 "Photo: David Trudo")
The Eagles (8-9-6) will have to overcome many obstacles if they are to lift the Beanpot for the third consecutive year. For starters, the Beanpot field is as dangerous as it has ever been: Harvard may well be the best team in the country, BU is a rising program playing on its home ice, and Northeastern has had BC's number this year, pulling two upsets against the Eagles.
BC also faces internal challenges. The team's offensive production, which substantially paced Hockey East last season, has dropped off significantly this year. Team defense continues to be a concern, and off-and-on play has plagued the Eagles, putting them in a fight for their Hockey East playoff lives down the stretch.
In spite of all these challenges, the Eagles are this writer's pick to take home the Beanpot this year. The Eagles pose a threat to any team in the country in a one-game, winner-take-all format, and that all starts with goaltending. Few will forget Molly Schaus's 73-save performance last year against Harvard. She validated that effort with 40-plus save games in upset victories over Dartmouth, UNH, and St. Lawrence over the past two seasons.
BC's offense is laden with talent and is overdue for a breakout. Kelli Stack and Deb Spillane are having outstanding seasons and have carried the load thus far, but the sticks of Allie Thunstrom, Meghan Fardelmann, and Becky Zavisza will not stay silent forever. Although the Eagles defense has been inconsistent, it features talented players, including Katelyn Kurth, who is one of the best freshman defensemen in Hockey East.
Offensive explosiveness, plus great goaltending, equals a recipe for success in a tournament like the Beanpot - and the Eagles will have all the motivation they need after their loss to BU earlier this season and the 7-0 thrashing they took from Harvard. Look for the Eagles to pull the upset and get their season back on track by bringing home the trophy.
Boston University
Any combination of the words "BU" and "Beanpot" in the same sentence should be enough to make BC fans shudder, and Tuesday night's match-up should be no exception. In addition to BU's Beanpot mojo, the Terriers (8-11-3) also have the advantage of playing on their home rink, the venerable Walter Brown Arena. Walter Brown has been a vexing place for BC, as the Eagles have gone 0-2-1 in their last three games at BU, while blowing out BU in all three match-ups at Conte Forum during that time.
Coach Brian Durocher has continued to admirably lead the young Terriers, putting them in position to potentially qualify for the Hockey East playoffs for the first time ever. Their backbone is Allyse Wilcox, a talented but inconsistent junior netminder. Jillian Kirchner, a freshman forward, has paced the team offensively with 14 points.
Harvard University
The Crimson (17-1-0), who won seven consecutive Beanpot titles from 1999 through 2005, look to be the prohibitive favorites to add another Beanpot to their trophy case. The Beanpot could be just one step on the journey toward a national championship for Harvard, currently the No. 1 team in America.
On paper, Harvard is a mismatch with every other team in the tournament. Sarah Vaillancourt, Jenny Brine, and Caitlin Cahow are three veterans who are among the best players in the country, while the Crimson have also been bolstered by impact freshmen Liz Ryabkina, Katharine Chute, and Kate Buesser. Also added to the Crimson attack this year is Anna McDonald, a transfer from BC who scored the winning goal over Harvard to win the Beanpot for the Eagles last year.
Goaltender Christina Kessler's stats aren't too shabby: a 0.81 goals against average and a 96.1 save percentage. Make no mistake: Beating Harvard will be a colossal task for any team in this tournament.
Northeastern University
The Huntington Hounds are the biggest long shot in this year's Beanpot field - but it wasn't always this way. Northeastern leads all teams with 14 Beanpot titles, but few expect them to challenge for a 15th this season. Although the Huskies (5-15-2) have made significant strides since last year, winning two games against BC, taking a game from Providence, and fighting Minnesota tooth and nail en route to a 5-3 loss to start their season, they appear to be overmatched statistically.
Leah Sulyma, Northeastern's exciting freshman goalie, was the hero in the team's two wins over BC, but she has been spotty on the season overall with a 3.43 goals against average. Freshman forward Kristi Kehoe has helped charge up Northeastern's offense, leading the team with 18 points. Chelsey Jones, the highly touted winger out of Stillwater, Minn., has hit a bit of a sophomore slump, but is still third on the team with 14 points.
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