Boston Faculty might have boasted higher-ranked hockey groups up to now decade, however none of them had been capable of accomplish what the 2026 Eagles had been capable of accomplish on Monday evening at TD Backyard.
Within the three hundredth Battle of Commonwealth Avenue, the 14th-ranked Eagles shook off a so-so first interval and captured their first Beanpot championship since 2016, beating Inexperienced Line archrival Boston College, 6-2. The Terriers beat a proficient BC staff within the last final season and within the first spherical two years in the past.
Particular groups and Bruins prospects had been the story. The Eagles went 3-for-4 on the ability play whereas the Terriers had been 1-for-5 on the person benefit.
Bruins prospect Andre Gasseau led the best way with a few net-front targets, James Hagens picked up two assists and flashed his considerable ability whereas Dean Letourneau (one purpose) was a bodily presence on the forecheck and penalty kill. Will Vote additionally scored a pair and Louka Cloutier made 27 saves within the Eagles win.
“To be on this event, and the blokes have some scars the final couple of years, to have the ability to handle the sport properly sufficient and actually restrict BU’s probabilities down the stretch was actually vital,” stated Greg Brown, who received his first Beanpot as head coach in his fourth strive. “We had quite a lot of nice efforts up and down the lineup. The power on the bench nearly as good as we’ve had, in all probability higher than we’ve had all yr. The children had been actually after it tonight.”
For the senior captain Gasseau, the win was candy.
“Not only for me however for everybody, particularly the seniors. For everybody to expertise this win was magical and one thing we’ll keep in mind for the remainder of our lives,” stated Gasseau.
Hagens, the Bruins’ high beginner prospect (seventh general decide final June), earned Beanpot MVP honors after recording two targets and three assists for 5 factors within the two-game event.
“It was all in regards to the win, to get the trophy, the Beanpot. With the group of men now we have, it was actually particular. Like Andre stated, this a second that none of us will ever overlook,” stated Hagens.
It might not be a shock if he’s in a Bruins uniform earlier than the NHL season is over.
“James is at all times capable of create offense. You get drafted that top for a cause, for the offensive facet of the puck, which is the toughest factor to do,” stated Brown. “However what we’ve actually been impressed with is he’s rounded out his recreation. If we wish, we are able to put him out now once we’re defending the lead in opposition to the opposite staff’s high gamers as a result of he’s added so many dimensions of element. So it’s not solely that he’s creating his probabilities and getting factors — we all know he can do this — he’s way more well-rounded now. Credit score to him for working laborious on that stuff as a result of that’s not the pleasurable a part of the sport.”
Whereas the Terriers had been coming off additional time win over Maine on Friday, the Eagles fell sufferer to the pre-Beanpot pothole, getting blown out at residence, 6-1, to an unranked Vermont staff.
The primary interval at occasions appeared like an extension of that recreation for the Eagles.
The groups traded targets within the first interval. BU’s tally got here 2:15 into the sport and it was a little bit of a present. Gavin McCarthy took a long-distance shot from contained in the blue line that was a straightforward cease for Cloutier. It hit him int the chest, however the freshman couldn’t management the rebound and Brandon Svoboda punched residence the rebound.
The Terriers had an opportunity to take full management of the sport after they bought the primary two energy performs of the competition. However although they landed some rubber on Cloutier, they might not prolong the lead.
Coach Jay Pandolfo bemoaned his staff’s lack of net-front presence after the Terriers’ first purpose.
“Our staff is having a tricky time sustaining the identical type of play for the entire recreation and it simply began getting away from us,” stated Pandolfo, whose unranked Terriers fell to 13-14-2. “They had been the higher staff, clearly. Nevertheless it’s simply disappointing that I can’t get this group to simply play the identical means shift after shift.”
When the Eagles bought their first probability on the man-advantage, the highest PP in Hockey East evened it up. Ryan Conmy carried the puck behind the Terrier web, dished it out entrance to Gasseau and the Bruins prospect buried it previous Mikhail Yegorov for the equalizer at 15:02.
The Eagles had been lucky to be tied after 20 minutes. BU had extra leap and was faster to pucks. They held a 9-7 shot benefit after one. However BC discovered its groove within the second interval finally.
The Eagles did want an enormous save, nonetheless
After BC killed off the remnants of their third penalty to start out the second interval, the Terriers had an ideal alternative to regain the lead when Sacha Boisvert carried the puck in deep, reduce throughout the highest of the crease and had Cloutier on his stomach. However with quite a lot of web at which to shoot, Boisvert couldn’t carry it over Cloutier, who lifted his proper pad simply sufficient to make the cease.
Halfway by means of the second interval, it was Yegorov’s flip. On a foul BU change, Hagens gave Brady Berard a clear breakaway from the excessive slot. Berard went to the backhand and it appeared like he had the netminder crushed, however Yegorov reached behind him and snared it together with his glove.
Then on one other BC probability, Eagles freshman Oscar Hemming had Yegorov down and out however hit the crossbar.
The Eagles, nonetheless, had been getting their probabilities and bought the go-ahead purpose at 14:54 of the second. Letourneau, one other high Bruins first rounder (2024), received a puck race and battle within the nook behind the BU web and bought it out excessive. Ultimately, Vote tipped residence residence Lukas Gustafsson’s shot from the left level and the Eagles had been up, 2-1.
BC then took a 3-1 lead at 16:52 on one other PP purpose. Hagens dangled and got here out of the nook with the puck, feeding Gustafsson out excessive. The defenseman’s long-distance wrister eluded Yegorov and the Eagles had been up two.
The Terriers began the third with an influence play after Drew Fortescue took a roughing penalty on the finish of the second interval, however BU once more failed on the person benefit.
When the BU then put the Eagles again on the ability play, BC made them pay — once more. At 5:36, Gasseau bought his stick on a unfastened puck in entrance and swept to residence to provide BC a commanding lead.
The Terriers lastly rating a PP purpose on their fifth strive with 5:09 left in regulation when Cole Eiserman blasted a slap shot previous Cloutier to drag BU inside putting distance.
However Letourneau gave BC their three-goal lead again with 3:57 remaining. Teddy Stiga discovered him on their lonesome in entrance of the online and he potted his sixteenth of the season. Vote added an empty-netter.
