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BU Beats Northeastern in Shootout, Advances to Beanpot Final

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Tuesday, February 3rd 2026 at 12:28 GMT by Boston.com
      Locales: Massachusetts, UNITED STATES

BOSTON, MA - February 3, 2026 - In a classic Beanpot semi-final showdown, Boston University overcame a determined Northeastern Huskies squad 3-2 in a heart-stopping shootout at the TD Garden tonight. The victory propels the Terriers into next week's Beanpot final, where they will face a formidable Boston College Eagles team in a rivalry game poised to be a sellout.

The game, characterized by tenacious defense, stellar goaltending, and a relentless back-and-forth attack, lived up to the intense expectations surrounding this historic Boston hockey tournament. BU, now 13-10-2 on the season, secured a hard-fought win against a Northeastern team that battled fiercely despite their 11-13-2 record.

The opening period saw both teams feeling each other out, with a cautious approach dominating the initial minutes. BU drew first blood midway through the period, capitalizing on a power play opportunity following a tripping penalty on Northeastern's leading scorer, Jack Williams. A crisp cross-ice pass found sophomore forward, Ethan Bell, who slotted the puck past Northeastern netminder Cam York. However, the Huskies responded quickly, tying the game just two minutes later with a beautiful individual effort from veteran winger, Kyle O'Connell, who deked around a BU defender and fired a wrist shot past Vanya Zhukov.

The second period mirrored the first - tightly contested and physical. Both teams created scoring chances, but Zhukov and York stood tall, turning away numerous shots. York, in particular, made several acrobatic saves, keeping the Huskies in the game with his impressive glove work. The Terriers regained the lead early in the third period, thanks to a shorthanded goal from captain, Liam Callahan. A turnover in the Northeastern zone allowed Callahan to break free on a 2-on-1 and beat York cleanly.

However, the Huskies refused to surrender. With just under five minutes remaining in regulation, Northeastern tied the game once more. This time, it was defenseman, Ben Morrison, who found the back of the net, unleashing a slapshot from the point that beat Zhukov through a screen. The remaining minutes of regulation time were a frantic scramble, with both teams pushing for the winning goal, but neither could find a way to break the deadlock.

Overtime proved to be equally tense. Zhukov and York continued to shine, denying any breakthrough opportunities. With both teams exhausted, the game headed to a shootout. BU's shooters - Bell, Callahan, and freshman sensation, Owen Davies - all converted their attempts. Northeastern's first two shooters were stopped by Zhukov, but their third managed to slip the puck past the BU netminder. The pressure then fell on Davies, who calmly buried his shot to secure the victory for the Terriers.

Zhukov's 34 saves were crucial to BU's win, earning him the game's MVP honors. York also had a strong performance, stopping 31 shots, but ultimately came up short.

Looking Ahead: The Beanpot Final vs. Boston College

The victory sets up a highly anticipated Beanpot final matchup against Boston College next Tuesday at TD Garden. The Eagles have been the dominant team in Hockey East this season, boasting a 17-7-1 record and a high-powered offense. The rivalry between BU and BC is one of the most intense in college hockey, and the Beanpot final is always a must-watch event. BC defeated Harvard 5-1 in the other semi-final.

"We knew it was going to be a tough game," said BU head coach, Jay Pandolfo, after the game. "Northeastern is a well-coached team, and they competed hard. Vanya [Zhukov] was outstanding in net, and our penalty kill came up big. We're excited to be heading to the final, but we know we have a tough challenge ahead of us against Boston College."

The Eagles' offense is led by junior forward, Alex Carpenter, who is currently the leading scorer in Hockey East. BU will need to shut down Carpenter and contain BC's high-flying attack to have a chance at winning the Beanpot. The Terriers will rely on their strong defensive core and Zhukov's goaltending prowess to compete with the Eagles. The Beanpot final promises to be a thrilling contest, and fans can expect a packed house at TD Garden next Tuesday.