Patrick Brown, center, and the Boston College Eagles won their fifth straight Beanpot championship Monday night. Credit: Glen Cooper, Metro
Boston College remains the king of Hub hockey for yet another year while Northeastern’s Beanpot drought is now creeping up on three decades.
The Eagles stunned the Huskies with a late third period surge to win, 4-1, and capture their fifth consecutive tournament trophy.
Boston College captain Patrick Brown silenced a boisterous Northeastern crowd with 14:30 gone in the third period as he redirected an Isaac MacLeod shot past Huskies goaltender Clay Witt while falling to the ice. The score put BC up, 2-1, and Northeastern collapsed thereafter as Johnny Gaudreau scored on an empty net and Brown added another.
The Eagles certainly sweated for the 19th Beanpot crown in school history, however, as Ryan Belonger nearly gave the Huskies an early advantage in the first. The referees ruled that just before Belonger’s rebound effort crossed the goal line, the net was dislodged and the goal was waived off.
Northeastern’s lone goal came in the second period off a BC turnover as John Stevens beat Thatcher Demko on a backhand.
It was one of the few slips Demko had in the tournament as the freshman had a remarkable 56 saves on 58 shots between Monday and last week’s win over BU. Demko won the Eberly Trophy for top tournament goaltender and Eagles forward Kevin Hayes won the tournament MVP award.
Boston College’s 19 Beanpot crowns are second only to Boston University’s 29 tournament victories.
Follow Metro Boston sports editor Matt Burke on Twitter @BurkeMetroBOS
