BU’s Macklin Celebrini (CAS’27), here firing a shot, scored two goals in the first 10 minutes to give BU a quick lead it would not relinquish. Photo by Matt Woolverton

Men's Beanpot

BU Tops BC 4-3 to Reach Beanpot Title Game

Terriers get revenge after being swept by Eagles, will face Northeastern Monday at TD Garden

It was the Macklin Celebrini show. The star Boston University freshman, just 17 years old and projected by some analysts to be the top pick in the June NHL draft, scored two goals in the first 10 minutes of his first Beanpot Tournament Monday night at TD Garden, leading the third-ranked Terriers over the top-ranked Boston College Eagles 4-3 to advance to the Beanpot championship game next Monday.

BU (18-7-1), which won the 2022 Beanpot, but finished a disappointing fourth in last year’s tournament, will be after its second tournament title in three years when it goes head-to-head with Northeastern on February 12 at 7:30 pm. BC will face Harvard in the earlier consolation game at 4:30. Northeastern beat Harvard 3-2 in overtime in Monday’s first game. 

“We knew what we needed to do tonight,” Celebrini (CAS’27) said immediately after the game. “We have a lot of confidence, taking it game by game. It’s a great step in our journey. 

“We have a special fan base and we are lucky to have them,” he added.

Monday night’s semifinal win for the Terriers in the 71st Beanpot tournament was also a measure of revenge for them in the 294th meeting between the longtime Comm Ave rivals. Just over a week ago, BU was ranked No. 1 in the country and BC (now 19-5-1) was ranked No. 3 when the teams played back-to-back games on each other’s home ice. BC won both games to claim the top ranking while bumping BU down to third.

The Terriers wasted no time reclaiming their momentum Monday night, then survived a furious third-period comeback by BC.

What looked like a scary start for BU when a penalty just 32 seconds into the game gave BC a power play instead became an advantage. After a huge save by BU goalie Mathieu Caron (CAS’25) while lying flat on his back, BU killed the power play and then pounced. Just as the teams were skating even, Celebrini snapped a wrist shot past Eagles goalie Jacob Fowler for a 1-0 lead at the 16:00 mark, sending the scarlet-clad BU fans into a frenzy. 

The Terriers’ celebration had barely subsided when BU passed the puck around in front of the BC net, before a pass from Lane Hutson (CAS’26) landed on Celebrini’s stick once again. This time his slap shot rocketed over Fowler’s shoulder at the 13:50 mark and suddenly it was 2-0 before 10 minutes of hockey had been played.

After collecting their breath between periods, the Eagles cut the lead in half with a power play goal by Gabe Perreault early in the second, then another BU penalty immediately gave BC an advantage again. But this time the Terriers successfully killed the penalty. And then at the 8:11 mark of the second period, BU assistant captain Luke Tuch (COM’24) collected a loose puck in front of the BC net, turned, and whistled a quick shot past Fowler to reestablish the Terriers’ two-goal lead at 3-1, which it held entering the third period.

BU tried to put the game away early in the third period when Ryan Greene (CAS’26) scored his ninth goal of the season, taking a pass from Tuch in front of the BC net and snapping a shot home for a 4-1 lead. But BC’s Gentry Shamburger scored his first goal of the season to make it 4-2 and Perreault tipped in a pass in front of the BU net to make it a one-goal game. 

BU head coach Jay Pandolfo said he was proud of his team for bouncing back after the two losses to BC, and he was especially pleased with their strong first period. After that, he said, it was all about hanging on.

“You know they are going to push,” Pandolfo (CAS’99) said. “They have talented players over there. Credit to our guys for sticking with it the whole way through.”

The Terriers have had a season full of highs, dotted with occasional dips. They started the season as the nation’s top-ranked team, but early struggles saw them fall out of the top 10, only to rebound and climb back to No. 1 by late January. The much-ballyhooed two-game series with BC could have deflated them after two losses. But instead they dominated the Eagles and earned a chance to win their 32nd Beanpot title, the most of any team since the hallowed tournament’s first game was played on December 26, 1952, at the old Boston Arena.

“We have a hard time with Northeastern, they play us very tough,” Pandolfo said. “We certainly have to be ready. We’re trying just to enjoy this right now. We’ll be ready for them—we’ll be prepared.”

BU faces Northeastern on Monday, February 12, at 7:30 pm at TD Garden in the Dunkin’ Beanpot Tournament championship game. Boston College faces Harvard in the consolation game at 4:30. Tickets for the consolation and championship games are sold out, but the games will be broadcast live on NESN and streamed live on ESPN+.