first place,’ Cronin said after the defeat.
Even winning coach Jack Parker has said his team must start focusing on the remainder of the schedule instead of basking in the victory.
And the coaches are right. Even though Northeastern lost to a team in the same conference, the result has no effect on Hockey East standings. Four weekends remain in the regular season. The Huskies have already clinched a spot in the Hockey East Playoffs and are in a position to earn home-ice advantage for the first round of play in the tournament.
Matthews Arena hasn’t hosted a Hockey East quarterfinal game since the 1998-99 season. It would be awesome to have the arena sold out for some playoff hockey games.
My point is this:’ it is natural to be upset after Monday’s result, but do not let it ruin what has been one of this school’s best hockey seasons. A lot of hockey is left to be played and the Huskies will be a factor in the national landscape come March. The atmosphere around the team has been exciting and should continue the rest of the way.
So what to say should other fans start chanting ‘Where’s your Beanpot?’ (clap clap, clap-clap-clap)
‘Still in first place!’ (clap clap, clap-clap-clap)

‘- Patrick McHugh can be reached at
[email protected].