The top two teams in Hockey East will face off Monday evening in the 57th annual Beanpot Tournament as the Northeastern Huskies take on the Boston University (BU) Terriers.
The Huskies thrashed the Boston College (BC) Eagles 6-1 on Monday, as junior goaltender Brad Thiessen posted a career-high 45 saves to lead the Huskies to their first final appearance in the tournament since 2005. The victory was the Huskies' second over BC this season.
The win was a comprehensive effort for Northeastern. Thiessen allowed one goal on the first shot he faced and then made 45 consecutive saves to close the door. Strong skating on the forecheck caused BC goaltender John Muse to mishandle the puck multiple times, resulting in a pair of Husky goals. Special teams were excellent, with the power play going two-for-four on the night and the penalty kill turning in a perfect seven-for-seven effort. Junior forward Chris Donovan had a standout night, notching a goal and three assists.
The Huskies have been the top story of this year's NCAA hockey season. Last year, they were a young team with potential, and this year, they've turned that potential into results, leading Hockey East with a 13-4-1 record. With minimal player losses due to graduation, this Husky squad looks much the same as last year's. Senior forward Ryan Ginand leads the team with 18 goals and 26 points, building on a solid 20-point junior campaign. Thiessen has solidified his reputation in the net, posting a 2.02 goals against average while starting every game for the Huskies this season. Thiessen's goaltending has been integral to the Huskies' stout defensive play, as they have allowed just 56 goals while scoring 85 for a plus-29 differential over 26 games.
The Huskies will have their hands full on Monday as they face the No. 1-ranked Terriers. Despite their rank, BU struggled against a resilient Harvard Crimson team on Monday. The Terriers squeaked out a 4-3 victory at the end of regulation as Jason Lawrence scored on the power play at 18:14 in the third period.
Harvard struck early for a 2-0 advantage, but the Terriers bounced back on two goals by sophomore forward Nick Bonino. The game remained close before Lawrence's tally late in the period. With its goaltender pulled, the Crimson appeared to score the game-tying goal at the end of regulation, but an official review showed that the puck entered the net after time expired, giving BU its 24th finals appearance in the last 26 years.
The Terriers have a history of success, with 28 total Beanpot victories, meaning they've won half of the tournaments played. The tradition of success under coach Jack Parker is formidable, and this year's team is one of the best in the Terriers' storied history. By beating Harvard, this year's team reached the 20-win plateau before any other Terrier team in history. It is a stifling defensive team, allowing just 50 goals on the season and holding its opponents to under 23 shots per game.
Much of the Terriers' success rests on freshman goaltender Kieran Millan, who owns a sparkling 1.55 goals against average in 18 games. Millan did not play particularly well against Harvard, allowing three goals on 25 shots, but he did enough to help his team win. The offense is led by playmaking sophomore forward Colin Wilson, who has 32 points in just 24 games. The Terriers are also strong on special teams, with an excellent power play (24 percent) quarterbacked by sophomore Colby Cohen and a penalty-killing unit that has allowed opposing power plays to score just 11 percent of the time, despite allowing Harvard to score two times out of five attempts with the man advantage.
In recent years, the Beanpot's final game has not always lived up to its hype. The preliminary rounds have frequently seen more exciting matches. This year's final will have to be fairly impressive to surpass the BU-Harvard nailbiter; on paper, however, the matchup looks great. The Huskies and Terriers are the two best teams in Hockey East and are No. 3 and No. 1, respectively, in NCAA hockey. They each feature excellent goaltending, a potent and balanced offense and a stifling defense.
But the teams are coming to the final from two different places -- both in this tournament and historically. Northeastern has won the Beanpot just four times in its history compared to the Terriers' 28. BU grinded out a difficult victory over a gritty Harvard team itching to play spoiler, while Northeastern pummeled a mid-pack BC team. The Huskies played a tougher opponent in the first round and demonstrated their skills quite convincingly. Northeastern is a hungry team looking to prove that last year's surprising performance in Hockey East was not a fluke, and it is looking to avenge a tough 3-0 loss to the Terriers earlier this season.
With a little luck on the side of the Huskies, they will get all that and a nice, shiny trophy on Monday night. The Terriers hope that having history on their side will provide the boost they need to grab their 29th win and first place in Hockey East.
