There will certainly be a bit of nostalgia attached to this weekend’s Hockey East semifinals and finals at Boston Garden, particularly for the Massachusetts natives on the Bear roster.

It will be the final Hockey East tourney at the Garden as the building will be replaced by a new arena next year.

“I’m very excited about it,” said sophomore right wing Tim Lovell of Norwood, Mass. “I’ve never played there. My senior year (at Norwood High), we were seeded first in the Division I tournament but we choked before we got to play in the Garden.

“I’ve always wanted to play there. It’s every Boston kid’s dream,” added Lovell.

“There’s a lot of history there,” said sophomore center Trevor Roenick of Marshfield, Mass., another Bay State native who hasn’t played at the Garden. “Some of the greatest players who have ever played the game have played there. To be on the same ice is exciting.

“I’ve seen countless games there. It has an aura. It’s definitely a privilege to play there and if we go in and win it, we’d have our own little piece of history,” added Roenick.

“This will be our last opportunity to play at the Garden and that makes it seem really special,” said freshman left wing Scott Parmentier of the Black Bears.

Freshman defenseman Brian White of Burlington, Mass. and Arlington Catholic High said, “I love playing there. I grew up watching games from the Garden on TV and when I finally got out there, it was unbelievable. I looked up and saw the balcony and all the banners. It was pretty wild.”

Senior defenseman Dave MacIsaac said he remembers “scoring some big goals there” for Arlington High School and sophomore left wing Jamie Thompson of Wayland, Mass. remembers watching his Black Bear teammates celebrate the Hockey East Tournament title two years ago and running onto the ice to join them. He was a freshman and didn’t dress for the game.

“I want to do it myself this year,” said Thompson.

On the hardwood, Unity College senior forward Jamey McNally from Patten, a Katahdin High School of Sherman Station product, was named a National Small College Athletic Association All-American. He averaged 14 points, 10.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game for the Rams…. Freshman forward Jason Webster, an East Holden native who played for Bangor’s John Bapst High School, has seen some limited service for Trinity College, which has advanced to the NCAA Division III Final Four in Buffalo this weekend…. University of Maine-Presque Isle standout Chris Casavant, a former Presque Isle High School start, concluded his impressive career with 1521 points, placing him fourth on the all-time scoring list at the school.