By: Jared Shafran, News Staff

Northeastern’s Beanpot ticket sale has always been one of the athletic events I look forward to most each year. It’s always great to see hockey fan base mobilized for something other than a game. Even though it’s just preparation, there’s always excitement around the team and the tournament.

I remember when I went to Matthews during activities period my freshman year three years ago and the line moved so slowly that I had to miss my afternoon class just to make sure I got my ticket. The Huskies were in the top 20 in the USCHO.com poll and things were looking great until they got down 3-0 early in the first period, to Harvard of all teams.

The next year there was even more hype. The team was in the top five of the poll and looked like they would be headed to the NCAA Tournament led by veteran goaltender Brad Thiessen. The university decided they would hold the sale on Saturday morning, so that the fans who really wanted tickets would have to get up at the crack of dawn to get in line. I was up at 6 a.m., and so were hundreds of other students. That year the team got closer, losing a heartbreaker to Boston University in the finals in a highly-publicized No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup.

Last year the Athletics Department had the sale on the holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr., when students in classes and even a few co-op kids had the day off. It was a great idea as they invited the fans to attend a Huskies practice, giving out some snacks and allowing head coach Greg Cronin to address the team. We really came a long way over those three years. From being completely unprepared in 2008 to having it down to a science in 2010, things were changing.

So I went to bed early on Friday night and set my alarm for 7 a.m. last Saturday, ready for the next chapter in Beanpot madness. This year the team is unranked, without any wins against the big-name programs. But, NU does play Harvard in the first round, a team they just beat 3-0 at Matthews Arena last Wednesday night. This year, the line didn’t have that buzz or hype around it. Sure, the diehards were there, but not many other people. Some of the athletics staff said we sold fewer tickets than we have in a long time.

So what happened? The Beanpot should be selling itself. The Athletics Department shouldn’t have to promote these games.

On Wednesday Athletic Director Peter Roby said on his new Twitter account that NU was approached by other schools who were looking to buy up their remaining tickets. In previous years, we were the ones always looking to buy Harvard’s leftovers.

This team hasn’t changed that much. They might not be the favorites in the tournament but the fans have always prided themselves on being the loudest student section down at the Garden. That shouldn’t be any different this year, even if the team hasn’t given us much to cheer about so far.

The Athletics Department is having its third and probably final sale of tickets for students this Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. after the men’s basketball team (which has won two in a row!) hosts Georgia State at 1. p.m.

Let’s not ruin this. Come out and get a ticket and see your team play in this great tradition we have on the first two Mondays in February. I don’t want to be cliché but hey, you never know.