Boston College captured its first Beanpot championship since 2016, defeating crosstown rival Boston University 4-2 in a thrilling final at TD Garden on Monday night. The Eagles controlled the third period to break open a tight game and claim the coveted tournament trophy in front of 17,565 fans.
Third Period Surge Seals BC Victory
Junior forward Ryan Leonard scored the game-winner at 8:47 of the final frame, burying a rebound after BU goaltender Mathieu Caron couldn’t control a sharp-angle shot from Gabe Perreault. The goal broke a 2-2 deadlock and sent the Eagles faithful into a frenzy.
“We’ve been talking about this moment all season,” Leonard said after the victory. “To beat BU for the Beanpot, especially the way we did it in the third period, this is what college hockey is all about.”
BC added an insurance marker with 4:12 remaining when sophomore defenseman Aram Minnetian found the top corner on a power-play blast, his fifth goal of the season. The tally came after BU’s Tom Willander was assessed a boarding penalty, giving the Eagles the man advantage they needed to put the game away.
Goaltending Battle Highlights Semifinal Path
Both teams reached the final after impressive semifinal victories last week. BC knocked off defending champion Harvard 3-1 behind 34 saves from senior netminder Jacob Fowler, while BU edged Northeastern 2-1 in overtime on a goal by freshman sensation Cole Eiserman.
Fowler was stellar again in the championship game, stopping 28 of 30 shots to earn tournament MVP honors. The Denver-bound goaltender made several spectacular saves in the second period when BU controlled play, including a point-blank denial of Quinn Hutson on a 2-on-1 break.
“Fowler was the difference tonight,” BU head coach Jay Pandolfo acknowledged. “He made some saves that frankly, I’m not sure how he got to them. That’s championship-level goaltending.”
Early Offense Sets Tone
The Eagles jumped ahead 7:23 into the opening period when captain Cutter Gauthier deflected a Will Smith point shot past Caron. The goal marked Gauthier’s team-leading 18th of the season and gave BC the early momentum it would need.
BU answered back before the first intermission on a power-play goal by sophomore Devin Kaplan, who one-timed a perfect cross-ice feed from linemate Macklin Celebrini. The Terriers had entered the tournament with the nation’s fourth-ranked power play at 28.3 percent.
The teams traded goals in a chippy second period, with BC’s Andre Gasseau scoring on a wraparound at 6:15 before BU’s Ryan Greene tied it at 2-2 with a deflection goal at 14:40. The physical play ramped up considerably, with the teams combining for 12 penalties through two periods.
Historical Context and Program Implications
The victory marked BC’s 21st Beanpot title, extending their record as the tournament’s most successful program. The Eagles had reached the final in four of the past five years but came up short each time, including heartbreaking losses to Harvard in 2023 and 2024.
For BU, the defeat was particularly stinging as the Terriers entered as favorites after posting a 19-6-2 record and ranking No. 4 in the national polls. The loss snapped their four-game winning streak and dropped them to 1-3 in Beanpot finals since their last championship in 2015.
“We’re disappointed, but this group has bigger goals ahead,” said BU captain Lane Hutson, who finished with two assists. “This stings now, but we know we have the team to make a run in March.”
The championship caps a remarkable turnaround for BC under third-year head coach Greg Brown, who inherited a program that had missed the NCAA tournament three straight seasons. The Eagles now sit at 18-8-1 overall and appear headed for their first tournament berth since 2019.
Both teams return to Hockey East play this weekend, with BC hosting UMass Lowell on Friday and BU traveling to face Maine on Saturday.
