Beanpot (ice hockey)

Beanpot (ice hockey)
Name	Beanpot
Current season	2024 Beanpot
Sport	Ice hockey
Founded	0 1952
Venue	TD Garden
Champion	Boston College (21st title)
Most champions	Boston University (31 titles)

Beanpot (ice hockey). The Beanpot is an annual NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament contested by the four major college programs in Boston, Massachusetts: Boston College, Boston University, Harvard University, and Northeastern University. First held in 1952, the tournament is a beloved civic event and a fierce rivalry that takes place over two Monday nights in February at TD Garden. The competition is renowned for its intense atmosphere, rich history, and for showcasing future stars of the National Hockey League.

History

The tournament was conceived in 1952 by the Boston Arena's manager, Walter A. Brown, who also owned the Boston Bruins, as a way to boost interest in college hockey and utilize the arena. The inaugural event was won by Harvard, defeating Boston University in the final. For its first three decades, the Beanpot was held at the Boston Arena, later known as Matthews Arena, the original home of the Boston Bruins. The tournament's popularity grew steadily, becoming a staple of the Boston sports calendar. It moved to its current home, the TD Garden (originally the Boston Garden), in 1996, solidifying its status as a major event. The competition has only been canceled once, in 1978, due to the historic Blizzard of 1978 that paralyzed New England.

Format and rules

The tournament follows a simple single-elimination bracket. On the first Monday, two semifinal games are played: one pairing is traditionally Boston College versus Boston University, and the other features Harvard against Northeastern. The winners advance to the championship game two weeks later, while the losers play in a consolation game earlier on that same night. All games are played under standard NCAA ice hockey rules, consisting of three 20-minute periods of sudden-death overtime if necessary. The tournament champion receives the coveted Beanpot trophy, a silver pot mounted on a wooden base.

Results and champions

Boston University holds the record for the most championships, with 31 titles, including a dominant run of six consecutive wins from 1995 to 2000. Boston College is second with 21 championships, while Harvard has 11 and Northeastern has 7. Northeastern famously endured a 30-year drought between its fifth title in 1988 and its sixth in 2018, a streak that became a central narrative of the tournament. Recent champions include Boston College in 2024 and Northeastern, which won four consecutive titles from 2018 to 2021. The tournament has seen several notable upsets, particularly when the traditionally stronger BU and BC programs have been defeated by Harvard or Northeastern.

Traditions and significance

Beyond the competition, the Beanpot is a major social and alumni event, often described as "Boston's best party." The tournament is preceded by elaborate tailgating and student rallies. A key tradition is the presentation of the Eberly Award to the goaltender with the highest save percentage in the tournament, named for brothers Gordon "Moose" Eberly and Thomas "Moe" Eberly. The Beanpot Most Valuable Player award is also highly coveted. The event holds significant weight for local recruiting and civic bragging rights, with coverage from major outlets like the Boston Globe and NESN. For players, winning the Beanpot is often considered as meaningful as winning a national championship.

Venue

Since 1996, the Beanpot has been held at the TD Garden, a multi-purpose arena that is also home to the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League and the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. Prior to that, it was held for over 40 years at Matthews Arena on the campus of Northeastern University, the oldest indoor ice hockey arena still in use. The move to the larger, more modern TD Garden allowed for greater attendance and elevated the event's profile, with crowds regularly exceeding 17,000 fans, creating an electric NHL-like atmosphere for the college players.

Notable players and coaches

The Beanpot has featured countless players who later achieved fame in the National Hockey League. Notable alumni include Mike Eruzione (BU), captain of the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" U.S. Olympic team; Keith Tkachuk (BU); Tony Amonte (BC); and Joe Mullen (BC). More recent stars include Johnny Gaudreau (BC), Jack Eichel (BU), and Adam Fox (Harvard). Legendary coaches such as Jack Parker of Boston University and Jerry York of Boston College have defined the rivalry, with Parker winning 21 Beanpots and York winning 12 during their storied tenures.

Category:College ice hockey tournaments in the United States Category:Sports competitions in Boston Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1952