By Evan Brunell

Northeastern men’s hockey, which rose to prominence in the ’80s and was a founding member of the Hockey East, now struggles for attention as Boston College, Boston University and Harvard steal all the headlines – what headlines can be devoted to them, that is.

The Red Sox are so pervasive; they have a “Nation.” The Patriots have won three Super Bowls in five years and are on their way to adding a fourth win. Even the Celtics have started stealing headlines with their dazzling trade for Kevin Garnett. How can Northeastern hockey possibly gain a foothold under these circumstances?

“We will never compete with the Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins,” said men’s hockey head coach Greg Cronin. “They are media and public relations machines that are in a profit-driven business. I have no control over the attention that we get or don’t get. We are trying to build a winner here.”

Cronin, who is entering his third season at Northeastern, has taken what was once a moribund team to the cusp of success. In his first year, the Huskies stumbled to an embarrassing 3-24-7 record, but recovered to a 13-18-5 record last year. With most of their top scorers, a goaltender and nine recruits added to the team, Cronin may soon complete the transition from cellar dweller to perennial contender.

And yet, who notices?

The big thing college hockey in Boston has going for it is the Beanpot. Boston College, Boston University, Harvard and Northeastern compete in the tournament every spring for that year’s bragging rights as the best college hockey team in the city. It’s the one event that “captures the city’s attention and becomes a media darling for these two Mondays,” Cronin said.

Northeastern hockey has won only four Beanpots since 1952, the last coming in the 1987-88 season. The Huskies’ Beanpot appearances aren’t much help to their aspirations to achieve a larger fan base, Cronin said.

Cronin said this is because the team simply doesn’t win. He also cites college hockey’s inability to have the marketing and advertising resources to match that of professional sports, contributing to the low profile of Northeastern and college hockey fans in general.

“The fans will come back to Matthews [Arena] like they did in the ’80s when we start winning,” he said.

Matthews Arena opened in 1910 and was the original home of the Boston Bruins. It also hosted the Boston Celtics and New England Whalers (now the Carolina Hurricanes). Cronin said the arena helps draw fans to Northeastern’s games.

“Every player in my generation and older played in the arena or watched games in it at some point,” he said. “The ghosts of athletes past rumble out of the building when the crowd noise rises. You literally feel like you are witnessing history when the old barn comes to life. Our goal is to