The semi-final matchups for the annual Beanpot tournament took place Monday. Boston University defeated Northeastern University 3-2 in a shootout, and Boston College beat Harvard University by a score of 5-1. Northeastern and Harvard will meet in the consolation game next Monday at TD Garden, followed immediately by the finals matchup between BU and BC.
High-end NHL prospects factored into the results of each game this past Monday. The BU/Northeastern tilt was not decided until Terriers d-man Cole Hutson (WSH 2024, 1st round, 43rd overall) scored the game-winning shootout goal for the BU win. However, the star of the show in a losing effort was Northeastern goaltender Lawton Zachler. The undrafted Zachler stopped 36 of 38 Terrier shots, several of the spectacular variety. In particular, he robbed renowned sniper Cole Eiserman (NYI 2024, 1st round, 20th overall) on two glorious scoring chances in the first and second periods. He even got a big piece of the Hutson shootout tally, which barely trickled by him for the score. This level of play is nothing new for Zachler, as his season-long .929 save percentage is good for fifth in the nation.
The BC/Harvard game was decided much earlier and more decisively. The Eagles managed three first-period goals, two by James Hagens (BOS 2025 draft, 1st round, 7th overall). He added an assist on a goal late in the second by fellow Boston prospect Dean Letourneau (BOS 2024, 1st round, 25th overall). Letourneau and Hagens lead the team in goals with 15 and 14, respectively.