Both Beanpot Tournament games on this second Monday night of February carry significant meaning as Boston College, Boston University, Harvard, and Northeastern will then enter the final stretch of their Hockey East and ECAC Hockey regular seasons.
Of course, only BC and Northeastern earned the opportunity to compete for the 67th Beanpot as a result of their 2-1 victories in last week’s semifinal round and will do so against one another for the first time since 2014. But all four teams have plenty to play for during the second TD Garden doubleheader in as many weeks, which commences with the 4:30 p.m. consolation game.
Northeastern has history to make as far as the Beanpot itself, though it will have to gain momentum back after dropping into a fifth-place tie in Hockey East following Thursday’s 3-2 overtime loss at Connecticut. After not winning a single title in 30 years prior to last February, the Huskies can make it back-to-back Beanpots for the first time since 1984 and 1985.
That latter statistic means a great deal to eighth-year head coach Jim Madigan, who was a player on both of the aforementioned teams and then served as an assistant coach on the 1988-winning club. He knows what a special feat bringing the ‘Pot back to Huntington Avenue again would be.
“It’s special when you can do it (back-to-back),” said Madigan. “We’ve only had five kicks at the can … and only done it once. I don't think Harvard has ever done it with the long tradition that they have, so that goes to tell you how hard it is. We talked that this is an opportunity for this team to step up and put itself into the category of one of the best Northeastern teams, but we first wanted to take care of business to position ourselves for the championship.”
Northeastern is 2-4 in its last six games, but freshman Tyler Madden scored in overtime to result in both of the victories and has three total goals in that span. Last Monday was a historic night for the Huskies in more ways than one as they had not defeated BU in a Beanpot game that went to overtime since the semifinal before their first-ever title in 1980.
Harvard is the only team entering the second Monday of February on a positive note as it scored twice in Friday night’s third period and finished 4-for-4 on the power play overall in a 5-3 home win over ECAC rival Union. The Crimson’s lone loss in the last six games was to BC in last Monday’s Beanpot opener.
Losses to Connecticut and Merrimack teams that sit at the bottom of the Hockey East standings have Northeastern right on the NCAA tournament bubble, but the Huskies and Harvard are in similar situations entering the conclusion of the Beanpot and their respective seasons.
In fact, the last two Beanpot champions are neck-and-neck in the PairWise Rankings used to select and seed the tournament field. Northeastern is in a tie for 11th, while Harvard is 14th. With eyes on the future, a win is vital for the Crimson even in a consolation game.
“Last year was a bit of a different case because we knew we kind of had no shot at getting an at-large bid at that point, so it was just a win for bragging rights I suppose,” Harvard sophomore defenseman Reilly Walsh (Andover, N.H.) said, remembering the Crimson’s 5-4 overtime win over BC to clinch third in the Beanpot. “We still have plenty of games left and we’re definitely making a run for the top-13 and even top-10 in the PairWise. Every game is just huge for us.”
NCAA at-large hopes for BU and BC are closed as the No. 25 and No. 34 teams, respectively, in the PairWise, but the latter club did break a 25-game losing streak in non-conference games that dated back more than two years with last Monday’s triumph.
One streak is in the past, so the Eagles’ sights are now set on breaking another. BC captured the Beanpot title in 2016 and has since finished fourth in back-to-back tournaments for the first time since 1974 and 1975.
It’s been a season of ups and downs for head coach Jerry York’s club. But there’s no doubt a Beanpot title would make it a little sweeter and help to build momentum for the stretch run, especially after suffering a fourth loss in the last seven Hockey East games with Friday’s 3-0 shutout at UMass Lowell.
“We've had some great runs outside of our conference, so I've been on both ends of it,” York said. “We've had five straight Beanpot trophies and then, all of a sudden, we're 0-4 over the last two years. … There’s no magic; just play well and you’ll generally win games.”
“The past two years didn't go the way we wanted them to in the Beanpot, but this year is different,” added BC junior forward Graham McPhee. “Everyone in the locker room really trusts each other. We're really going to prepare for this thing. We know if we can stick to our systems we're going to get the job done. We're very excited.”
Meanwhile, BU enters the second day of Beanpot action having lost a season-high four consecutive games, including Friday’s 4-2 decision at UMass.
The Terriers were denied of the chance for a Beanpot title for the fourth straight year and eighth time in nine years, but last week’s overtime loss was certainly not the fault of goaltender Jake Oettinger. The junior made 47 consecutive saves between senior Patrick Schule’s goal on Northeastern’s first shot of the game and Madden’s overtime winner.
It was a disappointing loss, but “it was probably one of the best games (Oettinger has) played in a BU uniform,” BU coach Albie O’Connell said of the goaltender who made 40 saves in a game for the fourth time this season. “It’s a good sign for our team if he can play at that level.”
Whether it’s for a title and inter-city bragging rights or helping a push to keep playing in late March, there’s plenty at stake on this Beanpot Monday.
