Boston University Shocks No. 1 Boston College with Freshmen-Led Victory in 72nd Beanpot
BY ARIANA OTTRANDO — FEBRUARY 11TH, 2025
Via: @TerrierHockey on Twitter
The second Monday of February means beans in Boston. And this year, the trophy will stay on Commonwealth Avenue.
In the 72nd annual Dunkin’ Men’s Beanpot tournament, No. 9 Boston University upset the No. 1 team in the country, Boston College, for its 32nd Beanpot title—its first since 2022. The 18,258 fans at TD Garden witnessed the first ‘Battle of Comm Ave’ Beanpot final since 2016 for a 4-1 Terriers victory.
Both BC and BU have been notorious as of late for their stacked freshmen classes, and that’s certainly for good reason. Behind three unanswered goals by BU freshmen Brandon Svoboda, Cole Hutson and Cole Eiserman, and BU freshman Mikhail Yegorov’s 43 saves on 44 shots, the Terrier freshmen caused the storm that the Eagles couldn’t overcome.
“Three of us played on the national team together, so we had a really close bond from that team,” said C. Hutson. “I like to think that we’re the closest class on the team. It builds confidence playing with them.”
While the score may not dictate it, the Eagles dominated the first 20 minutes of play.
Just 6:13 into the opening period, BC found the back of the net. From the left dot, sophomore Ryan Leonard found his linemate sophomore Gabe Perreault wide open on the backdoor for the 1-0 lead, his 11th of the season.
BC carried momentum through the first and put up 16 shots to BU’s nine.
“Whether it was with overlaps or finding the weak side, we were creating space for ourselves,” said BC head coach Greg Brown. “Overall, that’s how we want to play in the first [period].”
But the tides quickly turned for the Eagles’ bench and fans when the puck dropped for the second.
Intercepting a drop-pass left by BC’s Perreault in the neutral zone, BU’s Svoboda rushed the right lane and fired shortside past BC sophomore goaltender Jacob Fowler to get the Terriers on the board at 5:43. The equalizer was Svoboda’s fifth goal of the season, and assisted by freshman Nick Roukounakis.
Cheers for BU continued to roar throughout the Garden when the Terriers took their first lead of the game just 70 seconds later.
C. Hutson initiated the rush from BU’s defensive zone and was rewarded with the go-ahead goal and eventual game-winner. Sophomore Tom Willander found the window from the blue line and Hutson scored his eighth goal of the season for a 2-1 game.
“We’re only down one [to] nothing after one [period], and then we found our legs,” said BU head coach Jay Pandolfo. “We started playing our game—playing the way we need to play to have success.”
With six left to play in the middle period, shots on goal (SOG) evened out at 24 a-piece. While BC had the slight edge of 29-28 SOG at the buzzer, BU headed for the locker room having killed off 3-for-3 of BC’s power plays with a one-goal lead.
“[BU] made a great push, and we started to not be as detailed,” said Brown of the second period. “Turned over a few pucks that we didn’t need to turn over, got on the wrong side of pucks … They were able to capitalize on a couple of our mistakes, and then we were chasing the game after that.”
Naturally, both squads came out hungry to start the final frame of regulation. Play was fairly even through the first half with little stoppage and scoring chances on both ends.
That is, until 13:52 when BU’s Eiserman called the game. For his 16th goal of the season, the freshman picked up a BC turnover and slid the puck in off his backhand unassisted to give the Terriers a huge two-goal lead.
BU’s sophomore Gavin McCarthy shut the door on BC’s nine-game win streak and Beanpot aspirations at 18:18 with the empty netter for the final score of 4-1.
🎥: Ariana Ottrando
C. Hutson was named the Steve Nazro Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his three goals and two assists through the tournament, and Yegorov received the Eberly Award—given to the goaltender with the highest save percentage—after stopping 69 of 71 shots (.971 SV%).
“He’s been the backbone of our team since he got here,” said Hutson of Yegorov. “He’s going to keep battling for us the rest of the year, and we’re going to need him. He’s an unbelievable kid and just a guy you want to be around.”
Both Hutson and Yegorov were escatic to win the title as rookies to the Beanpot and its electric atmosphere.
“Experiencing this crowd, experiencing those emotions … stepping onto the ice with an NHL’s team logo—it’s just incredible,” said Yegorov.
With a 1-2 record playing BC this season thus far, BU was able to keep the Eagles at bay for this one. And it’s more than likely that the two top-ten teams will meet again in the conference playoffs soon enough.
Does a Beanpot title have any sway on momentum to carry through the rest of the regular season? Pandolfo believes so.
“Winning this tournament can certainly, hopefully jumpstart you through the rest of the year into the blast,” he said. “We have to get a boost from this moving forward here, we have to stay consistent.”
Having won the trophy as a Terrier alumnus, and now his first as BU’s head coach, Pandolfo’s biggest reward is seeing his players relish in the same joy of winning a Beanpot.
“I know what it means, I know what it feels like—and that’s what you want to see your players feel,” said Pandolfo. “It’s great to win as a coach, but you’re more proud of your guys.”
For now, all the beans and bragging rights in Boston belong to the Terriers.
🎥: Ariana Ottrando
