Game Day Terriers vs. Huskies in the Beanpot Championship Game

Tonight #20 BU gets its first chance to claim college hockey tournament hardware this season, as the Terriers meet #12 Northeastern for the Beanpot Championship at TD Garden with puck drop scheduled for 7:30 p.m.  The game will air on NESN and TSN2. BU last won the silver pot in 2015, but will be playing in the title game for the fourth consecutive year.

BU’s win in 2015 came against the Huskies with Captain Matt Grzelcyk scoring the overtime game winner. In 2016, BU lost to BC 1-0 in the title game on an overtime goal by Alex Tuch, whose younger brother, Luke Tuch, is a BU 2020 recruit. Last year, the Terriers fell to Harvard, 6-3.

Looking for its 31^st Beanpot title, BU has reached the finals an incredible 53 times in 66 years, and had two lengthy streaks of playing in the title game: 16 years (1964-1979) and 13 years (1995-2007). The Huskies have won the title four times—most recently in 1988—but have made the finals 10 times since then.

Northeastern, which dropped a 4-2 decision to Connecticut on Friday, has the top scoring offense in the conference (3.34 goals/game) along with the stingiest defense (2.24 goals/game).  The Husky offense is led by its high-scoring first line of Dylan Sikura (44 points), Adam Gaudette (41) and Nolan Stevens (31) and defenseman Jeremy Davies (23). Freshman Cayden Primeau has taken over the goaltending duties and has produced a 1.97 GAA and a .925 save percentage.  Northeastern also boasts the leagues’ top power play, clicking at an even 25%, just ahead of BU’s 23.5%.

BU offense—third best in the conference at 3.21 GPG—has been led during the current nine-game unbeaten streak (7-0-2) by freshman Shane Bowers, who is tied for the national lead by first-year goal-scorers with 14, and Terrier top scorer Bobo Carpenter with 28 points (17-11-28). Captain Brandon Hickey, who had a goal and two assists in BU’s semifinal win against Harvard, is the Terriers’ top active Beanpot scorer with four points.  BU will be without two key offensive cogs with Jordan Greenway in South Korea with the U.S. Olympic team and Patrick Harper remaining unavailable due to a lingering illness.

CHECK BACK FOR MORE COVERAGE AND TONIGHT'S BU LINE-UP

● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, Live Stats, Terrier Sports Radio Network, BU Game Day

● Northeastern Game Notes

● Boston Hockey Blog Live In-Game Blog

● WTBU Sports preview

● Daily Free Press BU set for dog fight in Beanpot championship

● Boston Herald Hickey pushes BU toward possible postseason run

●USCHO.com Hockey East blog

The BU Alumni Association is sponsoring Beanpot Watch Parties in 13 locations nationwide.
● Locations and Links)
● BU Alumni Facebook page

Winter Olympics

● TheHockeyWriters.com  USA Men’s roster and preview

Terriers everywhere at the Olympics pre-tournament press conference. #BUSA #TeamUSA pic.twitter.com/7xMtWOaIId

— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) February 12, 2018

Marie-Philip Poulin's Team Canada teammates explain why the former Terrier star is the right person to wear the "C" at the Olympics.