BOSTON — It was an historic matchup in the 70th edition of the Beanpot Championship, so why not have an historic moment to end the tournament.
With Harvard and Northeastern facing off in the championship game for the first time in the 70-year history of the famous in-season tournament, it required 3-on-3 overtime and, eventually, the first-ever tournament shootout. Northeastern’s Aidan McDonough scored the only goal to propel the Huskies to the title, its four championship in five years and eighth all time.
Devon Levi, who made 32 saves through regulation and overtime, stopped all three shots he faced in the shootout to claim the title. Levi was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and also received the Eberly Award, presented annually to the goaltender who plays both games who has the highest save percentage. Levi finished with a .956 save percentage, the third-highest in tournament history.
To get to overtime and the shootout the teams played to a 2-2 tie. Northeastern jumped to a 1-0 in the second period on Gunnarwolfe Fontaine’s first of two goals of the game. Harvard’s Matthew Coronato answered before the end of the middle frame with his 17th and 18th goals of the season.
That, though, was all Levi would allow. He stopped 14 shots in the third and two more in overtime – including a point-blank bid by Coronato with less than a second left in the extra frame. Fontaine tied things with 15:03 remaining in regulation.
Monday’s final was the first Beanpot game to be decided in a shootout. The NCAA rules committee recently changed rules to prohibit all regular-season games, including in-season tournaments, to proceed beyond a five-minute overtime. Last Monday’s opening semifinal game between Harvard and Boston College was the first to be decided in 3-on-3 overtime as the Crimson scored with 1.5 remaining to prevent the shootout.
Previously, the NCAA required a five-minute overtime be played to determine the result of the game as a tie before proceeding to unlimited 20-minute overtimes that could determine a winner. And prior to that, unlimited 20-minute OTs began immediately after regulation ended.
For purposes of each team’s overall record, the game will be recorded as a tie.
THIRD PLACE GAME: Boston College 4, Boston University 2
Andre Gasseau scored with 11:17 remaining in regulation to break a 2-2 tie as Boston College earned a 4-2 victory in the Beanpot third-place game over Commonwealth Avenue rival, Boston University.
Gasseau’s goal came just 27 seconds after Jay O’Brien had tied the game for the Terriers at 8:16 of the third period. Trevor Juntar tacked on an empty-net goal with four second remaining.
Boston College jumped to a 2-0 lead early as Nikita Nesterenko scored his seventh goal of the season at 1:52 and Eamon Powell added a power play at 11:45 of the opening frame. Ryan Greene pulled BU within a goal before the end of the first.
Mitch Benson earned the victory for Boston College, making 21 saves.
The victory gives Boston College its 25th third-place finish in the event, while BU finishes fourth for just the eighth time, though its fifth in the last 12 tournaments.
