Over the last 12 years, Boston University’s record in the Beanpot finals exactly mirrored its record in games immediately before Beanpot finals. The Terriers had won 10 of their last 12 Beanpots, with the only losses coming in 2001 and 2004, both to Boston College.
Their record on the Friday game prior to the Beanpot finals? Also 10-2, with the only losses coming in 2001 (2-3, Massachusetts-Lowell) and 2004 (0-2, Providence).
BU took a 3-2 decision over Massachusetts on the Friday game this year.
Former BU standout Clark Donatelli (’87) spoke at the Beanpot luncheon about his Beanpot memories, and he mentioned what a good job BU coach Jack Parker does of making the Beanpot a separate season, apart from the rest of the hockey campaign. Apparently, that season extends to the game played between Beanpot contests.
Curry
BU senior goalie John Curry made his mark on the Beanpot. Over the course of his career, he owns a perfect 5-0 record, and finished with a Beanpot-record .958 save percentage over those games.
Monday, Curry won the MVP award as well as the Eberly Trophy, given to the tournament’s best goaltender. Curry’s opponent, Boston College’s Cory Schneider, won the Eberly Trophy last year.
Curry finished this season’s Beanpot by making 64 of 65 saves in the two games, good for a tournament-record .985 save percentage. He was quick to deflect praise.
“Stopping pucks has been our story this year,” he said regarding the Terrier defense. “There are guys taking pucks in the face. That’s dedication. It gives me even more motivation to stop the puck when it does get through to me.”
BC’s goal at 2:40 of the third period snapped a Beanpot scoreless streak of 116:16 for Curry, which included last week’s semifinal and stretched back to last year’s title game with BC.
Road Rules
BU and BC had met three times already this season, and in all three games, the team on the road had won. Boston College won 1-0 in December at BU’s Agganis Arena, the Terriers earned a 4-1 win in Chestnut Hill in January, and BC won a 5-2 game in Boston a few days later.
In each game, the home team led the contest in shots in the losing effort.
While the TD Banknorth Garden is considered neutral ice for the Beanpot, Boston College was designated the home team by a coin flip and the Eagles wore their white home jerseys. BC outshot the “visiting” Terriers 38 to 26, but lost the game.
Parker had his own take on the game.
“90 percent of the time, BU and BC bring out the best in each other,” he said. “Not tonight.
“It was exciting in the third period, because after the goal, BC got jacked up, and we didn’t get jacked up.
“This is not the best Beanpot we ever won. It’s not the most unlikely Beanpot we ever won. The most fortunate, maybe.”
Nathan’s a Hot Dog
BC’s Nathan Gerbe has a goal in every game against BU this season, including the difference-maker in a 1-0 BC win in December, the first ever 1-0 BU loss under coach Jack Parker in the regular season.
Gerbe was active in this game, leading the game in penalty minutes (six), shots on goal (seven), and pipes (one, at the midpoint of the game). Oh yeah, and he scored the game-tying goal in the third period.
The Beanpot Experience
Sports Illustrated compiled a list of the 20 greatest experiences in the world of sports, and attending the Beanpot ranked number 12, ahead of such historic events as Wimbledon, the Kentucky Derby, and the Summer Olympics.
The history and consistency of the Beanpot — the fact that it is in the same place every year, and has featured the same four teams in the 55 years of the event — helped the tournament appear on the list, while other hockey events, like the Stanley Cup finals or the Frozen Four, were left off.
Unlikely Hero
The game-winner was the first goal of the season for BU’s Brian McGuirk, and at 5:06 of overtime, it couldn’t have come at a more fortunate time.
“We were waiting to lose,” said Parker. “That’s the way it appeared to me.”
From the second period to the end of regulation, the shots favored BC 26 to 10.
Enter McGuirk.
“[John] McCarthy made a great play to win the faceoff and tie up his man,” McGuirk said of his goal. “He got me the puck, and I was lucky it went in.”
McGuirk wasn’t even supposed to be on the ice. An in-game injury to first-line forward Eric Thomassian necessitated moving fourth-line winger Dan McGoff to the first line, which meant his linemates, McCarthy and McGuirk, didn’t play most of the third period.
“Part of why I wanted to switch things up was to get fresh legs out there,” explained Parker about the move he made, shifting defenseman Matt Gilroy to the first line and reuniting the fourth line for the overtime period.
“You never know if the overtime period is going to go five minutes or five overtimes. McCarthy and McGuirk were playing well, so I wanted to get them back on the ice, and I knew they would have some jump in their legs.”
It was unfortunate that Thomassian was hurt — the senior loves to play against Boston College. Thomassian has just 21 points — six goals, 15 assists — in his BU career, but five (three goals, two assists) of them have come against the Eagles, including an assist on Monday’s first goal. Oddly, none of those points had come in a Beanpot game, until now.
Better Luck Next Year
Most are hard-pressed to explain BU’s dominance of the Beanpot. With this win, BU has now won 28 Beanpots — more than all of the other schools combined.
“I think BU players go into this tournament thinking they are going to win,” said Northeastern coach Greg Cronin. Asked what would need to happen to change the fortunes of the other teams in the Beanpot, he added, “You need to [have], one, talented players and two, players who think they can win.
“As the crowd started to fill in toward the end of the game, I told my players, ‘This is what this is all about'”, Cronin said. “But you need to play in the final game to get the most out of it.”
Better Luck This Year
Harvard coach Ted Donato had other things on his mind following the 3-1 loss to Northeastern in the consolation.
“We’re in the middle of a playoff race [in the ECACHL],” he said. “There are some games we could be playing in that are more important — not more important than the Beanpot final, but more important than the consolation.” Harvard has a 5-2-1 record in eight league games in 2007.
