Northeastern's women's hockey team bid farewell to the only home the program has ever known, the more than century-old Matthews Arena, playing their final game at the historic venue.
With more than 100 program alumni on hand, Northeastern's women's hockey team said goodbye to the historic Matthews Arena.
Opened in 1910, then known as Boston Arena, the venue was the original home to the NHL's Boston Bruins. Since 1946, Matthews Arena has been home to Northeastern's hockey programs, including the women's hockey program since 1980.
This weekend, the Northeastern Huskies won their final game at Matthews 4-2 over Boston College. The day was filled with emotion among the many alumni, and current Huskies players, who shared in the final women's hockey game at the venue.
“Matthews Arena was so much more than a rink, it was our home, which is why this day is so meaningful for all who are here,” said Northeastern Athletics Hall of Famer and current Minnesota Frost captain Kendall Coyne Schofield.
Other notable alumni on hand included Florence Schelling, Kelly Dyer, Aerin Frankel, Alina Muller, Peyton Anderson, Denisa Krizova, and Katelyn Knoll. Several members of the PWHL's Boston Fleet and Minnesota Frost were on hand prior to their game at Agganis Arena Sunday.
Nicknamed "The Dog House" for the Northeastern Huskies, the arena will now undergo a complete redevelopment that will preserve small features of the old facility to showcase the history, specifically the terracotta arch from Matthews' entrance, which will be relocated to the new arenas lobby concourse.
The new arena will seat 4,050 people for ice hockey and 5,300 for basketball, and will include other amenities to serve campus life at Northeastern.
Matthews Arena's first hockey game took place in 1910 between a team from Harvard and a local high school. The following season in 1911, the Montreal Wanderers and Ottawa Senators played the first professional game in history. The arena was also home to the first ever Beanpot Tournament in 1952, an event that continues as one of college hockey's most prestigious events.