BU Takes Beanpot in Sudden Death
2-1 win over BC seals 55th annual contest
The final battle of the 2007 Beanpot, a hurricane of hip checks, body checks and bone-bruising meetings with the boards, raged for 60 minutes — one part street fight and two parts ballet — before reaching the end of regulation time in a 1-1 tie. Then, five minutes and eight seconds into the ninth sudden death overtime in 55 years of Beanpot history,
The game-winner came after sophomore forward John McCarthy won an offensive zone faceoff, allowing McGuirk to gather the puck in the left circle. It was the first goal of the season for McGuirk. At the time of the goal, BU had been outshot 29-14 since the opening period.
Boston University is now 80-30 (.727) all time in the Beanpot, 27-10 (.730) versus the Eagles. It is the second straight year BU has defeated Boston College in the final.
Curry, who earned a 4-0 shutout win over Northeastern in the opening round last Monday, was tested early, stopping Nathan Gerbe on a backhand in front on the first shift of the game.
Sophomore Chris Higgins opened the scoring for the Terriers with his 11th goal of the season just 2:33 into the game. On the play, junior Pete MacArthur picked up a loose puck at the right faceoff circle and fed a pass to Higgins in the slot. Higgins found Eric Thomassian down low, who returned a feed back to Higgins at the far post, where the second year center slid a shot under Schneider for a 1-0 BU lead.
Matt Gilroy had a chance to add to the margin with four minutes to go in the period, but Schneider was able to go post-to-post and get a pad on his one-timer attempt. Despite the Eagles holding a territorial edge for much of the first, BU outshot BC 11-9 in the period.
Boston College had a chance to tie the score midway through the second period when Gerbe rang a shot off the near post. With 2:47 to go in the period and Boston College on the power play, Curry made a trio of stops on the goal line, including Brian Boyle twice. After McCarthy was whistled for hitting from behind on the ensuing scrum, BU proceeded to kill off the 5-on-3 power play, with Curry again stoning Boyle point blank with just over a minute to go in the period.
The Eagles netted the equalizer 2:40 into the third when Anthony Aiello’s point shot was partially deflected right to Gerbe, who beat Curry with a backhand shot over the glove. It was the first goal Curry had allowed in 115:16 of Beanpot play.
Boston College opened up the offense after the goal, outshooting the Terriers 13-4 in the third. BU’s best chance in the period came with 3:43 left in regulation when Kenny Roche’s backhander off a scrum in front hit off the post and bounced back out under Schneider, who finished with 24 saves. Benn Ferriero hit a post of his own in the closing seconds of the third when his wrister from behind the goal line went off both Curry’s glove and the near post.
Boston University next takes to the ice on Friday, February 16 at the University of New Hampshire. Game time is 7:30 pm.