Men’s Hockey: Stage is set for Dunkin’ Beanpot; Terriers face off against Harvard in Semifinals

Featured image by Matthew Allen

By Alexa Podalsky

Boston’s biggest college hockey showdown, the 72nd Dunkin’ Men’s Beanpot, is here. Boston University, Harvard College, Boston College, and Northeastern University will face off across two rounds to decide who will be crowned Beanpot Champions. 

Tenth-ranked BU (14-9-1, 10-5-1 HE) opens the tournament against Harvard (7-11-2, 6-7-2 ECAC) on Monday at 5 p.m. The two teams last faced off during a scrimmage on Oct. 19, which ended in a 2-2 tie. 

The Terriers are hitting more of a stride two weeks after losing back-to-back games against Boston College. They are coming off a 7-2 win against the University of New Hampshire on Friday, where Quinn Hutson had a hat trick and new goalkeeper Mikhail Yegerov boasted a 90% save percentage in his home debut. 

However, discipline remains a concern for BU. They have accumulated 129 penalty minutes this season, including nine major penalties. The team has developed a habit of early-game infractions that put them at an immediate disadvantage, a trend that could impact its success in the tournament.

Yegerov set the tone in his NCAA debut on Jan. 25 by receiving a minor penalty for stepping on the ice before officials during warmups. The issue continued through Friday’s game when the Terrier bench was called for too many men on the ice three minutes into the game. 

Across those two games, BU spent 22 minutes in the penalty box. Their penalty kill is the fourth-worst in the NCAA (75%). 

But history is on the Terriers’ side. They haven’t fallen to Harvard in the semifinal round since 1994 and have a 30-17 record against them in the tournament. 

Harvard enters the tournament coming off a 4-3 overtime loss against Princeton, where the team was flagged for only one penalty. While this could cause trouble for BU, the Crimson have only converted on eight of its 58 power play opportunities this season. 

The puck drops on the 72nd annual Beanpot with Boston University facing Harvard at 5 p.m., followed by Boston College vs. Northeastern at 8 p.m. The games will air on NESN in New England and can be streamed on ESPN+ outside the region.