BOSTON — Boston College dethroned a reigning champion to set up a classic confrontation against its ancient rival.
BC men’s hockey employed eight different goal scorers to upend the defending champion Northeastern, 8-2, in the nightcap of the 72nd Beanpot semifinals on Monday at the TD Garden.
BC sophomore goalie Jacob Fowler, a second-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens, recorded 28 saves to secure his 18th victory of the season and 50th overall.
The Huskies (9-13-3) had enjoyed a mini-dynasty, having won five of the previous six Beanpot championships, while BC hasn’t won since 2016.
“It’s a really special tournament, especially against a great team, they had won five of the last six,” said BC freshman right wing Teddy Stiga of Sunbury. “To be able to get the win and move on to the finals for the first time in a while and the older guys in the locker room have been preaching it.
“It is hard to do. It’s two games and anything can happen.”
The No. 1 Eagles improved to 20-4-1 and will look to secure its 21st Beanpot championship when they take on No. 8 Boston University in the title game next Monday night at the Garden.
BC swept BU in a home-and-home weekend series on Jan. 24 and 25.
The Eagles and Terriers will meet in the Beanpot final for 23rd time with BU holding a 12-10 advantage. The last time BU beat BC in the Beanpot final was a 2-1 overtime affair in 2007.
“It’s a week away and we know we have our hands full with New Hampshire on Friday night,” said BC coach Greg Brown. “Right now, we put that on the back burner but we will be excited for sure when we get to it.
“We have played them recently and both teams are very familiar with each other. But we have other tasks at hand before we get to that.”
BC’s quick-strike offense was on display in the opening minute of the game and stayed sharp for the remainder of the period.
Freshman center James Hagens, who is expected to be a top-5 pick in the upcoming NHL SuperDraft, sent Stiga on a rush up the right wall. Stiga looped into the high slot and unleashed a hard wrist shot that beat NU goalie Cameron Whitehead top shelf on the glove side for his 10th of the season 45 seconds into the match.
Hagens was credited with his 22nd helper of the campaign.
BC went up 2-0 at 13:59. Junior left wing Brady Berard made a backhand pass between his skates from the right corner of the end boards to senior Connor Joyce in the low slot. Joyce lifted it by Whitehead for his first of the season.
NU retaliated with a goal at 14:39. Freshman right wing Ben Poitras redirected Jackson Dorrington’s shot from the blue line past Fowler for his first of the season. BC made it 3-1 at 18:29 when defenseman Eamon Powell crashed the left circle and ripped a wrister that beat Whitehead 5-hole for his second of the season.
“The first one, you don’t want to give that one up in a game like this to be sure,” said NU coach Jerry Keefe. “It’s 3-1 going into the second period and you are still in the game if you get the next one but we didn’t give ourselves that chance.”
The Eagles carried their momentum into the second period and made it 4-1 just 35 seconds into the frame. Sophomore right wing Ryan Leonard of Amherst, the 2024 first-round pick of the Washington Capitals, led a rush into the NU zone. Leonard drew a crowd and dished to junior defenseman Lukas Gustafsson who one-timed the disc past Whitehead for his second of the season.
BC made it 5-1 at 17:31 when sophomore defenseman Aram Minnetian fired a wrist shot from the top of the left circle that beat Whitehead inside the near post for his second of the season. That was three straight goals by three different defensemen.
“I thought it was a huge night for the whole team against a really good opponent,” said Minnetian. “I thought our third and fourth lines were buzzing and our D was getting in on the rush and involved and making huge contributions.
“But we were playing the right way, defending first and looking to get involved after that.”
Bruins draft pick Andre Gasseau, Leonard and Hagens scored third-period goals. Leonard has scored 23 goals in 25 games.
