Despite losing to Maine, 5-2, in the Hockey East final on Friday night in Boston, the Huskies are likely to earn their first trip to the NCAA Tournament when the field is announced on Sunday.

Officially it’s the Hockey East championship, but during the league’s four decades it might as well have been called the Bay State Invitational. Year in, year out there has been at least one and usually two Massachusetts sextets playing for the trophy at TD Garden.

The Lamoriello Trophy is heading to the Pine Tree State for the first time since 2004. Led by super sophomores Albin Boija and Josh Nadeau, the Black Bears defeated UConn, 5-2, to capture the Hockey East tournament championship Saturday night at the TD Garden.