GOAL BY GOAL: BC Women's Hockey Falls To Harvard In Beanpot For First Loss Of The Season

Going undefeated takes a lot of special circumstances. It takes a lot of talent, yes, but also a little bit of luck.

It's hard to be so great that you will beat good teams every time you play them. As talented as the Eagles are, they wouldn't beat Harvard 10 out of 10 times.

The Eagles beat Harvard a whopping 10-2 earlier this season, but that was a long time ago. BC isn't blowing out opponents every night, and Harvard has turned into one of the hottest teams in the country. Put it all together, and perhaps it's not such a surprise that the Crimson became the first team to beat Boston College all season Tuesday night for the Beanpot championship.

Boston College Goal #1: 1:35 of the 1st period
Andie Anastos (Emily Field, Tori Sullivan)

BC 1, Harvard 0

Early on it was all BC, to the point where you wondered if BC was going to hang another 10-spot on the Crimson like they did earlier in the year. BC took the first 8 shots of the game and was buzzing the net like crazy. It didn't take long for them to find the back of the net.

Both of BC's goals were scored the same way—a turnover by Harvard, BC is able to take the puck in with speed, and a shot taken from the faceoff circle that Maschmeyer probably should have gotten a bit more of.

There's a Harvard player in between the shooter and the goalie. It's possible she might have screened Maschmeyer on the shot, but it beat her to put BC up 1-0.

Harvard Goal #1: 9:08 of the 1st period
Mary Parker (Karly Heffernan (Lexie Laing)

BC 1, Harvard 1

BC won the faceoff battle 34-28 in this game, but loses a critical one here midway through the first. Harvard wins it cleanly back for the long-distance one-timer.

Burt sees it all the way and sticks it away almost nonchalantly, and that'll be the key to the play. The puck doesn't go into the corner, instead it stays in front and goes right to Mary Parker. Parker gets it past Burt and the game is tied.

This goal was reviewed for a kicking motion. Burt and the other BC players immediately petitioned the referees, who went to video review for a good 3-5 minutes to take a look. What they saw wasn't enough to overturn the goal, but you can see that Parker's stick isn't on the ice when the puck heads back in toward the net.

Boston College Goal #2: 8:18 of the 2nd period
Haley Skarupa (unassisted)

BC 2, Harvard 1

What'd I tell you, almost the exact same goal as BC's first.

This time, BC gets a stick on a Harvard outlet pass and Skarupa pulls a 180 and intercepts. One Harvard player in front of the shot (again) might cause a little screen on Maschmeyer, and out of nowhere BC gets the go-ahead goal halfway through the 2nd.

Harvard Goal #2: 9:39 of the 2nd period
Karly Heffernan (Lexie Laing, Mary Parker)

BC 2, Harvard 2

This is a horrific defensive breakdown by BC.

Follow the Eagles on this play.

First of all, this isn't even a power play, so I'm not sure how there are so many Harvard players unmarked. #20 on the point is obviously open. #3 opposite her on the blue line is also pretty open. So what's happening?

Well, one Eagle is working along the boards ("X") and is covering her player really well. But she can't win the puck and Harvard's player in the corner gathers it in.

Now's where the trouble starts. Two BC players in the corner jump at the puck carrier and skate in to pressure her. The problem is now that no one at all is marking Laing in the middle of the ice. The BC player on the far left is skating backward thinking that she's responsible for the leftmost Crimson skater on the blue line.

But she's a nonfactor. Heffernan skates right past the backward-skating Eagle and no one is even looking at her when she gets the puck. Then it's just a matter of execution—and this is Harvard, not UConn. She is able to slip it past Burt to tie the game back up.

Then things started to get a bit interesting.

First, Katie Burt did this, which was really awesome.

Then, Alex Carpenter was called for a 5 minute major for body checking, which was an absolutely ludicrous penalty call.

You decide.

And then, of course, sadness.

Harvard Goal #3 (PPG, GWG): 11:54 of the 2nd period
Miye D'Oench (Mary Parker, Samantha Reber)

Harvard 3, BC 2 -- FINAL

This is a really, really unfortunate goal.

These GIFs from distance are sometimes tough to follow, but the initial slapshot is intentionally well wide of the net by a good 5 feet or so. There's a lively bounce off the boards and the nearest Harvard player makes a smart play to deflect the puck into the traffic in front of the net hoping to get lucky.

"Lucky" is probably unfair, because it's a smart play, and Harvard has the bodies up front to cash in, but BC's got a net presence too and you need to be a little fortunate to find the right stick. The deflection goes right through the legs of a BC player and by the time it slides through, the only player in the right place is D'Oench, who slaps it in giving Harvard the lead for good.

The third period was wild and crazy with BC generating a ton of chances, but they never could find the bounce. Harvard would hold on for the win, claiming the Beanpot and ending BC's remarkable undefeated run.

BC will face some weaker opposition this weekend against Maine before taking on BU in a home-and-home the following week to end the regular season. If BC was going to get a loss, now is a much better time than during the NCAA tournament—so hopefully BC is able to kick off a relatively modest 10 game winning streak on Friday.