The 2026 Dunkin” Men”s Beanpot Championship took place at TD Garden on Monday night, featuring a fierce rivalry as Boston University went head-to-head with Boston College. This matchup marked the 300th meeting between the two teams, intensifying the stakes for a title in one of college hockey”s most prestigious tournaments. Unfortunately for the Terriers, their hopes of securing a 33rd Beanpot championship were dashed as they fell to the Eagles with a score of 6-2.
Head Coach Jay Pandolfo expressed disappointment in his team”s performance, stating, “Our team was having a tough time sustaining the same type of play for the whole game. It just started getting away from us.” The importance of scoring early was evident, especially following a previous loss to BC at Agganis Arena on January 30. The Terriers found the net first when Brandon Svoboda scored just 2:15 into the opening period, capitalizing on a rebound from a shot by Gavin McCarthy that Eagles” freshman Louka Cloutier couldn”t control.
Despite having two power-play opportunities in the first period, BU failed to extend their lead. Cole Eiserman had a golden chance with a clear shot from the slot but was unable to beat Cloutier, who would go on to make a total of 27 saves during the game. Pandolfo noted the effect of missed opportunities, saying, “You can just tell a little bit that deflates the bench, and then they get the one power play score right away.”
The Eagles answered back with a power-play goal from senior Andre Gasseau at 15:02 of the first period, leveling the score at 1-1. Gasseau was set up by junior Ryan Conmy, who sped down the right side before finding him wide open. Although the Terriers dominated much of the first period, the Eagles adjusted their game in the second period, beginning to exploit weaknesses in BU”s defense. A significant moment came at 10:42 when senior Brady Berard had a breakaway but was thwarted by the stellar play of BU goalie Mikhail Yegorov, who finished with 32 saves.
BC took the lead at 14:54 with a goal from junior Will Vote, who redirected a shot from senior Lukas Gustafsson. The Eagles then capitalized on another power play, scoring just 13 seconds into the opportunity when Gustafsson found the back of the net again, extending their lead to 3-1 at 16:52. Sophomore James Hagens, who was later named Beanpot Most Valuable Player, assisted on that goal.
Down by two goals entering the final period, the Terriers faced further challenges as Ryder Ritchie received a penalty for cross-checking at 5:32. This allowed the Eagles to score again on the power play only four seconds later, with Gasseau netting his second goal of the night. The Eagles continued to press their advantage, scoring again at 16:03 with a goal by sophomore Dean Letourneau, followed by Vote”s second goal into an empty net at 18:49, finalizing the score at 6-2.
BU did manage to get one goal back at 14:51 on a power play, thanks to Eiserman”s one-timer from the right circle, but it was too little, too late for the Terriers. This loss adds to a season filled with frustrations for the team, a sentiment echoed by Pandolfo in the postgame press conference. “We”ve still got some hockey left to play. Obviously we”re in a very difficult spot. But we”ve got to try to find a way to end the year off right,” he remarked.
