BOSTON — The Northeastern Huskies are now the nomadic tribe of Hockey East.
That unenviable distinction went into effect following Saturday’s night’s heartbreaking 4-3 loss to Beanpot rival Boston University before a capacity crowd at Matthews Arena.
Matthews had been the Huskies’ home since 1979 when the school obtained a no-cost lease from the Mass. Department of Public Works to refurbish the original Boston Arena, which opened its doors in 1910. The structure was rebranded Matthews Arena three years later.
The school will begin demolition of the olde barn located on St. Botolph Street and nestled between Mass. Ave. and Gainsborough Street beginning in January. It will be replaced by a new facility that is expected to cost between $300 and $350 million and will go online in August of 2028. Until then, the Huskies are in for an extended period without a home arena.
Between the demolition of Matthews Arena and the construction of the new facility, the Huskies will redefine what it means to be a “good road team.”
The Huskies will shuttle the remainder of this season between BU’s Walter Brown Arena, Bentley, Harvard, Lowell, and Portland, Maine, against the Maine Black Bears on Feb. 27. Northeastern’s next “home” game will be against New Hampshire on Sunday, Jan. 18, at Walter Brown.
Northeastern Athletic Director Jim Madigan had to make practice arrangements and find open arena dates in the area to keep both the men’s and women’s programs viable during the transition.
“We’ve got a practice facility in the Boch (Ice Center) in Dedham where we have built our locker rooms and training rooms and there are strength and conditioning there and equipment rooms,” said Madigan. “We’ve got some pretty nice setup there and the folks at Boch rink have been great.
“Our home games will obviously be at away sites. Our partners in the area have been tremendously accommodating to us. We have to get acclimated to it and become a good road team. We are going to have to be.
“There are going to be distractions and disruptions, it is what it is. What doesn’t change is that this university is a top 50 university. This university still plays in the best college hockey conference in the country in Hockey East for men and women.
“What doesn’t change is the fact we are still in Boston and playing in the Beanpot. There is still a lot going on in the program and we will build on that through a little resiliency and resolve from our kids.”
Building team chemistry begins in training camp where incoming freshmen combine with portal transfers to integrate with the returning players. NU head coach Jerry Keefe had to create that necessary but fragile entity with an enormous cloud of uncertainty hanging over his program.
Despite it all, the Huskies are 10-6-0 overall, tied with Maine for fourth place in Hockey East (5-4-0) and ranked 13th in the USCHO poll.
“I think you’ve got to take it as a challenge,” said Keefe. “You have to have the right type of guys in your locker room and I think we had a pretty good first half here.
“From there we are going to be in a situation where hopefully they are all meaningful games so every game is going to be easy to get up for. I know we have the right group that is going to be up for the challenge.”
Keefe’s conduit to the clubhouse is senior captain Vinny Borgesi, a 5-8, 185-pound, dynamo from Philadelphia. Borgesi has competed in 115 games at Northeastern and he understands the responsibilities that come with wearing the capital ‘C’ on his jersey.
“For us personally, I think we have got the right group of guys in that room,” said Borgesi. “I haven’t really talked about it much but again personality wise, what we have in that locker room I know is going to take it in and face this challenge straight ahead.
“There are going to be ups and there are going to be downs. But again, there are a great 28 guys in that room and we are going to be ready for it.”
While most of his teammates will be home for the holidays, Borgesi will be in Davos, Switzerland, competing for the U.S. Collegiate Selects team in the 2025 Spengler Cup tournament. The U.S. opens against Canada on Dec. 26.
“I am excited for it honestly and it is something I have been looking forward to,” said Borgesi. “It is a great opportunity for me and I am excited to go out there and put my best foot forward and help that team win.”
