Boston College wins its third straight Beanpot

The game went nearly fifteen minutes longer than most would have expected, but after 14:57 of overtime, Toni Ann Miano ripped one past Corrine Schroeder to give Boston College their third Beanpot in as many years.

It was all Boston College for the first 20 minutes of play as Daryl Watts and Molly Slowe scored two goals for the Eagles. Watts used her standout wrist shot to get BC on the board at 2:18, and then Slowe followed up with just her second career goal to give the Eagles a two goal lead at 12:26.

OK - now that we can take a breather for a second, here is the @molslo goal: pic.twitter.com/aZCJHhAV4M

— BC Women's Hockey (@BC_WHockey) February 14, 2018

The Terriers would not be silenced though, and Victoria Bach got BU on the board at 3:15 of the second period. 45 seconds later, Reagan Rust ripped a shot from the point on the power play to even the score, and the momentum was squarely in BU’s corner. The BU captain Rebecca Leslie put the Terriers ahead with her 19th of the season at 8:16, and the Terriers skated into the second intermission with a one goal lead.

When you need a big goal, call on the Captain! Becca with a huge goal to give us a 3-2 lead! pic.twitter.com/P6sLDF7pD6

— BU Women's Hockey (@TerrierWHockey) February 14, 2018

Schroeder and Katie Burt dueled it out for the majority of the game, with both of them flashing the leather and sliding side-to-side to deny some Grade A chances. Burt had stoned Bach a number of times, twice on breakaways early in the game, and once again late when it looked like VB12 would bust it open. Schroeder also had a fair number of big saves, denying BC some chances, especially late in the third.

With five minutes and three seconds left in the third period and the Beanpot inching towards BU for the first time in 37 years, Daryl Watts did it again. The freshman from Toronto tied the game at three and gave the crowd at Conte Forum some free hockey.

Then, after an arduous overtime with both schools shooting, slapping, jabbing and flinging pucks on net, Miano scored the final goal of her final Beanpot to extend BC’s title streak to three years.

When asked if number three was any different than number one, Coach Katie King-Crowley said that every year is different, and some times you have the chance to win it and sometimes you don’t, but ultimately, “they’re all special.”

BU head coach Brian Durocher said everyone “got their money’s worth” with this game, and waxed about how far the tournament had come in 40 years. King-Crowley noted too that even 20 years ago the times were totally different. Both coaches remarked that the players these days are better than they were before and King-Crowley mentioned the crowd for this final, and how the players do not get that often enough.

In her final Beanpot as the BC goaltender, Katie Burt won the Bertagna Award for best goaltender. Sitting to her right after the game was her freshman teammate in her inaugural Beanpot, Daryl Watts, who earned tournament MVP honors.

The team stayed on the ice well after most fans had left taking pictures with the Beanpot. For seniors Katie Burt, Gabri Switaj, Toni Ann Miano, and Kenzie Kent, they were able to hoist Boston’s most important trophy one last time, and on home ice.

Boston College will be back in action this weekend with a Friday/Saturday series against the Maine Black Bears in Orono. Boston University will play New Hampshire in a home and home set on Saturday and Sunday. Sunday will be senior night for the Terriers who will be honoring Victoria Bach, Rebecca Leslie, Nina Rodgers and Erin O’Neil.