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Everybody breathe!
Northeastern and Boston College put on a show tonight in the 62nd Beanpot. After 55 minutes of thrilling, up-and-down play with no one able to break the 1-1 deadlock, the Eagles broke through and scored three goals in the final minutes to come away with a 4-1 victory, earning their 5th straight Beanpot title.
Anyone else have an ulcer that wasn't there three hours ago?
Goal #1 -- 8:40 of the 1st period: Kevin Hayes (Bill Arnold, John Gaudreau)
BC 1, NU 0
Ah, the old gang, back together on the scoresheet again.
Gaudreau has made a habit of extending his scoring streak nice and early so there's no stressing over it (I think he's taken it into the third period once in the last month or so), and this one is really just classic G. His centering feed is apparently tipped by Arnold on the way through (seeing as how they awarded Arnold an assist) and Hayes somehow gets a pretty good shot given that the puck ends up in his skates.
An early goal and we're feeling good, but Northeastern would not go away. Part of it was Clay Witt, who was every bit the goaltender he has been all season. But the Huskies matched BC stride for stride and hit for hit for most of the game. After an extended stretch without any more scoring, Northeastern would score the tying goal with just 1:24 left in the second period, setting up an ulcer-inducing third period.
BC started to clamp down on Northeastern's pressure in the third, posting its best shot differential of the night at 16-6, but the Huskies would have their chances. Thatcher Demko was every bit as impressive as Clay Witt, and seemed to allow very, very few rebounds aside from the one that ended up behind him.
For nearly 15 minutes of the third period, it was Showdown at Goaltender Corral... and it took a miracle deflection to break the deadlock.
Goal #2 (GWG) -- 14:30 of the 3rd period: Patrick Brown (Isaac MacLeod, Austin Cangelosi)
BC 2, NU 1
Just take a minute and let this one soak in.
We'll wait.
...
Wow.
Unless someone in some basketball game made a dunk today, this should be #1 on the Sportscenter Top 10 ... and indeed it was! Isaac MacLeod takes a shot from the point intentionally wide, and despite getting taken down in the low slot, Patrick Brown manages to somehow, some way, get a stick on the puck and deflect it into the net, sending the raucous BC balcony into a state of delirium.
Northeastern pulled their goalie in desperation after a late timeout, but the puck found the stick of the worst possible player.
Goal #3 (ENG) -- 18:44 of the 3rd period: Johnny Gaudreau (Unassisted)
BC 3, NU 1
Kind of ballsy taking the shot on the empty net from the BC side of the red line, especially with a 2-on-1, but you know what, it went in, so let's not complain. He did have all kinds of space, and you would think a kid that is as talented as him can find the net with that kind of time.
But oh, we weren't done!
Goal #4 -- 19:10 of the 3rd period: Patrick Brown (Destry Straight)
BC 4, NU 1 -- FINAL
Brown just does not mess around on this goal, going in, picking up the puck, outskating a pair of Huskies, and burying his chance.
This wasn't a meaningless goal, either -- it likely handed Thatcher Demko the Eberly Trophy, which is awarded to the goaltender with the best save percentage in the tournament.
And that was that -- the game wasn't 4-1, in terms of how close it was and how much both teams battled. But it's a win over a very good team to extend our unbeaten streak to 15 games (14-0-1) and it's a trophy. And furthermore, it extends our advantage over Minnesota in the Pairwise Rankings.
And how about Patrick Brown? Oh captain, my captain! 6 goals and 4 assists in his last 7 games -- that's nothing to sneeze at.
So now BC can celebrate for a few days before heading up to Southern Canada to play two games at Vermont -- who has quietly placed themselves at 13th in the Pairwise. BC can clinch the Hockey East regular season title with a sweep, but these will not be easy road games.
Your highlights are below courtesy of Hockey East Online. The Beanpot will stay at the Heights for another year!
