Last year Northeastern prevailed, 2-1, in overtime before an unprecedented crowd of 10,633. Is that attendance record about to be broken?
One year ago the Northeastern Huskies were celebrating the greatest night of their hockey lives. Are they about to upstage it?
Coach Dave Flint’s team will return to TD Garden at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday for the Women’s Beanpot final — a rematch of their historic 2024 triumph against Boston University.
That memorable evening culminated in a 2-1 overtime win on a pair of goals by tournament MVP Skylar Irving before a crowd of 10,633 at TD Garden — the largest to ever watch a women’s hockey game in New England.
Will this week’s rematch break that attendance record?
Will the Huskies win their third straight Women’s Beanpot — while adding to their unmatched total of 19 titles?
Extending their Beanpot success won’t be easy. BU (14-6-1 overall) holds a four-point advantage over Northeastern in the Hockey East standings. But Northeastern (14-6-1) is No. 8 nationally in the PairWise rankings, six spots ahead of the Terriers.
The Huskies are confident that the intense environment will bring forth their best effort. Their 4-2 Women’s Beanpot semifinal win over Boston College last Tuesday was inspired by a record Matthews Arena women’s hockey crowd of 3,298.
Irving says she and her teammates are motivated by the support of their fans.
“As a team we don’t view it as pressure,” she says. “I think more so we view it as privilege, these high-stakes moments. We love them and we want to show up every single time that the ‘pressure’ is there. Like the saying goes, pressure is a privilege, and I think our team really leans into that.”
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The Huskies are fully aware that their fan base — led by the student “DogHouse” — is the loudest in Boston.
“We have, hands down, the best fan section in college hockey,” says Irving, a senior forward who leads the Huskies in points for a second straight season. “They show up for us all the time and we want to show up for them. Last year at TD Garden it felt like a home game — like no matter where you looked you saw Northeastern fans cheering you on. So that’s incredible. It means a lot to us.”
Irving contributed two assists in the semifinal win over BC, providing her with another title opportunity in her final Beanpot.
“It’s a full-circle moment for me,” she says. “I think about the younger me, just thinking about how cool this could be, looking at the fans and playing on that ice that the Bruins play on, that I watch on TV all the time. I just want to take in the experience with my teammates and I know we’re going to do great things. I’m looking forward to it.”
The Huskies’ haven’t been nearly so prolific offensively since the 2023 departure of forwards Alina Mueller, Maureen Murphy and Chloé Aurard (all starring now in the Professional Women’s Hockey League). Aerin Frankel and Gwyneth Philips, both awarded as national goalies of the year, have been replaced in the net by Lisa Jönsson, a freshman from Sweden. And yet the Huskies have maintained their winning identity amid the roster overhaul.
“We’ve had a ton of incredible players throughout the years and there’s been this legacy that they’ve left behind and that we all want to continue,” Irving says. “The Beanpot is a Northeastern thing and we want to always be at the forefront of it. There’s a standard at Northeastern: If you’re putting on that Husky jersey, you’re going to uphold it and you’re going to do whatever you can to help us get another one.”
“It’s a testament to the past players we’ve had, the past leadership we’ve had,” Flint adds. “They’ve created a culture within the program. They have laid the groundwork for this team and future teams.”
There will be no surprise if another record audience is greeting Northeastern Tuesday at TD Garden. And likewise no surprise if the Huskies give their fans more to celebrate.
“When you have a big crowd, especially when they’re on your side, that boosts everybody’s energy level,” Flint says. “When that many people show up, the players don’t want to let their fans down. They want to put their best foot forward. It makes it that much more exciting for everybody.”