BOSTON – For the second time in the last four seasons, the Lamoriello Trophy is headed to Matthews Arena.

The Northeastern Huskies got out an early three-goal lead in the first period, and held off a late charge from the pesky Boston College Eagles to win 3-2 and capture both the Hockey East Championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament that goes with it.

“This doesn’t ever get old, I can tell you that,” quipped Huskies head coach Jim Madigan.

Cayden Primeau was named Tournament MVP after posting an undefeated 4-0 record and stopping 141 of the 146 shots he faced over the past two weeks, including a 38-save performance on Saturday night. 

The Huskies nearly swept the All-Tournament Team as well; only Eagles forward David Cotton broke up an all-Northeastern lineup of Primeau, Zach Solow, Ryan Shea, Jeremy Davies and Brandon Hawkins, whose two-goal performance led the way in the title clincher in front of 13,402 fans at TD Garden.

But, for at least a little while, it felt as though none of that mattered.

Florida Panthers prospect and Eagles forward Logan Hutsko was stretchered off the ice after a scary incident in the first minute of the third period, in which he collided with teammate Cotton and then Northeastern defenseman Jordan Harris in the corner boards, striking his head hard on the ice.

He laid face down on the frozen surface for several minutes before paramedics were able to immobilize him and safely get him off the ice and transported to Mass General Hospital for testing.

“The most important thing is Logan is moving his fingers, his toes,” said Eagles head coach Jerry York. “He’s at MGH right now, so we’re cautiously optimistic that he’s going to be OK. They’re doing a CAT scan as I speak now.”

Hutsko had previously broken his neck while with the United States National Development Team Program in 2015, and the hope was that the precautions taken on the ice were just that, precautionary.

“I was really nervous when I walked out (on the ice),” York said. “Things happen in sports, spinal injuries that result in really difficult future for a young man. So, I was nervous. Talking to the doctors, they said he hit his head on the ice really hard…he slid into the boards, but it was more the head hitting pretty violently on the ice.”

As for the game itself, it turned into an entertaining affair, even after it seemed as if it was going to be anything but in the early going. 

Hutsko actually appeared to have scored an early goal just 31 seconds in for the Eagles, but the officials ruled that he directed it in with his arm while lying on the ice and waved it off immediately. 

The momentum quickly shifted the Terriers way; Hawkins outworked a BC defender in the wall shortly thereafter and fed Matt Filipe on the doorstep at the 2:31 mark of the first period to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead. 

They quickly doubled that advantage to 2-0 just two minutes and 37 seconds later when Eagles goaltender Joe Woll appeared to be a bit too nonchalant in making what seemed like an easy glove save. The puck clanked out of his catcher, stayed in the zone the entire time, and Hawkins capitalized with a wrist shot from the slot that found the twine.

Hawkins struck again, this time on the power play at 11:15 of the first, to provide a seemingly insurmountable lead.

It was, but barely.

A quick whistle wiped out a Cotton goal late in the first – Primeau never had the puck covered and he was able to bury the rebound, but officials blew the play dead prematurely – but perhaps still gave the Eagles some momentum coming into the second period. 

Oliver Wahlstom and Cotton combined for two goals in the first two periods of the middle frame to quickly cut the deficit to 3-2, and ultimately peppered Primeau with a whopping 32 shots on goal over the final 40 minutes of play.

But ultimately, it was too little, too late.

“I thought it was an excellent hockey game,” Madigan said. “Both teams competed hard. They had determination. There was ebbs and flows in the game; we carried the play in the first, they carried it in the second and in the third it was back and forth…I’m just so happy, pleased and proud for all of our young men who worked so hard all year long. We started the season with everyone questioning whether or not we were going to have a good team with losing (Nolan) Stevens, (Adam) Gaudette and (Dylan) Sikura and these young men just worked hard each and every game came to the rink wanting to get better.”

Northeastern will await their opening round opponent and regional assignment in the NCAA Tournament, which will be revealed on Sunday night’s selection show.

“We’ll take a day off,” said Madigan, “but I don’t know if they’ll take tonight off.”

A celebration well-deserved.