2023 Beanpot Preview

Story posted February 5, 2023 in CommRadio, Sports by Allie Wenskoski

It’s time for the battle of Boston as the annual Beanpot men’s hockey tournament begins on Saturday, February. 6. Four of Boston’s largest hockey powers will be facing off on the ice to see what team from the frozen north will reign superior and be the king of the Garden.

The tournament began in December 1952 with Harvard winning the inaugural event. However, Boston University sits on top with the most wins at 31 titles all time, Boston College has 20 championships, Harvard holds eleven, and finally Northeastern won just six times.

BU secured last year’s title in a 1-0 win over Northeastern. It was their first win since 2015 and it was the second time in a row that these two teams faced off in the finals.

This will be the 70th Beanpot tournament and is a way to promote the sport in Boston, as well as show off potential future stars in the game. Additionally, the rivalries are heated, making for all the better hockey. Without further ado, let’s get into the matchups.

Boston College vs. Harvard - 5 p.m.

The currently eighth ranked Harvard Crimson will go on to face the Boston College Eagles. Harvard is coming off of a loss against number two Quinnipiac. Their current record stands at 15-6-1 and Harvard is expected to stay near the top throughout the rest of the season.

Additionally, Boston College is going to need to step up their level of play if they want a shot at bragging rights in Beantown. They sit at a record of 9-10-6 and seem to struggle against some easier opponents in their conference.

What may be the edge in this matchup and possibly the tournament overall? The Crimson have a leg up on coaching experience. Head coach Ted Donato was hired in 2004 and has 19 years of experience with Harvard. Whereas his counterparts are all either in their first or second campaigns.

Boston University vs. Northeastern - 8 p.m.

No. 3 Boston University will be going against the unranked Northeastern Huskies. Boston, seemingly a near impossible team to beat, sits with an impressive record of 20-6-0 going into the contest. Northeastern is going to have a tough hurdle to jump as its record is 13-10-3.

Boston has a new head coach, Jay Pandolfo, who brings a renewed sense of energy to the team. The Terrier’s success also can be attributed to the returning talent from last season. Four out of the top-five point scorers from 2021 remain on the roster.

Senior Captain Domenick Fensore is a former Hobey Baker Nominee, Hockey East Second Team All-Star and led the Terriers last year with a career-high 31 points. Also, goaltender Drew Commesso became the youngest goaltender to start for a US Olympic team in 2022.

However, recently Northeastern was on a roll on a four game winning streak heading into this matchup against Boston College, so the Huskies are definitely not a team to count out.

There’s going to be plenty of action on the ice in Boston in the upcoming weeks and the Beanpot tournament is the pinnacle of excitement.

Finally, Matt and John Grzelcyk will be the 2023 inductees of the Beanpot Hall of Fame. Which players from this year will join them? Only time will tell.

Allie Wenskoski is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, please email amw7637@psu.edu.