The Heart of Boston Hockey: A Look Inside the 2026 Beanpot

If you love hockey, Boston is arguably the best city in the United States to call home. Beyond the Bruins, the city is defined by a wealth of history, tradition, and college hockey, and nothing showcases that better than the Beanpot. For many fans and players alike, the tournament is a rite of passage with an annual clash between Boston College, Boston University, Harvard, and Northeastern. This year's tournament marked the 73rd annual Beanpot, a testament to its enduring place in Boston sports culture. For two nights in February, spirited fans filled TD Garden to watch the games unfold and take part in some of college hockey's fiercest rivalries. 

What began as a simple solution to fill empty arena dates has since grown into one of the most celebrated traditions in college hockey. As Jack Grinold, the unofficial historian of the Beanpot, once explained, "It was originally the first two nights after Christmas of 1952. It was to help the Arena on off nights. It’s way, way beyond that now."

 Attendance grew steadily in the tournament’s early years, culminating in its first sellout in 1961. That moment marked a turning point in the Beanpot's rise from a local event to a must-see fixture on Boston's sports calendar. Since then, the tournament has continued to draw packed crowds year after year, and saw 18,258 spectators at this year's championship game.

Originally known as the New England Hockey Invitational, the tournament quickly earned its iconic nickname when Boston Globe writer Leonard M. Fowle referred to it as the "so-called 'Beanpot' tournament" ahead of its inaugural year. The name stuck, and Bruins owner Walter Brown later donated the now-famous silver bean pot trophy. The original pot is stored behind a glass case in TD Garden, while a replica is awarded to the tournament champion each year. 

On the ice, Boston University has been the most successful program in Beanpot history, capturing 32 championships. Boston College ranks second with 20 titles, followed by Harvard with 11 and Northeastern with nine. Yet for many players, the significance of the Beanpot extends beyond championships and records. After Boston College’s semifinal victory over Harvard this year, James Hagens reflected on what the tournament meant to him, saying, "It's one of the biggest reasons why I wanted to go to school here, just the rich history of The Beanpot, just being able to step on that ice and be part of it." That sentiment rings true for many players, as last year's Beanpot saw the return of alumni such as Macklin Celebrini, Lane Hutson, and Will Smith, who were in attendance to cheer on their former schools.

Courtesy of SnipeCity420/X

The 2026 semifinals began with a matchup between Boston College and Harvard. The Eagles dominated from the opening faceoff, scoring three goals in the first period. Two of those goals belonged to Hagens, bringing his season total to 14. He sits second in goals scored, trailing only fellow Bruins prospect Dean Letourneau. Harvard answered with a quick goal in the opening minute of the second period, but that was all the Crimson could muster. Letourneau later added to BC's lead with his 15th goal of the season, finishing off a deflected point shot from Hagens. The game ended in a 5-1 victory, sending the Eagles to the Beanpot final for the second straight year.

BC's rout of Harvard was followed by a tense, back-and-forth showdown between Boston University and Northeastern. The game marked the fourth meeting between the rivals this season, with the Terriers holding a 3-1 edge in a series defined by one-goal decisions.

Eight minutes into the game, Northeastern was awarded a power play and Dylan Hryckowian made it count, opening the scoring with his 15th goal of the season. Just under two minutes into the second period, BU freshman and Bruins prospect Johnathan Morello tied the game at one. The battle continued, and a few minutes later Jacob Mathieu put Northeastern back in front. That didn't last long and with 12 minutes left in the period, Nick Roukounakis answered for the Terriers. The game remained knotted at two and after 60 minutes of thrilling action, it headed to overtime.

With roughly 30 seconds left in extra time, it briefly appeared the game was over when Ryder Ritchie scored for BU, but the goal was immediately waved off due to an interference penalty on Gavin McCarthy. BU killed the penalty in the dying seconds, forcing the game into a shootout. Northeastern goaltender Lawton Zacher was outstanding, stopping 36 of the 38 shots he faced but it wasn't enough in the shootout. Cole Hutson scored the deciding goal to lift the Terriers into the championship game.

Courtesy of Marcussi_MA/X. Obtained via BOShockeyblog

The result set the stage for an electric championship matchup, as Boston College and Boston University squared off in the 300th Battle of Comm Ave. The timing felt poetic, marking 108 years since the rivals first met on February 6, 1918, in what was also the first game in Boston University hockey history.

After a 4-1 Harvard victory over Northeastern in the consolation game, powered by the Crimson's overwhelming offense with 40 shots on goal and 32 saves from goaltender Ben Charette, it was time for the main attraction.

Boston College got off to a slow start, allowing Boston University's Brandon Svoboda to clean up a rebound in front for his fifth goal of the season just 2:15 into the opening frame. The Eagles then committed two straight penalties, but their special teams kept them within reach. BC earned its opportunity with 5:36 remaining in the period when BU's Hutson was sent to the box for holding, and the Eagles wasted no time capitalizing. Ryan Conmy found Andre Gasseau in the slot, who buried his fifth goal of the season to tie the game.

When the teams returned for the second, it was a whole new game. With 5:06 left in the frame, Will Vote redirected a point shot from Lukas Gustafsson for his ninth goal of the season to give BC its first lead. Just two minutes later, Gustafsson got on the scoresheet again, ripping a wrist shot from the point to send the Eagles into the final period with a 3-1 advantage.

BU looked to generate offense early in the third, but instead found themselves shorthanded after a cross checking penalty with 14:28 remaining. Seconds into the ensuing power play, Gasseau struck again, scoring his second goal of the night and improving BC to 3-for-4 with the man advantage.

With 4:54 to play, Cole Eiserman pulled the Terriers within two with a power-play goal, but the momentum was short lived. Less than a minute later, Dean Letourneau answered for BC to restore their three goal cushion. BU pulled their goaltender in a final push, but instead Vote sealed the win with an empty-net goal for BC, making it 6-2.

Moments later, Boston College was crowned the 2026 Beanpot champion, capturing the title for the first time since 2016. Goaltender Louka Cloutier was awarded the Eberly Award after posting a .950 save percentage and allowing just 1.50 goals per game across both contests. Hagens earned the title of tournament MVP, finishing the Beanpot with two goals and three assists.

One of the most exciting aspects of the Beanpot for Bruins fans is the opportunity to watch future Boston players up close. This year's tournament featured five Black & Gold prospects: Hagens, Letourneau, Gasseau, and Will Moore of Boston College, along with Morello of Boston University. Hagens led the group with two goals and three assists, followed by Gasseau with two goals and two assists. Letourneau added two goals and an assist, while Moore had one assist of his own.

David Silk, a former Boston University forward and member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that claimed gold in the "Miracle on Ice," captured the essence of the tournament when he said, "Quite simply, there are two words that come to mind: tradition and emotion. Anyone who has a pulse around here knows about the tradition of the Beanpot. I'm a local kid. I grew up in Scituate. I started coming to the Beanpot about the same time I started playing hockey."

That sentiment speaks to the deep interconnectedness between the Beanpot, college hockey, and the city of Boston itself. Silk's words make it easy to see why a tournament where history, rivalry, and future stars converge on the same sheet of ice has become a staple of the city's sports culture year after year. More than a midseason tournament, the Beanpot remains a living piece of Boston's hockey identity, proof that the sport is more than just a game here.

Edited by: Kelly Cassette