On Monday at 7:30 p.m., the Northeastern Huskies skated on the ice for a thrilling championship game against the Boston University Terriers. What championship game, do you ask? The long-time tradition: the Dunkin’ Beanpot.
The Huskies were crowned champions of the 2024 Dunkin’ men’s Beanpot tournament at TD Garden when they beat Boston University 4-3.
The Beanpot, first played in December 1952, is a college ice hockey tournament between the men’s and women’s teams at Boston University, Boston College, Northeastern University, and Harvard University. The Northeastern Huskies also won the women’s Beanpot tournament 2-1 over the BC Eagles on Tuesday, Jan. 23.
The men’s semifinals were played on Feb. 5, with Northeastern defeating Harvard 3-2 and BC falling 4-3 to BU. The consolation game on Monday ended with a 5-0 victory for the BC Eagles over Harvard, followed by the championship matchup.
The first-round competition opponents rotate every year. The second-round of competition features the consolation game and championship game. Two individual trophies are awarded in addition to the championship trophy: the Eberly Trophy is awarded to the goaltender with the highest save percentage, and the Beanpot MVP is awarded to the most valuable player of the tournament.
The BU Terriers currently have the most men’s Beanpot championships under their belt, coming in at 30, while BC has 20 titles, Harvard holds 11, and Northeastern has eight.
“You always want to win the Beanpot,” Terriers captain Case McCarthy told BU Today. “Last year, very disappointingly, we didn’t get the result. But I think coming into this year, that definitely factors into understanding that these games are hard to win, so we’ll be on top of our game … ”
The Beanpot has been a respected tradition in New England since its formation. Formerly called the New England Hockey Invitational, the Beanpot was originally played at the Boston Arena (now Matthews Arena) before the tournament outgrew its capacity and moved to the Boston Garden (now TD Garden) in 1953.
“Early February brings cabin fever to New England, and the region’s sports fans are excited by even the mention of pitchers and catchers reporting to Florida,” former Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna wrote in 2002. “It is at this moment that the area needs a boost, something special to get excited about. And the Beanpot provides a diversion.”
Massachusetts native Nick Ricci started playing hockey at the age of two, and by age four, he joined Peabody Youth Hockey. He played youth hockey until third grade when he transitioned to the travel league for the Middlesex Islanders. He played for the Islanders all the way through high school.
“As a young hockey player, it was such a cool experience going to TD Garden to watch this event,” Ricci said in an interview with The Beacon. “I would look up to the college players like they were professional athletes. I used to always say I want to be like them someday.”
Ricci has always been a fan of the BC Eagles and would dream about playing for them someday, especially as an avid watcher of the Beanpot tournament. Ricci is a senior at Dean College and although he does not play college hockey, he still looks forward to the tournament every year.
“The Beanpot has been a staple in the college hockey world for a long time,” Ricci said. “It brings four Boston schools together for the biggest tournament of their college career. It is an honor to be on a team that plays in the Beanpot.”
With over 18,000 attendees, this event has become a beloved tradition in the city of Boston and will continue to be a staple in the energetic and competitive Boston sports culture.
