{"id":103733,"date":"2020-02-03T20:37:17","date_gmt":"2020-02-04T02:37:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-admin.uscho.com\/?p=103733"},"modified":"2020-08-24T10:52:02","modified_gmt":"2020-08-24T15:52:02","slug":"defending-champion-northeastern-opens-2020-beanpot-hockey-tournament-with-3-1-win-over-harvard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp-admin.uscho.com\/2020\/02\/03\/defending-champion-northeastern-opens-2020-beanpot-hockey-tournament-with-3-1-win-over-harvard\/","title":{"rendered":"Defending champion Northeastern opens 2020 Beanpot hockey tournament with 3-1 win over Harvard; BU advances in confusing fashion"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"BOSTON,<\/a>
Northeastern’s Brendan van Riemsdyk celebrates his second-period goal that proved to be the game winner over Harvard in the semifinals of the annual Beanpot tournament at Boston’s TD Garden on Feb. 3, 2020 (photo: Rich Gagnon).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When it comes to the Beanpot tournament, there may be no more provincial event in college hockey.<\/p>\n

Between the Brahmins and the businessmen, and the multitudes that count themselves as both, the tournament typically doesn\u2019t mean much to those who live outside of Interstate 495 (take a look at a map of Massachusetts if you need clarification).<\/p>\n

On Monday, as two-time defending champion Northeastern took the ice, the lineup was littered with local players who understood the importance of the tournament and, simultaneously, had success on the ice over the last two years.<\/p>\n

But when the chips were down, the players who played the biggest role in helping the Huskies advance to their third straight championship game were college hockey veterans who never had to care much about the event in years past.<\/p>\n

Brendan van Riemsdyk scored the game-winning goal late in the second period and Craig Pantano made 27 saves to earn the 3-1 victory over Harvard. Both players are graduate transfers to Northeastern, van Riemsdyk having played for three years at New Hampshire and Pantano doing the same at Merrimack.<\/p>\n

In the modern day where graduate transfers are become more commonplace, it makes sense that they can have an immediate impact on this historic event.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were a lot of [Massachusetts] guys at UNH, so you\u2019d hear about it and watch it on NESN,\u201d said van Riesmdyk. \u201cYou don\u2019t really think too much of it. But shortly after being on [the Northeastern] campus, the closer you get, you hear the buzz around it, you pretty quickly realize when you\u2019re in the game how special it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Van Riemsdyk\u2019s goal came with 30 seconds remaining in the second period and broke a 1-1 tie. While it changed the game\u2019s momentum, it also set of a short stretch separated by an intermission that was very key to the outcome.<\/p>\n

\n

2nd goal of the season for the lead in the Beanpot semifinals? Sure! @GoNUmhockey<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/3Fc60sAfyN<\/a><\/p>\n

— NESN (@NESN) February 3, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n