2012 Beanpot: Boston College Wins Title With Overtime Win Over Boston University

The Boston College Eagles are the 2012 Beanpot champions, taking home the title in the 60th annual tournament following an intense overtime win over the crosstown rival Boston University Terriers.

Despite needing an extra period, the Eagles had control for much of the night, leading 1-0 after the first period and 2-1 after the second. But the Terriers refused to go away, with Garrett Noonan scoring goals in the second and third periods to tie the game. The overtime period was just as tight until Eagles forward Bill Arnold’s game-winning goal with just 6.4 seconds left on the clock. From Gethin Coolbaugh of SB Nation Boston:

The Havard Crimson took the consolation game in the 2012 Beanpot tournament on Monday night, defeating the Northeastern Huskies 3-2. Harvard took a 1-0 lead early in the game before Northeastern drew level early in the second period. The Crimson would score the next two goals, jumping out to a 3-1 lead in the third period. Luke Eibler grabbed a second for Northeastern in the third period, but they couldn’t find an equalizer.

SB Nation Boston was live on the scene at The Garden.

Boston College will take on Boston University for the 2012 Beanpot Championship on Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET at the TD Garden. The Eagles will be going for their 16th Beanpot championship while BU will be trying to pick up their 29th Beanpot title. Boston University took down Harvard 3-1 in the Beanpot semifinal game earning their way to their 16th title game in the past 18 years.

Boston College crushed Northeastern 7-1 on their way to the Beanpot title game, making an appearance for the 30th time in the championship game. Junior goaltender Parker Milner had a nice Beanpot debut, saving 22 shots on the goal for Boston College against Northeastern. The Eagles improved to 70-49 in 119 Beanpot play, including a 23-12 record under current head coach Jerry York.

The 2012 Beanpot consolation game between Harvard and Northeastern gets underway on Monday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. ET. Harvard went down to Boston University 3-1 in the opening game of the 2012 Beanpot and will be looking to pick up their second consolation game win in as many years. The last time Harvard played Northeastern in the Beanpot, the Huskies blanked the Crimson taking them down 4-0 on Feb. 7 of last year.

Northeastern is coming off a crushing 7-1 loss to Boston College and a narrow 3-2 defeat against New Hampshire as they get ready to take on Harvard in the consolation game. This will be Northeastern’s 47th time playing in the Beanpot consolation game as they’ll be looking for their 17th consolation game win. The Huskies are 18-22 all-time against the Crimson in Beanpot play as they look to get that record closer to .500 on Monday afternoon.

In the second semifinal of the 2012 Beanpot on Monday night, Boston College romped over Northeastern, scoring early and often in a 7-1 victory that sends the Eagles to their third consecutive Beanpot final.

The Eagles got two goals apiece from Johnny Gaudreau, Steven Whitney, and Paul Carey, and turned on the afterburners after securing a 2-1 lead after the first period. Boston College scored three goals in the second period, chasing Northeastern goaltender Chris Rawlings to the bench, and added two more in the third period on backup Clay Witt. The Eagles had 44 shots in total, dwarfing the Huskies’ 23 chances.

For the 26th time, Boston University will play in the final of the beanpot tournament, following their 3-1 defeat of Harvard University. Following an entertaining first period and an extremely active second period, the third period was both scoreless and rather uneventful, as BU held onto their lead.

Wade Megan scored two goals for the Terriers, both in the second period, while Sahir Gill and Sean Escobedo tallied two assists each. Matt Nieto scored BU’s first goal and the first goal of the game in the first period with a neat backhand wraparound. BU went up 3-0 in the middle of the second period before Harvard pulled one back through Alex Killorn.

Boston University and Harvard spent a good deal of the first period of the Beanpot 2012 opener feeling each other out, while the Terriers failed to convert on their three power play opportunities, but things opened up quite a bit late in the second period. BU led 1-0 after the first intermission and extended their lead in the second period, going into intermission up 3-1. The Terriers went up 3-0 with just under six minutes remaining in the period, but the Crimson were able to pull one goal back.

Wade Megan opened the second period scoring after 7 minutes and 30 seconds, converting on a rebound. It felt like it was only a matter of time until the Terriers extended their lead for most of the period until Megan scored. Sahir Gill and Sean Escobedo were credited with the assists. Megan would score his second of the game later in the period, creating a shot for himself by cutting in from the left wing and flicking a backhand into the top shelf.

Harvard has held their own with top-ranked Boston University in the first period of the opening game of the 2012 Beanpot tournament, but BU was able to convert one chance to take a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission. Sophomore Matt Nieto scored the lone goal on a wraparound backhand goal, with Alex Chiasso providing the assist.

Boston University has controlled much of the play and has been on the power play three times already, but were unable to convert on any of those power play chances. The two teams both got nine shots on net in the first period, but BU’s were of a higher quality, and it took a couple of quality saves by Crimson goalie Steve Michalek to keep them from scoring more than once.