Eagles whack BU to advance to Beanpot final

For the fifth time in six seasons, the #1 Boston College Eagles have advanced to the Beanpot title game, this time by taking down their rivals Boston University in overtime at the TD Garden. The win has moved BC to 20-6 on the season and they will seek to defend their 2010 title against the Northeastern Huskies in a Valentine’s Day showdown.

Boston College struck first in the first period with 5:23 to go on a goal by Philip Samuelsson, assisted by Arnold and Wey, but 38 seconds later, the Terriers hit back on a Wade Megan goal (assists by Noonan and Clendening). The first intermission score would be 1-1, but only two-plus minutes into the second period, the Terriers took the lead thanks to Corey Trivino (assists Ruikka and Gaudet).

The 2-1 Terriers score would last into the third period, but for a few moments, it didn’t look that way. Boston College had a potential goal waved off late in the second as the video cameras appeared to show the puck crossing the goal line, but it was still not definitive enough for the Hockey East officials. I can’t necessarily fault the officials for not calling it a goal, even though it seemed to those watching on TV that the puck went in, because the BU goalie’s leg blocked what would have been a sure shot of the puck, and the netting obscured the lines. In the end, it doesn’t matter, but it certainly may have brought the game to an end sooner.

That equalizer did eventually come for the Eagles off of the stick of Jimmy Hayes (assists Mullane and Samuelsson) about five minutes into the third period. The remainder of the period featured several sustained attacks on-goal by both teams, but neither goalie broke. BU had what seemed like a sure opportunity to win when they got consecutive power plays within the last five minutes of the third, but Boston College killed both off and rode out the final minute to force overtime.

The extra period did not last long, however: a little over three minutes into overtime, the Eagles went on the power play and Tommy Cross scored the game-winner for BC sixteen seconds later (assists Dumoulin and Jimmy Hayes). The result was a 3-2 victory for Boston College and a chance to hoist the Beanpot once again. Unless the Eagles face the Terriers again in the postseason, they will have gone a perfect 4-0 against them this year.

This is why you must trust in Jerry York and this hockey team. These guys are #1 in the country for a reason and they know how to win. It was a great crowd for our guys at the Garden tonight and an exciting game, which obviously ended in the best possible way.

Before that Beanpot final, however, the Eagles return to Hockey East play with a road game in Providence on Friday night.