BOSTON – The Boston University men’s ice hockey team came up short in its title defense, falling 6-2 to No. 14 Boston College in the championship game of the 73rd Dunkin’ Men’s Beanpot on Monday evening at TD Garden.
BU got on the board first just over two minutes into the game but the Eagles used a 3-for-4 performance on the power play as part of four unanswered tallies to steal the crown.
Sophomores Brandon Svoboda and Cole Eiserman each scored for the Terriers, who move to 13-14-2 on the year. Classmate Mikhail Yegorov turned in a 32-save performance.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Terriers wasted little time in establishing a lead as junior captain Gavin McCarthy prevented a BC clearing attempt at the right point and skated in before flinging a shot on goal that was stopped just over two minutes in.
Svoboda got an eye on the rebound and reached for the puck before tucking it under BC netminder Louka Cloutier at the 2:15 mark.
BU had the first two power-play chances of the game but was unable to extend their early lead.
Soon after the second BC penalty expired, Svoboda had a great opportunity to score again following a setup by freshman Jack Murtagh but the bid from the top of the crease sailed right of the net.
BC used its first power play of the night to make it a 1-1 contest as Andre Gasseau redirected a pass to the back of the net from the bottom of the slot at 15:02 of the opening period.
The Eagles scored twice less than two minutes apart to take its first lead and quickly extend it.
Will Vote scored on a redirect near the left crease at 14:54 of the second to break the 1-1 deadlock.
BC went on the power play soon after and Lukas Gustafsson scored just 12 seconds into the man advantage to give the Eagles a 3-1 lead with 3:08 left in the middle stanza.
The Eagles made it 4-1 when they potted their third power-play goal of the game, scoring just four seconds into a BU penalty at 5:36 of the third.
BU finally converted on the power play with 5:09 to play when Eiserman blasted a one-timer past Cloutier from the right circle on assists from sophomore Sacha Boisvert and freshman Tynan Lawrence.
BC reestablished a three-goal cushion soon after on a Dean Letourneau tally.
The Eagles created the 6-2 final on an empty-netter with 1:11 to play.
GAME NOTES
Both Svoboda and Eiserman have scored in each of their two Beanpot championship game appearances.
BU was 1-for-5 on the power play.
BC held a 38-29 shot advantage.
The Terriers won 32 of the 50 faceoffs with Lawrence collecting a game-best 12 wins.
The Eagles blocked 17 shots while the Terriers blocked nine.
The Terriers played in the Beanpot title game for the 58th time in the 73-year history of the tournament.
UP NEXT
The Terriers will return to action on Friday (Feb. 13) when they visit New Hampshire.
Game time in Durham is set for 7 p.m.
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