BU Stuns No. 1 BC in Beanpot Final, Spoils Eagles’ Championship Banner

New York Rangers prospect Gabe Perrault and Boston College entered the prestigious Beanpot final as the No. 1 team in the nation, ready to down Boston University for a third time in two weeks.

Yet, they were outplayed by their biggest rival in front of a packed TD Garden, falling 4-1 on Monday night. BU barely touched the puck early on as BC dominated possession, outshooting them 15-2. The opening goal was a beauty. Ryan Leonard (WSH) fired a rebound across the crease to Perrault, who made no mistake tapping it in to give the Eagles the early 1-0 lead. BC was relentless, as their speed and puck pressure made it appear they were on track to blow BU out, just as they did 6-2 in their first meeting.

Then something changed. BU came out for the second period with renewed energy and tightened up defensively. They killed off a penalty early, then slowly began building momentum. The Terriers started pressuring BC into turnovers and generating scoring chances. At 5:43, Brandon Svoboda (SJ) capitalized on a Perrault back pass giveaway at the blue line, working a 2-on-1 the other way with Nick Roukounakis before ripping a wrist shot over Jacob Fowler's (MTL) shoulder to tie the game.

It was a crucial turning point, and just 1:10 later, Cole Hutson (WSH) scored the go-ahead goal, beating Fowler with a wrist shot after a strong keep-in by Tom Willander (VAN) at the blue line. The Dog Pound erupted as BU surged in front 2-1.

Watching Hutson, one of the catalysts on Team USA's World Junior triumph in January alongside Perrault, Leonard, Svoboda, and several others, was a treat. The Beanpot MVP has 14 points in 10 games since returning from leading the World Juniors in scoring as a defenseman and spearheading USA to a Gold Medal. Yet, the rockstar defenseman score, but he was also a force on his end, backchecking with conviction and blocking three shots. Hutson's performance reminded him of his potential, which means he will surely be a thorn in the Blueshirts side donning that Capitals sweater with Leonard down the road.

His goal on Monday, shifted the momentum, and despite strong efforts from Fowler, who made 37 saves — including a massive stop on Kamil Bednarik's (NYI) breakaway — it wasn't enough. BU continued to suffocate BC, winning faceoffs defensively, clogging the middle, blocking shots, and preventing quality chances. As the game wore on, the Eagles couldn't break through. When another USA gold medalist, Cole Eiserman (NYI), made it 3-1 Terriers with 5:52 left in the third, picking off a pass and burying it on Fowler's five-hole, it felt like a dagger.

By the time Gavin McCarthy (BUF) added the empty-netter to seal the game at 4-1, it was clear — this was BU's night and their 32nd Beanpot title.

Mikhail Yegorov BU's freshman goalie, who the New Jersey Devils selected with the 2024 second-round pick they acquired from Utah for John Marino, was sensational, making 43 saves, including some crucial ones early on when BC dominated the game. His .951 save percentage in the first month at the college level speaks for itself. The win is also revenge for the recent warmup controversy when Yegorov was penalized for taking warmups too early in his debut. BC started things with a power play, their goal being the difference in a 2-0 empty-net abetted victory.

However, there was no funny business here, as BU straightened Comm Avenue. The victory bumps them from No. 9 to No. 6 in the Pairwise rankings. BU is the only team that can turn a BC dream night into a nightmare, and they did just that. The Eagles may still be the No. 1 team in the country, but the 72nd Beanpot title belongs to the Terriers.

As the TD Garden crowd emptied, BU chants echoed in the air, and BC's hopes of defending their title were dashed. Yet, to make matters worse for Perrault's Eagles, the Boston College "2024 Beanpot Champions" banner was found in the arena's basement. It had been printed, delivered, and ready to be raised, but BU had other plans.