BOSTON — After years of watching Boston University and Boston College dominate the Beanpot Tournament, Northeastern took its turn atop the hierarchy in recent years.
But for all the success the Huskies have had as of late, they enter this year’s event seeking redemption after having their quest for a four-peat denied by BU in the championship game last season.
“I didn’t think last year’s game was as good as these guys,” Northeastern coach Jerry Keefe joked at Monday’s media day at TD Garden while alongside BU coach Jay Pandolfo and Terriers senior captain Domenic Fensore.
Northeastern went 30 years between Beanpot titles before rifling off three straight victories, two of which came against BU, from 2018-2020. Ending the drought was monumental for the Huskies, but it changed expectations for the program and left them wanting to achieve the same feat year after year.
“As a coach you get a taste of it, you want to win it that much more,” Keefe said. “And our senior class, they’ve had some success. They’ve won this tournament. And like I said, once you win it, it makes you that much more hungrier to win another Beanpot.”
Senior captain Aidan McDonough fondly remembers as a freshman being a part of the 2020 Northeastern team that topped BU in double overtime to keep the Beanpot trophy with the Huskies.
There certainly would be no better way for McDonough to close out his last Beanpot than with the hardware in hand again because while it’s nice to participate in the tournament, it’s even better to win it.
“We kind of had that pressure of being that freshmen class,” McDonough said. “The teams before us had won two in a row. You don’t want to be the guys that come in and ruin it. It was amazing going through that experience here, and now last year being on the other side of it. The Beanpot’s a great tournament. It’s a lot fun, but you only really get to truly experience it if you win it.”
Northeastern will look to get back on top beginning with its semifinal matchup next Monday against BU at 8 p.m. ET on NESN. Boston College and Harvard will collide in the other semifinal at 5 p.m.
