Men’s Olympic hockey began this week, making the collegiate scene the new main attraction.
Non-conference play has officially concluded until the NCAA tournament, and this week began the final week of the regular season, making every game even more important.
Week two of the Beanpot tournament began this week, with Harvard and Northeastern playing the consolation before the title game featuring No. 14 Boston College and Boston University.
Harvard and Northeastern traded goals to open the game, but from there it was all Harvard on the scoresheet, culminating in a 4-1 win in the end over the still tumbling Huskies.
The main event came later in the night with the Boston teams in a bonus Battle for Comm Ave. BU opened the game’s scoring early on but would concede the next four goals of the game, only scoring one more in a weak comeback attempt. The Eagles cruised to a 6-2 victory to claim their 21st title in the tournament and first since 2016.
All of the contests on the weekend were two-game sets between teams, with no variation in who played who between Friday and Saturday. No. 19 UMass Amherst did not play this weekend.
UMass Lowell traveled to Vermont for both of their games. Despite the Catamounts outshooting their opponents, the River Hawks swept the set by scores of 4-2 and 5-2.
Following their Beanpot loss, BU looked to turn the tide and stop their drastic fall that’s occurred this season. Unfortunately for the Terriers that would not happen on Friday, with Morgan Winters leading the charge in a 4-1 UNH victory.
Game two fell in favor of BU by a score of 5-3, but that didn’t take away from the crushing loss the day before. The national runner-up is all but eliminated from an at-large bid and will have to win their conference tournament to reach the NCAAs.
Boston College and Merrimack played a home-and-home following the Eagles’ Beanpot win. Game one began with two goals from BC, but that would be all the Eagles managed. Merrimack scored four unanswered to win a statement 4-2 victory. BC dominated game two to win 4-2 and earn a series split.
For Merrimack, their season has been one of the quietest quality seasons nationwide. Winning against a top 15 team earned them a vote in the USCHO poll and puts them just three points out of a Hockey East bye.
No. 7 Providence hosted Northeastern in a two-game set where the expectation was a Friars’ sweep.
While Providence certainly outplayed Northeastern, allowing just 11 shots, a poor performance by Jack Parsons in net gave the Huskies a surprising 4-2 victory over the Friars. Providence shut down Northeastern in game two in a 4-1 win for a little retribution.
No. 11 UConn travelled to Maine for their series, the first rematch of last year’s Hockey East finalists.
It was all Tyler Muszelik in game one, saving all 32 of Maine’s shots for a 2-0 victory. Maine put up 53 shots the following day, the most UConn has ever allowed in their time in Hockey East. But Muszelik wasn’t finished, keeping the Huskies alive and dragging the game to a 3-3 tie. UConn never trailed yet never led by more than one, with Trey Scott winning it for the Huskies in the shootout.
The Hockey East tournament is starting to take shape but is still very malleable. All teams make the conference tournament, but the top five seeds receive a first-round bye.
Providence has a good hold on the top of the conference, with only one ranked team on their schedule and the remaining four coming against Vermont and UNH, the worst teams in the conference.
UConn is Providence’s only challenger, but a strong remaining schedule and the ground they’d have to make up makes the one seed almost unattainable. The two meet on the final day of the season, and if the cards fall right, there’s still a chance this decides the one seed.
Boston College sits just two points behind UConn and also has a tough schedule to end the year. Five points ahead of fourth, the Eagles control their own destiny but cannot take the next stretch lightly.
UMass and Boston University sit tied in the four and five, with Merrimack and Northeastern three points behind them. Maine and Lowell have outside shots at a bye, while Vermont and New Hampshire will almost certainly play first round games.
The at-large bids from the conference will include Providence for sure, with UConn being likely and BC having a good shot as well.
Merrimack travels to Maine with the power to eliminate Maine from bye contention, and Northeastern will have the same power as the visitors against UMass Lowell.
New Hampshire and No. 19 UMass play a home-and-home set, while No. 7 Providence travels to Vermont.
No. 10 UConn and No. 12 Boston College play a pivotal home-and-home that will likely determine the recipient of the two seed in the tournament and potentially clinch an at-large bid depending on nationwide results.