2020 Beanpot Semifinal Preview: Harvard Vs. Northeastern Prediction, Key Players And More

Can Northeastern accomplish the three-peat?

That will be the task at hand when the Huskies begin their Beanpot title defense Monday night against the Harvard Crimson at TD Garden in the semifinal.

These two teams have yet to face each other this season and haven’t met in the Beanpot since the 2017 semifinal when Harvard defeated NU, 3-2.

Here’s a preview for Harvard vs. Northeastern:

Harvard (10-6-4) vs. Northeastern (14-7-2), 5 p.m. ET
How to watch: NESN

BEANPOT RECORDS
Harvard: 56-78 record (486 goals scored, 523 goals against) with 11 championships and 15 runner-up finishes.
Northeastern: 43-91 record (420 GF, 629 GA) with six championships and 13 runner-up finishes.

HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY
The Crimson and Huskies haven’t met in the Beanpot tournament since 2017. Harvard reached the final just once during the 2010s, winning it all in 2017. The two teams have not met this season. NU has won four of its last six Beanpot tournament meetings.

2010 Consolation: Northeastern 4, Harvard 1
2011 Semifinal: Northeastern 4, Harvard 0
2012 Consolation: Harvard 3, Northeastern 2
2014 Semifinal: Northeastern 6, Harvard 0
2016 Consolation: Northeastern 5, Harvard 1
2017 Semifinal: Harvard 3, Northeastern 2

2019-20 SEASON
Northeastern has won four of its last six games. The Huskies suffered back-to-back losses to UConn and UNH before bouncing back Jan. 31 against Providence. NU boasts six different players with double-digit assists and two with double-digit goals.

Harvard is coming off an eight-goal performance to close out January. That was t he No. 16-ranked Crimson’s first win since Jan. 17. They began the season with a strong 7-0 record before losing their next four.

KEY PLAYERS
Casey Dornbach, Crimson forward
The sophomore has tallied 10 points in Harvard’s last 11 games, including amassing four assists in Harvard’s Jan. 31 win over Union. Dornbach also has a team-leading 29 points.

Tyler Madden, Huskies center
Madden potted the game-winning goal for the Huskies in the 2019 Beanpot Final for Northeastern and is tied for second-most goals on the team with 17. He leads NU with 33 points and 16 assists and is averaging 1.43 points per game.

PREDICTION
Northeastern wins 5-2.