The Terriers went up 1-0 midway through the second on Colby Cohen's team-leading 10th goal of the season, his seventh on the power play. But the Huskies struck back with 10:17 left in the final frame, when Kyle Kraemer returned the favor and scored on the man advantage.
But it was BU that landed the final blow, when Alex Chiasson eluded a rock-solid Chris Rawlings for the deciding tally with just over six minutes remaining.
BC and BU will face off on Feb. 8 for New England college hockey's biggest honor. Be sure to catch all the action on NESN.com.
Third period, 30 seconds, BU 2-1: With 30 seconds left, Kieran Millan makes a ridiculous glove save that deflects the puck away to the left. BU clears it and pretty much saves the game.
Third period, 1:21, BU 2-1: NU pulls Chris Rawlings, so it has a 6-on-4 power play.
Third period, 1:28, BU 2-1: Northeastern will end this game on the power play. Wade MacLeod winds up for a shot but loses the puck and goes down after being hooked by Ross Gaudet.
Third period, 2:19, BU 2-1: We're back to even strength. It's crunch time now for the Huskies.
Third period, 3:25, BU 2-1: Steve Silva heads into the box for holding, and BU has another power play on its hands.
The Terriers are 1-for-4 on the power play tonight with eight shots.
Interesting stat: BU hasn't won a game this season when it has failed to score three goals.
Third period, 5:07, BU 2-1: David Warsofsky steals the puck in the defensive zone and sends it ahead, where Zach Cohen and Alex Chiasson are ready for a two-on-one. Cohen dishes to Chiasson who shoots, and Chris Rawlings gets a piece of it and watches in what seems like slow motion as the puck trickles into the net.
Third period, 6:36, 1-1: Vinny Saponari rifles one in from near the blue line but it misses. Whatever was ailing NU during the second period is gone, and this frame is looking very similar to the first — very intense and aggressive and even.
Nick Bonino, last year's Beanpot MVP, has one assist tonight and seven shots on goal.
Third period, 10:17, 1-1: Jake Newton gets a shot off with 30 seconds left in the power play but it goes wide, and with time ticking down and pressure mounting, Kyle Kraemer wrists one in to time the game. Kieran Millan doesn't even see it coming.
It's Kraemer's team-leading 10th goal of the season.
Third period, 12:10, BU 1-0: David Warsofsky heads into the box for laying a nasty open-ice hit on Wade MacLeod.
It's an ugly series for Warsofsky. It looked like an intentional offsides, and then he shot the puck after the whistle, and then there's the hit on MacLeod, which was pretty much a clothesline with the stick.
Oh, by the way, NU killed off the penalty.
And now, Colby Cohen joins Warsofsky in the box for hitting from behind. Northeastern will imminently have a two-man advantage.
Third period, 13:17, BU 1-0: Chris Rawlings has 31 saves thus far. If Northeastern loses this one, it won't have anything to do with his effort.
Still one minute left on the power play.
Third period, 14:05, BU 1-0: David Warsofsky's one-timer is deflected, and Zach Cohen gets the rebound and tries to hammer it in but no dice.
With two minutes left on this power play, Nick Bonino fires one wide.
Third period, 15:30, BU 1-0: A minute into the power play, Kevin Shattenkirk tees one up but it deflects off the circle. Vinny Saponari also gets an opportunity on an empty net but can't handle the puck.
Third period, 17:14, BU 1-0: NU's Alex Tuckerman absolutely nails Sean Escobedo into the boards from behind, and he is outta here for the evening. It doesn't look like it was intentional, but Escobedo was in a vulnerable position and smacked the front of his helmet against the glass.
That's a five-minute major for BU, and that could very well be the nail in the coffin for the Huskies.
Third period, 19:04, BU 1-0: We're underway in the third period, and as Kathryn Tappen just pointed out, the next goal in this one will be critical, no matter which team scores it.
End of second period, BU 1-0: Offense certainly hasn't been the highlight of this one, which is quickly becoming a defensive battle — a battle that should be amplied in the third period, as BU tries to defend a slim lead.
A Colby Cohen power-play tally is the difference in this one. The defenseman leads the Terriers with 10 goals, seven of which have come on the man advantage.
Both goaltenders have been impressive thus far, and if Kieran Millan can hold on through the final period — and if NU's offense doesn't rediscover the energy it displayed in the first period — we could be looking at a BC-BU Beanpot final next week.
Second period, 2:10, BU 1-0: And after a lengthy stoppage, we're back in action. The glass problem has been corrected.
Between the floor-sweating issue during the Celtics game last week and this glass thing tonight, the TD Garden has not had a good week.
Second period, 2:31, BU 1-0: NU's Robbie Vrolyk gets a great opportunity, charging up the right side and firing a shot at Kieran Millan, who deflects the puck off his stick. That was close.
And we're at a stoppage, as the glass seems to have popped out of it's holder thing.
Second period, 3:23, BU 1-0: The power play ends, and you can't help but feel like BU is starting to stake its claim on the momentum and Northeastern is fading out after a very strong first period.
It's worth pointing out that there's never been a 1-0 shutout in the Beanpot. (Too soon to point that out?)
Second period, 5:35, BU 1-0: BU will go on the penalty kill after a Joe Pereira hold on Drew Ellement.
Right off the bat, Justin Daniels misses on an empty net and afterward, BU's Eric Gryba clears.
Second period, 6:28, BU 1-0: Kieran Millan makes a great save on a backhanded shot by Steve Silva, and we have a stoppage as the net comes off the line. It stands out as one of the few really good offensive opportunities NU has gotten this period.
Second period, 7:34, BU 1-0: BU is now outshooting Northeastern 25-15.
Second period, 9:21, BU 1-0: Another BU domination stat: The Terriers have more Beanpot championships than the other three schools combined.
I guess we see why BU is generally viewed as the favorite, no matter the situation.
P.S. NU kills off the power play.
Second period, 11:04, BU 1-0: And just like that, BU goes right back on the power play. J.P. Maley is in the box.
NU gets a shorthanded opportunity in the first 20 seconds, and Kieran Millan makes a stop on a Steve Silva shot on a two-on-one.
Second period, 11:30, BU 1-0: Midway through the power play, Nick Bonino takes the puck behind the net and wraps it around, but Chris Rawlings gets there in time. Vinny Saponari gets a second shot off but Rawling makes his 19th save on the attempt.
Third time's a charm. With time expiring, defenseman Colby Cohen fires in a one-timer from the left circle. It's his team-leading 10th goal of the season, his seventh on the power play.
Second period, 13:30, 0-0: Both teams have been going end to end on offense so far. It's been a balanced effort and a penalty-less one, so things are moving fast, too.
And just as I type that, Chris Donovan heads to the box for holding.
Second period, 16:19, 0-0: Northeastern is outshooting BU 3-1 in the period, but overall, the Terriers still own a 14-13 advantage.
Beginning of second period, 0-0: For everyone who complained that the BC-Harvard game was too boring, they're certainly getting their money's worth with this one. Lots of action, lots of grit and even though BU seems to be the favorite here, Northeastern isn't letting the Terriers play like it.
End of first period, 0-0: No score in this one so far, as both goaltenders were busy in an aggressive and exciting first frame.
Northeastern freshman goaltender Chris Rawlings made 13 saves in the period, and BU's Kieran Millan stopped 10 shots. Both teams played with intensity and energy, and they both got plenty of offensive opportunities but couldn't capitalize against some solid goaltending on both ends.
NU went 0-for-2 on the power play while BU went 0-for-1.
First period, 1:48, 0-0: Kieran Millan was busy during the first minute of that power play, saving three shots as action in front of the net picked up in front of the net.
NU couldn't get another shot off in the final minute of the man advantage, as BU does a good job clogging the passing lanes.
The Huskies are now 0-for-2 on the power play.
First period, 3:53, 0-0: Northeastern goes back on the power play as Colby Cohen nails Tyler McNeely against the boards in back of the net and goes into the box for tripping.
BU has given up at least one power-play goal in its last seven games.
First period, 4:20, 0-0: Zach Cohen has BU's best offensive opportunity thus far, when he gets control of a loose puck near the left circle, brings it right up the crease and gets the shot off but Rawlings makes the save again.
Both teams have been pretty much even offensively in this one, but BU has really turned it up a notch in the past 2-3 minutes.
First period, 6:12, 0-0: NU freshman goaltender Chris Rawlings makes three huge saves, one of which was a point-blank shot by Ross Gaudet. The Terriers repeatedly pulled in rebounds and fired on net but Rawlings held strong.
He finishes that shift with five saves and has 10 thus far.
First period, 7:30, 0-0: NU gets a two-on-one following after snagging a loose puck in front of the BU net, but the shot goes over the crossbar.
First period, 8:37, 0-0: In the first minute of the power play, a Nick Bonino shot sails up over the crossbar. Kevin Shattenkirk gets one off moments later but that goes wide, too.
Right after the power play ends, Zach Cohen's shot is blocked and the threat is over.
First period, 10:25, 0-0: Now it's Northeastern's turn to go on the penalty kill, as Drew Ellement is whistled for holding.
I could make an awesome joke about him being out of his element, but I won't. (Except I just did.)
BU has a 21 percent success rate on the PP.
First period, 11:59, 0-0: The Huskies' Kyle Kraemer steals the puck from Nick Bonino in the neutral zone and gets a shot off on Kieran Millan, but Millan makes the stop on what has been NU's most promising scoring opportunity thus far.
First period, 14:28, 0-0: The Huskies boast a 16.7 percent success rate on the power play, and they don't get much offense going during this one. With 30 seconds left, BU's David Warsofsky snags the puck near the blue line and carries it into the offensive zone, ending the threat.
First period, 15:24, 0-0: The Huskies' Steve Silva notches the first shot on goal tonight, and just a few seconds later, NU earns its first power-play opportunity as Max Nicastro is in the box for tripping.
It appears that Nicastro was not the one who actually committed the offense, but a penalty is a penalty.
First period, 18:14, 0-0: BU boasts a winning percentage over 80 against NU in the Beanpot. Seems like the odds are in the Terriers' favor.
No shots on goal thus far, but both teams are playing with intensity, as evidenced by a multitude of hard hits against the boards already.
8:30 p.m.: And after the Hall of Fame ceremony and introductions and the National Anthem, we're ready to get started.
Just for the record, BU is also the defending Hockey East champion, in addition to the other two. (Forgot to point that out.)
Also, a Beanpot victory for BU tonight would be their 22nd.
7:49 p.m.: Boston College laid quite a beating on Harvard in the first game of the first round of this year's Beanpot, walking away with a 6-0 victory. Now we'll find out who will get the honor of facing the Eagles in the finals on Feb. 8.
Northeastern and BU are getting set for the puck drop at the TD Garden, and after winning three of their last four, the Terriers are hungry for a victory to solidify their second-half push. Over the weekend, the defending Beanpot (and national) champions beat UMass 6-2 and looks to avenge a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Huskies way back on Nov. 6.
The Huskies have also won three of their last four — that one loss being a horrifically lopsided 9-2 defeat at Vermont. NU beat UMass-Lowell 2-1 over the weekend for its second straight win and seeks its third tonight.
Keep checking back for updates throughout the evening.
