Maine and Boston University are both back from last year while UConn and Northeastern are making their first appearance since 2022.

Officially it’s the Hockey East championship, but during the league’s four decades it might as well have been called the Bay State Invitational. Year in, year out there has been at least one and usually two Massachusetts sextets playing for the trophy at TD Garden.

Despite losing to Maine, 5-2, in the Hockey East final on Friday night in Boston, the Huskies are likely to earn their first trip to the NCAA Tournament when the field is announced on Sunday.