We all knew that the Beanpot streak had to end. But it's painful that it had to come in a year where every game is so critical for BC in the national picture.
After coming from behind twice against the Huskies, the Eagles conceded a late goal, handing Northeastern a berth in the Beanpot championship and sending the Eagles home without the Beanpot for the first time since 2009.
Northeastern Goal #1 (PPG): 0:21 of the 2nd period
Colton Saucerman (Mike McMurtry, Kevin Roy)
NU 1, BC 0
Both teams felt each other out in the first period, but that changed quickly in the second.
BC has been on the struggle bus on the penalty kill in the new year. It used to be a team strength, but since January 3rd BC is 29th in the country in penalty killing. That makes BC's 2nd half hot streak even more impressive, but it burned them tonight.
This goal from Northeastern is on the tail end of a penalty that carried over from the 1st period, and it was a total disaster. You've got two different Eagles diving to the ice to try and keep the puck out (not even including Demko) because everyone's forced to abandon covering their man.
It starts with the initial shot from Roy, which pulls Hanifin away from his man over from the other side of the crease to defend him (too late). The rebound goes to McMurtry, and McCoshen dives over from covering his man to cover the player Hanifin had to vacate (too late). Finally, Quinn Smith has to dive over to cover the man McCoshen left, and by then you've got everyone totally discombobulated and Saucerman has the open net to shoot at.
Boston College Goal #1: 4:35 of the 2nd period
Destry Straight (Ryan Fitzgerald, Austin Cangelosi)
BC 1, NU 1
The Eagles had their share of breakaways in this game and converted on two of them. Witt makes the initial stop on Fitzgerald but can't gather the puck in before Straight comes barreling in after beating to Huskies to the net and getting a stick on it to chip it in.
Back and forth we go.
Northeastern Goal #2 (PPG): 11:21 of the 2nd period
John Stevens (Mike Szmatula, Garret Cockerill)
NU 2, BC 1
This is a pretty well executed power play chance from Northeastern but it's not particularly well defended. Calnan, #11, isn't defending any real important part of the ice. By doing that, the Huskies are able to keep some semblance of a manpower advantage despite one Husky who's staying up high at the bottom of the screen, wayyyy removed from the play.
Szmatula dishes over to Stevens who has room to skate in a bit before taking his shot. That puts more bodies in front of Demko on the screen and Stevens fires it on through cleanly to put Northeastern back out front.
Boston College Goal #2 (SHG): 18:29 of the 2nd period
Ryan Fitzgerald (Zach Sanford)
BC 2, NU 2
This was the second shorthanded breakaway Northeastern gave up within about 15 seconds. Fitzgerald positions himself well, shielding the puck from the defender, and gets off a really quick backhand for the goal.
Then the penalties vanished for the third period, and BC couldn't find the goal to complete the comeback.
Northeastern Goal #3 (GWG): 18:26 of the 3rd period
Dustin Darou (Kevin Roy, Dalen Hedges)
NU 3, BC 2 -- FINAL
Yet another shot through a screen. How many goals have we given up this year from up top through a bunch of bodies? It feels like a ton?
That's all this one is, a simple skate in from the point in toward the high slot, waiting for the bodies to align for a screen and shooting the puck right through. Nothing fancy, but that's the goal that ended BC's Beanpot streak.
If ever there was a big Beanpot consolation game, it's this year, with Harvard sitting just ahead of BC at 11th in the Pairwise. There may not be a trophy at stake, but BC needs to pull out the win in the consolation game to stay on track for an NCAA tournament berth.