The last seven bench bosses have gone 0-7 in their opening games. It’s possible, though, that Madigan’s personal success in the event could rub off on his charges.

Madigan was a player when the Huskies took the title in 1984 and ’85 and was an assistant coach the last time the team took home the prize in 1988.

As much as he wants to win it for the school, Madigan doesn’t want the players to feel any added pressure to end the streak of futility.

“Our players need to realize you’re playing for yourselves and this current team and not for the teams that haven’t won it since 1988 and go in with a relaxed attitude and not that you’re carrying a heavy burden,’’ said Madigan, whose team faces Boston College at TD Garden. “If you do that, and play our systems and execute, things will happen.’’

What will help is that the Huskies are playing in the late game, which has a far more electric atmosphere than the sparsely attended early one.

“I can remember playing in that early game and you really had to motivate yourself because you’d walk into the building and it’s 5 o’clock and there’s really not many people in the stands,’’ said Madigan. “It’s really not until the middle of the second period that people are starting to come. We’re playing the second game and there’s going to be a buzz in the building, there’s going to be a lot of energy. Our kids will feel that.

“With that, you have to be able to manage emotions, too. That’s something we’re going to have to be cognizant of. In getting the players ready, it’s the Beanpot, so they’re going to be ready.

“It’s peaks and valleys with the emotions and that’s what we need to control,’’ added Madigan. “We see a little bit at Matthews Arena at our home games. We have great fans and a great crowd and our kids are really hyped up early in those games and the fans are getting us going.

“I can remember the first time I stepped on the Garden ice in the Beanpot, your feet aren’t touching the ice, they’re 5 feet off the ice. We’ll have to go through that with our younger kids for the first few shifts.

“We’re fortunate that we played in the Hockey East tournament last year, so our kids had a couple of experiences [at the Garden]. They unfortunately came up against Boston College on the short end, but there is some experience there, so they can help the freshmen.’’

Northeastern has had a roller-coaster season, but the Huskies enter tonight’s game on a run of three straight victories.

“We’re hoping we have found that rhythm again that we got into in November,’’ said Madigan.

Crimson on roll

Harvard (7-6-9) enters tonight’s matchup against Boston University on a bit of a roll with an unbeaten streak of six games (3-0-3). The run has included home victories over Yale and Brown and a win at Quinnipiac Friday. Despite nine ties, people are starting to take notice of the Crimson.

“The win vs. Yale was a big one,’’ said coach Ted Donato. “It was on national TV and they had beaten us a few times in a row so just getting a good win in front of a sold-out crowd just gave us a boost energy-wise, and we hope to kind of use it as a springboard for the rest of the season.’’

The next goal? Winning the school’s first Beanpot title since 1993.

“It’s been far too long since we have won,’’ said Donato. “It would be a great boost to us to win the Beanpot.’’

Fantastic four

All four Beanpot teams come into tonight having won their last game . . . All four coaches played for the respective teams they are coaching, a first in Beanpot history. All four won titles - Madigan, Donato (1989), BC’s Jerry York (1964 and ’65), and BU’s Jack Parker (1966, ’67, and ’68) . . . Since 1993, either BU or BC has won the championship, with the Terriers winning it 12 times and the Eagles winning it the other six.

Nancy Marrapese-Burrell can be reached at marrapese@globe.com.