The Northeastern community celebrated the men’s hockey Beanpot championship on Tuesday at Matthews Arena, where speakers honored the players and coaching staff and thanked the fans for their outstanding support.

The celebration began when the players took the ice donning their white team sweaters and red Beanpot champions hats, and they were greeted to booming applause from the fans in attendance. Jim Madigan, the Fernie Flaman Endowed Men’s Hockey Coach, called the team “a special group” that welcomed the challenge to end Northeastern’s 30-year drought in the storied tournament.

The Huskies defeated the Boston University Terriers, 5-2, Monday night to win the 66th Beanpot Tournament in front of a massive cheering section of Northeastern fans at TD Garden. To those fans, Madigan said: “To hear you spur our team on, the noise, the cheering, the excitement that you provided us, the momentum you provided us, was just awesome.”

President Joseph E. Aoun thanked Madigan for his leadership and for teaching him about hockey when he arrived at Northeastern a decade ago. Aoun then turned to the team. “You guys were inspiring,” he said. “We are very proud of you.”

To hear you spur our team on, the noise, the cheering, the excitement that you provided us, the momentum you provided us, was just awesome.

Jim Madigan, Fernie Flaman Endowed Men’s Hockey Coach

Peter Roby, who is retiring as the university’s athletic director, summed up the elation the entire Northeastern community felt this morning. “We all woke up this morning as the 2018 Beanpot champions,” he said.

“It’s been my honor for the last 10-and-a-half years to be the athletic director at Northeastern and work with wonderful men and women like the players here today who’ve won this championship.” Last month, Northeastern named Jeffrey Konya as Roby’s successor.

Northeastern alumnus Paul Filipe, DMSB’83, played for the Huskies when Northeastern won its first Beanpot title in 1980, and his son, Matt, is now a sophomore forward on the team. He told the players that winning the Beanpot would only strengthen the lifelong bond this group now shares.

With the Beanpot victory secured, both Madigan and Northeastern captain Nolan Stevens also looked ahead to the team’s future goals. Next up: finishing the regular season strong and taking the Hockey East tournament. “We’re not done,” Stevens said. “This is just the start.”

The celebration closed with a tribute video, and then the players skated the Beanpot trophy around the Matthews Arena ice. Afterward in the lobby, fans congratulated the team and had their pictures taken with the Beanpot trophy.