Northeastern clinches 2023 men's Beanpot championship over No. 9 Harvard in shootout

The 70th annual men's Beanpot took place on Feb. 6 and 13, 2023, as the four Boston college hockey powers met at TD Garden in a battle for the city's bragging rights.

A Boston hockey tradition, the Beanpot has given the city some exciting memories, between thrilling matchups and glimpses at the game's future stars. The tournament's history between Boston University, Boston College, Harvard and Northeastern has seen heated rivalries play out on the ice, marathon overtimes and more.

Here's everything you need to know about the historic men's college hockey tournament.

2023 Beanpot results

This season's edition of the tournament pitted Boston College against Harvard in the first semifinal matchup, followed by a 2022 rematch between defending champion Boston University and Northeastern.

LATEST RANKINGS: Click or tap here for the latest USCHO poll

Below are the final scores for the 2023 men's Beanpot. 

Monday, Feb. 6, 2023:

• Harvard 4, Boston College 3 (OT)
• Northeastern 3, Boston University 1

Monday, Feb. 13, 2023:

• Boston College 4, Boston University 2 (Consolation)
• Northeastern 3, Harvard 2 (F/SO) (Championship)

Recapping the 2023 Beanpot final

 

For the first time ever, Northeastern and Harvard met in the Beanpot championship.

For the first time ever, the Beanpot championship was decided in a shootout.

For the fourth time in five tournaments and eighth time ever, Northeastern won the Beanpot.

Captain Aidan McDonough came through in the clutch again with the deciding goal in the bottom of the second round of the shootout, and goaltender Devon Levi stood tall once more when he denied Alex Laferriere, sending the crowd into a frenzy as Huskies skaters flooded the ice in celebration. Levi also saved Matthew Coronato and Sean Farrell’s chances in the Crimson’s first two chances.

It was No. 9 Harvard’s second loss when leading at any point during a game this season (13-2-1).

After a scoreless first period, Gunnarwolfe Fontaine broke the stalemate when he jammed in the rebound off Sam Colangelo’s shot from range just 1:27 into the second.

FINAL STATS: Click or tap here for everything you need to know from the championship

Harvard (17-6-2, 14-4-0 ECAC) answered just over a minute later when Matthew Coronato capitalized on the power play with a one-timer at the left circle off a smooth tic-tac-toe passing sequence. He added another just before the midway point of the period when he dove for a rebound to the right of the crease for his fourth goal of the tournament and a 2-1 lead.

In the third, Fontaine came through again for the No. 16 Huskies (14-10-5, 11-5-3 HEA) about five minutes in when he backhanded Jayden Struble’s cross-crease feed into the yawning cage.

Both goaltenders came up big down the stretch as Mitchell Gibson (27 saves) made timely stops in overtime, and Levi (32 saves) matched him at every opportunity.

Levi went on to earn MVP as well as the Eberly Trophy, awarded to the tournament’s best goaltender, marking the fifth straight time an NU goalie earned the award.

Previewing this year's championship

This is the first time in the 70-year history of the Beanpot that Harvard and Northeastern will square off for the championship, leaving rivals BU and BC in unfamiliar territory as they face each other in the consolation.

The No. 9 Crimson have the third-most titles of all-time with 11, last winning in 2017 when they ended a 24-year drought since taking it in 1993. In that span, they only appeared in the championship three times (1994, 1998 and 2008). Harvard enjoyed early success, winning the inaugural Beanpot as well as reaching the first four championships as part of a run of four titles in 10 years. This will be their 27th appearance in the title game. 

It took until 1980 for the No. 16 Huskies to win the Beanpot, their first of seven, when Wayne Turner scored in overtime in a massive upset of Boston College. They won again with back-to-back titles in 1984 and '85 before adding a fourth in 1987. It was another 30 years before they took home Boston's bragging rights, winning in 2018 in the first of a three-peat through 2020. Northeastern reached the championship for the fourth season in a row last year, falling to BU in a nail-biting 1-0 game. This will be their 22nd and fifth-consecutive bid for a championship.

Harvard has been one of the more high-flying teams in the nation this season, despite faltering against some of their tougher matchups.

FOLLOW LIVE: Click or tap here for comprehensive coverage of Monday's men's Beanpot final

The Crimson are 8-4-0 since the holiday break after defeating Boston College in a wild 4-3 overtime win in the semifinals on Monday. Sean Farrell (14g, 27a) has led the way, while Alex Laferriere (13g, 16a), Matthew Coronato (16g, 11a) and Henry Thrun (5g, 18a) are each on at least a point per game pace as well. In goal, Mitchell Gibson (.918 SV%, 2.31 GAA, 1 SO) remains as solid as ever.

They rolled past Dartmouth with a 6-3 win on Friday, where Farrell had a five-point outing with two goals and three assists.

As for the Huskies, they failed to meet expectations in the first half, but have been better of late as they continue to reap the benefits of rostering one of, if not the best goaltenders in the nation. 

Northeastern is 6-3-0 since the holiday break, which includes a five-game winning streak as well as a win over rival Boston University in the semifinals, settling the score from last year's championship. Aidan McDonough (19g, 15a) continues to be one of the most dangerous goal-scorers in the country, and Justin Hryckowian (13g, 16a) has built on a promising first season last year. Between the pipes, Devon Levi (.930 SV%, 2.34 GAA, 4 SO) still creates plenty of headaches for opposing shooters.

They came back from a 3-0 deficit against Providence halfway through the third period to tie it 3-3 before taking the extra point in the shootout. McDonough scored in regulation in addition to the shootout winner. His goal was bookended by a pair for Matt Choupani, who scored 1:29 after McDonough in the third to even it up. Levi made 54 saves, somehow just the second-most of his NCAA career.

Recapping the semifinals

It's not often that the early semifinal is the most dramatic of the night, but that's what we got last Monday.

The Crimson made light work of the Eagles early on in the first game but had to withstand a massive push in the third period to come away with the win, 4-3 in overtime. 

Harvard got to work early as Marek Hejduk scored on an odd-man rush with a slick top-shelf finish midway through the first. From there, the Crimson kept up the offense as a Mike Posma deflection to get BC on the board was bookended by two Matthew Coronato power play goals, each off one-time blasts from the left circle. 

In the third, the Eagles went for broke, outshooting Harvard 22-2 in the period. They finally broke through Gibson for a second time when Nikita Nesterenko danced through the defense on a smooth individual effort with five minutes to go in regulation. Then Cutter Gauthier tied it, 3-3, with 1:31 left on the clock.

In a back-and-forth overtime, it was Hejduk coming up with the heroics, finishing a one-timer on a 2-on-1 counter rush with Alex Laferriere with 1.5 seconds. 

THRILLERS: How Harvard and Northeastern came up big in the semifinals

In the nightcap, Northeastern took advantage of a sluggish BU start and a clutch performance from Devon Levi late to take the 3-1 win, avenging last year's championship defeat. 

Aidan McDonough got it started with six minutes left in the first, picking the top-left corner from the left circle off of some pretty passing from the Huskies. Jakov Novak doubled the lead just 1:48 into the second when he cashed in on the doorstep. 

As the Terriers pressed, Matt Brown got them on the board with the goalie pulled with 1:51 left, but it was no use. Levi stood tall as he stopped 25 shots through the final two periods, including 15 of 16 in the third, and Hunter McDonald added his first career goal via the empty net with 30 seconds left. 

Previewing this year's semifinals

This season's Beanpot truly feels wide open. BU has been scorching hot of late, surging up to No. 3 in the rankings leading into the semifinals, while Harvard is a top-10 team. Northeastern has fallen off a bit since the start of the season, but they are beginning to return to form. As for BC, they're more than capable of giving any team fits in a single-elimination format. 

The first semifinal matchup showcases the pesky Eagles against the formidable Crimson.

No. 10 Harvard (15-6-1, 13-4-0 ECAC) is 7-3-0 since Jan. 1, falling 3-0 to No. 2 Quinnipiac at home last time out on Friday. Against Beanpot teams, Harvard is 1-1-0 with a 4-3 overtime loss to BU on Dec. 29 and an 8-4 win over Northeastern on Jan. 1. They rank top-10 in both goals for (3.6) and against (2.4) per game, while boasting a top-10 penalty kill as well (85.5 percent). Individually, Sean Farrell (12-22--34) and Alex Laferriere (13-24--27) have taken off this season, while the team's top goal-scorer, Matthew Coronato (14-11--25), and top defenseman, Henry Thrun (5-18--23) are each point per game players as well. In goal, Mitchell Gibson remains solid with a .919 save percentage, a 2.24 goals against average (GAA) and one shutout on top of a 9-5-1 record. 

As for BC (9-10-6, 5-7-5 HEA), they're 2-4-1 since the new year, settling for a tie with No. 15 UMass Lowell on Friday before taking the extra point in the shootout. The Eagles are yet to face Harvard this year. Against Northeastern they're 1-1-2 with a 2-1 loss on Jan. 31, and against BU, they're 1-2-0, winning a 9-6 barn-burner in December before suffering a sweep last weekend. BC is scoring 2.7 goals per game but allows 2.8. On special teams, the power play (23.2 percent) has been solid. Phenom Cutter Gauthier has led the way with 23 points (13g, 10a) in 21 games, while veterans Nikita Nesterenko (5-16--21) and Trevor Kuntar (9-10--19) have added complementary production. Graduate Mitch Benson has posted a .903 save percentage, a 2.71 GAA and one shutout as the starter.

FROZEN FOUR: Click or tap here for everything you need to know about the 2023 men's Frozen Four

In the nightcap, the Terriers look to defend their crown against last year's runner-up Huskies. 

BU (20-6-0, 14-4-0 HEA) is coming off a 5-3 win at Maine on Friday. They have been red hot for over a month, riding a seven-game win streak as part of a 12-2-0 stretch since the start of December. The Terriers have faced each of the other Beanpot programs, going 1-1-0 against Northeastern, 2-1-0 against BC and 1-0-0 versus Harvard. They're tied for the most goals per game in the nation (4.2), giving up 2.7, and both special teams units have been right about average. Forward Matt Brown (12-25--37) and freshman defenseman Lane Hutson (9-26--35) headline as a pair of Hobey Baker candidates, while veterans and youngsters alike are contributing balanced production further down the lineup. Between the pipes, local kid Drew Commesso will get his first shot in the Beanpot, posting a .909 save percentage and 2.67 GAA. Backup Vinny Duplessis has key experience as well after a sensational run in last year's tournament en route to the championship. 

As for the No. 20 Huskies (13-10-3, 11-5-2 HEA) have recovered from a skid to close out the first half, going 6-3-0 since the holiday break. They fell to UConn in overtime at home on Friday. Northeastern had the split with BU earlier in the season, in addition to the 1-1-2 marker against BC and the 8-4 loss to Harvard at the start of January. NU is scoring 3.1 goals per game, allowing 2.5, while the 85.3 percent penalty kill has been the bright spot on special teams. Individually, captain Aidan McDonough (17-15--32) and Justin Hryckowian (13-15--28) have paced the Huskies, in addition to secondary production from players like Gunnarwolfe Fontaine Sam Colangelo. In the crease, Devon Levi is putting up another stellar season, more than capable of stealing any given game with a .927 save percentage, 2.38 GAA and four shutouts. 

Recapping the 2022 Beanpot

BU claimed their first title since 2015 with a nail-biting 1-0 win against Northeastern in last year's final. Forward Dylan Peterson scored the game-winning goal, finishing a 2-on-1 with Jamie Armstrong, while goaltender Vinny Duplessis backstopped the Terriers with 19 saves. It was the second tournament in a row, and third of the last four, that saw BU face the Huskies in the championship.  

CHAMPIONS: How BU beat Northeastern to win the 2022 Beanpot

The Terriers reached the final by taking down Harvard, 4-3, to kick off the semifinals, while NU defeated BC, 3-1. 

The Eagles and Crimson skated to a 3-3 tie in the consolation game. 

All-time history

The Beanpot began in the 1952-53 season at Boston Arena (now Northeastern's Matthews Arena). The first edition of the tournament was played in December 1952 before it moved to the old Boston Garden in 1954, becoming the yearly headliner on the first two Mondays of February. It has been at TD Garden (formally the Fleet Center) when it replaced the old Garden in the mid-90's. 

Boston University leads the Beanpot with 31 titles all-time, thanks to last year's victory. The Terriers dominated the tournament for the better part of five decades from the 1960's through the 2000's, including a four-peat from 1970 to 1973 and a six-peat from 1995 to 2000. 

Boston College is right behind with 20 Beanpot championships in their history. The Eagles had a ton of success in the 2010's, winning five in a row from 2010 to 2014. BC also won seven of nine tournaments between 2008 and 2016. 

Meanwhile, Harvard holds 11 titles all-time. The Crimson won the first ever Beanpot over BU in 1952. Their most recent championship came in 2016, which was their first since 1993, ending a 23-year drought. 

SCOREBOARD: Click or tap here for the latest scores around Division I men's hockey

Northeastern checks in with six championships in their history. Recent history has heavily favored the Huskies as they won three in a row from 2018 through 2020 before coming a goal away from a four-peat last season. 2018 marked their first title in 30 years (1988). 1988 marked their first time winning the tournament after 27 tries.  

Below are the all-time results: