It was the kind of night Matthew and Johnny would have loved.

Think about it: a top-five matchup on the ice between your No. 2 Eagles and No. 5 Maine, A spirited third period comeback gave Boston College a thrilling 3-2 victory.a joyous atmosphere from the trackside student sections to the sold-out rafters and a crowd of loved ones around to complete the party.

If only they could have been there.

But instead of being part of a night of festivity, Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, along with another former BC All-American, Tony Voce, were the reason for a night of remembrance. Voce, 43, died suddenly in July. The Gaudreaus were murdered on August 29. by an alleged drunk driver. As a result, a school with a rich history in hockey and a sport long revered for the closeness it fosters among teammates has been mired in sadness. So here they came Friday night, ready to honor both families with a pregame video tribute and a ceremonial puck dropready to remind the world that even in times of great loss, the Boston College family will keep you close.

“We really appreciate it,” Jim Gaudreau said as he stood near the door of the bustling suite. As his brother Guy, sister-in-law Jane and nieces Kristen and Katie continue to deal with the unimaginable loss, Jim was able to muster some strength for an interview, speaking on behalf of a family that will never be the same again.

“One of my feelings from the beginning was that we see the love, kindness and support that people show us through their actions and words,” he said. “For BC to do the same, understand that they know we are going through something and continually remind us means a lot. Children are not forgotten or left behind.”

And that’s what tonight was about. When a family loses something this big, the pain can swallow everything, even the ability to say their names. But saying their names is how we keep their spirits alive, it is how we preserve their legacies as sons, fathers, brothers and uncles.

And as friends.

Among the crowd Friday was Michael Sit, freshman roommate of Johnny Gaudreau, eventual teammate of Matthew Gaudreau. As the news reported so sadly immediately after the brothers’ deaths that they were all together at the family home in New Jersey for Katie’s wedding the next day, that wasn’t the only wedding Johnny was planning. He was scheduled to be best man at Sit’s wedding the following week.

“The whole group is very close, and all of us families did, too,” said Michael’s mother, Michele, as she also took the flight from Minnesota to be there for Guy and Jane.

“It’s so strange to be here without them,” she said.

But it is very important to be here for them. No matter how devastated parents are, no matter how difficult it may be to simply get out of bed, events like these serve a greater purpose. BC will auction off the special warm-up jerseys the players wore on Friday, all of which had the number 13 or number 21 and the names Voce and Gaudreau on the back, to go to charitable causes chosen by the families.

“Seeing two people that you love so deeply, that you care about so deeply, as well as two nieces that you care about so deeply, have to go through their struggle, and we’re all like aunts, uncles, cousins, family members. “The members are a little further apart and we’re all fighting on our own, true, but for Guy, Jane, Kristen, Katie, Madeline and Meredith (the brothers’ wives), the struggle runs even deeper,” Jim said.

“And it’s hard for us to witness that. Because, you know, this isn’t an event that just happens normally, right? And it’s not like that, we don’t have, we’re not equipped, as normal people, to tell you how to deal with this. So we just listen and do the best we can. Yes, and be present at events like this.”

Events like this, when BC coach Greg Brown can talk about how Johnny’s incredible skill set still comes to mind daily, especially when a player does something particularly creative. Events like this, when Bruins coach Jim Montgomery not only shows up and sees his old Maine college team when he comes to town, but also remembers the 17-year-old he coached as a junior in Dubuque, Iowa, who He had such a special gift.

“I used to let the offensive drills be one more rep so I could watch Johnny and see if he did something new,” Montgomery said.

It was also a chance for the coach to visit the Gaudreaus, with whom he has remained friends since Johnny’s youthful days. “It’s important for you to know, and I told Guy and Jane, you’re not alone,” Montgomery said. “Pick up the phone. “We all suffer with you and we all love you.”

That’s the hockey family. “It’s going to be a very long road,” said Jim Gaudreau, “I could say our lives have changed forever. I hope and pray that with the support of everyone around us and each other here in the family and with peace and family community, we can find peace and goodness and happiness in the future.”

Tara Sullivan is a Globe columnist. You can contact her at [email protected]. follow her @Globo_Tara.