Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

The Northeastern men’s hockey team finished the 2015-16 season with a 22-14-5 record, following a difficult 6-2 loss to North Dakota in the first round of the NCAA tournament. But this team won’t be remembered for that outcome. This team will be remembered for its grit and determination, for an improbable season turnaround that featured a 13-game winning streak and 20 wins over the final 24 games, for winning the school’s first Hockey East championship in nearly three decades, and for returning to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2009.

“They raised the bar for Northeastern hockey,” head coach Jim Madigan said of his players in a post-game press conference.

The Huskies battled the North Dakota Fighting Hawks for 60 minutes in their opening-round NCAA matchup on Friday afternoon. Madigan credited North Dakota, which he said features a strong blend of speed and physicality and played at a faster pace Friday. He said his team prepared well and played with grit, but struggled to settle in during the first period, as Northeastern fell behind 3-1. “Our guys gave it everything we had,” he said. “We just didn’t have enough.”

Madigan praised the team’s tremendous senior leadership and its effort throughout the season. “They represented our institution with pride, class, and dignity,” he said.

For a complete game recap, visit GoNU.com.

Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University