BOSTON - Thanks to goals 70 seconds apart in the middle period, the No. 9 Boston University men's ice hockey team turned the tides before holding off top-ranked Boston College, 4-1, to claim the Dunkin' Men's Beanpot crown for a record 32nd time on Monday evening at TD Garden.
The Terriers got goals from three freshmen - Brandon Svoboda, Cole Hutson and Cole Eiserman - while classmate Mikhail Yegorov turned in a 43-save performance en route to the thrilling victory. Sophomore Gavin McCarthy added an 185-foot empty netter to seal the victory.
The Eagles thoroughly dominated the opening period but had just a 1-0 lead to show for it. Svoboda tied the game at the 5:43 mark of the second before Hutson scored the eventual game-winner moments later.
Eiserman tacked on a key insurance tally with 6:08 to play, helping secure the Terriers' second tournament title of the season and their first Beanpot title since 2022.
Hutson was named the Steve Nazro Most Valuable Player Award and Yegorov, who stopped the final 35 shots he faced, received the Eberly Award, given to the goaltender with the highest save percentage.
The Terriers improve to 16-10-1 on the year after earning their first win over a top-ranked team since last February, when they earned a 4-3 victory over BC.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Eagles stormed out of the gates, recording 16 of game's first 18 shots to put the Terriers on their heels.
- Off a BU icing, BC got on the board first when Ryan Leonard put a pass between two Terriers to a wide-open Gabe Perreault at the right post at 6:13 of the opening frame.
- Yegorov and the Terriers withstood the ongoing pressure to keep it a one-goal game after the first.
- BU got the first power play of the game late in the first period but was unable to put together any strong scoring chances off of it.
- The game changed in the blink of an eye as a neutral-zone turnover allowed freshman Nick Roukounakis to push the puck up to Svoboda, who skated in through the right side on a 2-on-1 before roofing a shot over BC neminder Jacob Fowler's near shoulder for an equalizer at 5:43 of the second.
- With the BU fans still buzzing, the d-pair of Hutson and sophomore Tom Willander teamed up for a go-ahead goal at 6:53.
- A pass by Hutson from behind the BC goal was tipped and Willander impressively kept the puck the the zone before finding Hutson all alone with a cross-ice pass to the left circle, where he buried a shot inside the near post for a 2-1 lead.
- BU allowed a trio of power plays in the second period, including one that started just 52 seconds into the stanza, but the penalty kill stepped up each time.
- The Terriers were able to erase the early shot disparity as at one point late in the second period, shots were 30 apiece.
- Eiserman gave the Terriers the breathing room they were looking for when he forced picked off a pass at the top of the BC zone and skated through the right slot before sneaking the puck between Fowler's legs with 6:08 to play.
- With Fowler pulled, McCarthy flung the puck the distance of the rink and it slid into the middle of the empty net right before a BC skater was able to get back to defend it.
- That goal came with 1:42 to play to create the 4-1 final.
GAME NOTES
- Yegorov stopped 69 of 71 shots in his first Beanpot tournament for a .971 save percentage, the third-highest mark in tournament history behind former Terriers John Curry (.985, 2007) and Rick DiPietro (.981, 2000).
- Yegorov has allowed just two 5-on-5 goals in his five starts this season.
- Hutson had five points in the tournament with three goals and two assists.
- Freshman Kamil Bednarik assisted on Hutson's game-winner.
- Three of Roukounakis' four points this season came in the Beanpot.
- BU is now 13-10 against BC in Beanpot title games.
- Each team recorded 44 shots in the game.
- BC was 0-for-3 on the power play while the Terriers were 0-for-2.
UP NEXT
- The Terriers will return to action on Friday (Feb. 14) when they visit No. 7 Providence to kick off a home-and-home weekend.
- Game time at Schneider Arena is set for 7 p.m.
