BOSTON — One of college hockey’s best rivalries will be featured in the 2016 Beanpot final as Boston College and Boston University square off Monday night at TD Garden.
It’s the first time these Commonwealth Ave schools have met in the final since 2012, when BC emerged victorious in overtime. The Terriers are the defending champs, however, and a win would give them back-to-back titles for the first time since 2006 and 2007.
The Eagles, who have the highest-scoring offense in Hockey East this season, are favored to win.
Keep it right here for a live blog of BC-BU, including score updates, highlights and analysis.
Final/OT, 1-0 BC
The Eagles won the Beanpot! BC forward Alex Tuch scored on BU goalie Sean Maguire with a great shot from the slot.
Maguire won the Eberly Award for having the best save percentage in the tournament. He also won the Beanpot MVP award. Well-deserved.
Overtime, 1:24, 0-0: BC tried to jam the puck past BU goalie Sean Maguire at the top of the crease but he finally found it and covered up for a faceoff.
Overtime, 0:01, 0-0: Play has resumed!
End of Regulation, 0-0
We’re headed to overtime in the Beanpot final for the eighth time in the last 13 years. We’ll also have the first 1-0 score in Beanpot history, which is hard to believe.
Third period, 16:40, 0-0: BU forward Mike Moran shot the puck at BC goalie Thatcher Demko’s left pad after the whistle was blown, and the Eagles surrounded him behind the net and started pushing and shoving. No penalties were called.
Third period, 16:30, 0-0: BU goalie Sean Maguire makes four straight saves, one off a rebound in the low slot. He’s been unbelievable tonight. He now has 38 saves.
Third period, 14:26, 0-0: Both teams are trading chances with great end-to-end action. It’s also been a super physical game, and the intensity has increased in this period.
Third period, 11:34, 0-0: BU takes its timeout after an icing. BC used its timeout in the second period.
Third period, 10:09, 0-0: BC goalie Thatcher Demko will remain in the game. He was clutching his back/hip area and needed help standing, though.
Third period, 10:09, 0-0: Eagles forward Ryan Fitzgerald is stopped on a breakaway by BU goalie Sean Maguire, and then on the next rush up ice Terriers forward Jordan Greenway is denied on a breakaway and crashes into BC netminder Thatcher Demko.
Demko is in pain and being attended to by the trainer.
Third period, 7:38, 0-0: BU sets up a one-timer from the low slot on a pass from Gretzky’s office, but BC goalie Thatcher Demko makes a nice glove save to stop the danger.
Third period, 4:44, 0-0: BC had a 2-on-1 but the forward skating down the slot for the shot over-skated the puck and BU cleared the zone. It would have been the best scoring chance for BC since the first period.
Third period, 4:05, 0-0: BU forward Jordan Greenway’s 10-minute misconduct is over.
Third period, 0:01, 0-0: Play has resumed!
Second Intermission, 0-0
Second Period, 15:21, 0-0: BC tries to jam a puck past Sean Maguire around the edge of the crease but the BU goalie sprawls out on his back to keep it out. BC now has a 29-18 edge in shots on goal.
Second Period, 13:28, 0-0: BC defenseman Josh Couturier laid on the ice for a few moments before skating to the bench under his own power.
Second Period, 9:27, 0-0: BC’s power play is over.
Second Period, 7:27, 0-0: We have a fight! Well, sort of. BU forward Jordan Greenway and BC defenseman Casey Fitzgerald exchanged jabs behind the goal line after the whistle. Fitzgerald’s helmet actually came off during the altercation.
Greenway was penalized two minutes each for hitting after the whistle and goalie interference, in addition to a 10-minute misconduct. The second penalty was what started the whole thing. Fitzgerald was penalized two minutes for roughing. BC has a two-minute power play.
Second Period, 5:06, 0-0: The Terriers killed off the penalty, and they actually generated the better scoring chances. BU tallied three shot attempts while shorthanded.
Second Period, 3:06, 0-0: BU defenseman Matt Grzelcyk will go to the penalty box for slashing. BC will get its second power play of the night.
Second Period, 0:33, 0-0: BU killed off the penalty and we’re back to 5-on-5.
Second Period, 0:01, 0-0: Play has resumed! BC has 33 seconds of power-play time.
First Intermission, 0-0
First Period, 19:44, 0-0: Sean Maguire makes a good glove save in traffic on a BC shot from the point to halt play.
First Period, 18:24, 0-0: BU defenseman Charlie McAvoy is penalized for holding. We’ll have some 4-on-4 action and then BC will have its first power play of the game.
First Period, 18:01, 0-0: BC forward Miles Wood is stopped on a shorthanded breakaway after a tremendous save by Sean Maguire.
First Period, 17:11, 0-0: BC forward Christopher Brown has been penalized for high sticking. BU will have a 5-on-3 power play for 34 seconds.
First Period, 15:45, 0-0: We have our first penalty of the game. BC forward Miles Wood takes a minor penalty for boarding.
First Period, 11:07, 0-0: The delay is over and play has resumed.
First Period, 11:07, 0-0: A bunch of lights just came back on. Good sign.
First Period, 11:07, 0-0: Both teams just went down the tunnel. The delay has hit 18 minutes.
First Period, 11:07, 0-0: Latest update.
First Period, 11:07, 0-0: Some lights just came back on, but it’s still darker than normal.
First Period, 11:07, 0-0: Uh oh. A bunch of lights just went out at TD Garden. Play has been halted for the time being.
First Period, 7:01, 0-0: There’s a great pace to this game in the opening seven minutes.
First Period, 6:35, 0-0: BC is peppering the BU net and now leads 11-1 in shots on goal. Maguire has been busy and sharp.
First Period, 4:17, 0-0: Thatcher Demko makes a great left-pad save on a one-timer to keep BU off the scoreboard. One of the tournament’s best stops so far.
First Period, 4:05, 0-0: BC is dominating puck possession early and has a 6-1 edge in shots on goal. Sean Maguire made two good saves back-to-back from shots in the slot to keep the game scoreless.
First Period, 0:01, 0-0: The puck has been dropped and we’re underway!
7:35 p.m.: The starting goalies tonight are Thatcher Demko for Boston College (.913 save percentage in semifinal) and Sean Maguire for Boston University (.960 save percentage in semifinal).
7:25 p.m.: Puck drop should be around 7:40 p.m. It was originally scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
7 p.m.: The teams are on the ice for warmups. BC is wearing its maroon sweater, while BU is in its throwback white.
6:40 p.m. ET: Puck drop is about an hour away at TD Garden. Northeastern crushed Harvard 5-1 in the consolation game earlier in the day.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@BCHockeyNews
