BEANPOT: For first time in 71-year history, Northeastern, Harvard reach championship game

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Both Harvard and Northeastern advanced to the 2023 Beanpot final for the first time in the tournament’s history. The two will face-off next Monday at TD Garden (Photo: Rich Gagnon)

It has been a long road for the Beanpot’s two largest underdogs – Harvard and Northeastern – but for the first time in the 71-year history of the tournament the two teams with the most difficult history – Harvard and Northeastern – will play for a championship.

Matt Coronato scored twice for Harvard but Marek Hejduk netted his second goal of the game with 1.5 seconds remaining in overtime as the Crimson defeated Boston College, 4-3.

The victory spoiled a late comeback from the Eagles where Nikita Nesterenko scored with 3:41 remaining and Cutter Gauthier added an extra-attacker goal with 1:31 left.

In the nightcap, Northeastern dominated, taking a 2-0 lead on goals by Aidan McDonough, his 18th, and Jakov Novak.

Though Matt Brown answered for BU with 1:51 remaining, Hunter McDonald sealed the victory, a 3-1 win, with an empty net goal.

Harvard and Northeastern will meet in the title game for the first time in the tournament’s 71-year history. Harvard has won the tournament 11 times, most recently in 2017. Northeastern has won the event seven times but most recently had a three-peat from 2018  through 2020.

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