Winning Isn’t Everything

Northeastern Hockey Fans Continue Support Despite Inconsistent Teams

Editor's Note: I wrote this piece for Jack Falla's sports journalism class after the first round of the 2008 Beanpot Tournament. Professor Falla passed away in September, but he would have loved the enthusiasm Northeastern fans came with to Agganis Arena on Sunday night to support the visiting Huskies. He certainly also would have appreciated the stellar goaltending on both sides of the ice. This piece may be dated, but it is still a good indication of just how rabid and relentless Northeastern Hockey fans are.

(February, 2008)
At 11:30 PM on Monday night, chants of “Let’s Go Huskies” resonated from sections 309 – 313 of the balcony of T.D. Banknorth Garden. Although Northeastern had fallen 3 –1 to Harvard nearly four hours earlier, a contingent of fans remained deep into overtime of the late game in the first round of the annual Beanpot tournament.

Many of the students among the Northeastern Hockey faithful were not born in time to witness their team’s last Beanpot Championship twenty years ago. Those who were alive probably don’t remember it.

Despite a tradition of inconsistent annual tournament play and league competition, new generations of Northeastern fans have continued to rally behind their school’s hockey program and cheer for their Huskies. This year, the 1,500 tickets allotted for Northeastern students sold out in a record six hours.

Before the opening face-off, the resurgent Huskies squad, ranked nationally this year as high as seventh, was expected to put up a strong showing in the tournament. But not everyone who calls Matthews Arena home anticipated victory. “Any Northeastern fan has zero expectations. We’re just along for the ride. We had a three win season two years ago, and that humbles you a lot,” says Dave Luca, NU ’04. “We haven’t tasted success in a while, so we’re cautiously optimistic for this year.”

Luca is among the Northeastern fans who remain devoted despite repeated dashed hopes. Like many other students, Luca did not follow hockey before going to college. However, upon arriving at Northeastern, he started attending games. As he says, “Once you’re hooked, even if your team’s not doing what you want them to do, you keep coming back.”

The team didn’t exactly do what fans hoped for Monday. Seven minutes into the game, the Crimson had already scored three goals on Northeastern goaltender Brad Thiessen. Throughout the first period, the Huskies played sloppy hockey, turning the puck over in their own zone, and taking penalties while they were on the power play. With each miscue, the Northeastern “Dog House” got a little bit more restless. After the third goal, the students voiced their displeasure, chanting in unison, “Wake the **** up!”

The Huskies just one came with 28 seconds remaining in the second. The Northeastern fans remained until the final whistle, desperately trying to will their team to score. Despite strong student support, Northeastern lost the game 3-1, ensuring yet another year without a Beanpot championship.

But it would take more than a first-round tournament loss to take out this battle-hardened crew. Not only have the Husky fans been denied the Beanpot for two full decades, but their team hasn’t put up winning season since 2001 – 2002. Since then, over the past five seasons, Northeastern has posted a record of 52 – 87 – 27, including the record team-low three win season two years ago.

Still, fans continue to fill the seats, home and away, donning the Black and Red, in dogged support of their team, support that former Husky winger and current Northeastern Assistant Coach Joe Santilli says is invaluable to the team. “It’s been great, it’s been the buzz around campus. For the players it’s great to know the fans will be there. We go to Maine or U-Mass Lowell and the fans are there,” Santilli says. “They follow us and they support us through the ups and downs. They know hockey, and they root hard, and it’s important for the players.”

But what keeps these faithful fans coming back year after year, even in the absence of championship banners and Beanpots?

Santilli believes the close ties between students and collegiate athletes help rally a campus around a team. “In professional sports, it’s just your home-team, and you root for them, but there’s no interaction,” he says. “Here you know the kids on the team. I knew a lot of kids in the dog house when I played. They’d come up to you in class and talk to you and you form a lot of good relationships as well.”

Many students are drawn into the world of collegiate sports just by attending a few games. Phil Goldhar, a NU freshman, didn’t follow hockey before coming to school, but he hasn’t missed a home game this season. “I think just being there, the atmosphere gets you hooked,” Goldhar says. “Northeastern doesn’t really have a lot of competitive sports, so the fact that we can rally around something, especially because they’re doing so well this year is really a big incentive. It really brings everyone out on a Friday night.”

Senior Lisa Donnelly says that even a losing team doesn’t drive their fans away. “The whole experience keeps me coming back. Our fans are some of the best fans I’ve ever got to cheer with,” Donnelly says. “It’s just the whole spirit of the fans and the team and everything. It makes the games fun even when you’re losing.”

Mike Biglin, Sports Editor of the MetroWest Daily News in Framingham, and Northeastern class of 1991, credits the continued support to hope that things will turn around. “They’ve had some tough times, and they’re just starving for a winner,” Biglin says. “The hockey team has been awful for years, but I feel like they sense a bit of a rebound… There’s a ground-swelling, and it feels like things are on the upturn.”

Biglin was a freshman at Northeastern the last time they took home the Beanpot, and like so many other students, he has passionately rooted for his team since arriving on campus. He thinks events like the Beanpot can help keep a collegiate fan base strong. “The Beanpot is a unique thing. It really brings people out sort of like a homecoming football game,” he says. “We gather and share memories and watch the game.”

Collegiate sports teams have the advantage over professional teams in that while they retain their old fans and alumni, they also gather a boost of energy every year from a fresh incoming class of freshmen.

Collegiate ticket pricing is also a selling point for students. Most colleges, including Northeastern, offer students free tickets to home games. According to Forbes, the average price of tickets for Boston Bruins home games is over fifty dollars, beyond the reach of many students.

Combine economy with the community and loyalty that evolve rooting for fellow classmates, and college sports gains yet another bonus over the pro-game. “I think the collegiate game is a lot more exciting for some reason,” senior Craig Malcolmson says. “I think with the fan support and the student sections, it’s just much more exciting than going to an NHL game.”

Biglin, who covered Huskies hockey for The Northeastern News from 1989 – 1991, acknowledges that the Beanpot consolation game is a let-down, especially when fans enter the arena with high hopes for a first round win. “If the dog pound does show up next week, I will be shocked, and I will have a lot of respect for them, because there is nothing worse on the planet than the consolation game in the Beanpot,” he says. “I will think they’re completely insane, but I will have a lot of respect for them.”

But freshman K.C. Mancuso believes that even though fans are disappointed, they will still turn out in force for the consolation game on Monday. “Although I do think some students sold their tickets, I think for the most part students here will still go,” she says.

She also admits that there is an added bonus to this particular consolation game. “It would be awesome if we could put BU in fourth place. Obviously BU and NU is a big rivalry. We just want to beat the guys who always win,” Mancuso says. “But even if we lose in the consolation game, students will still feel a sense of pride for the Huskies and stand by them.”

Coach Santilli agrees, saying, “I think there will be a lot of fans there. I know there’s a lot of loyalty here towards the school and the team, and I don’t think one loss is going to affect that, even if it is in the Beanpot.”

Even after twenty years and untold disappointments, don’t expect the Huskies fans to go home any time soon. Fans agree the chants from the Northeastern corner of the Garden won’t subside until long after third place is settled. They might be insane, as Mike Biglin says, but they are certainly dedicated.

--Phil DiMartino