Boston University beats Northeastern in Beanpot semifinal shootout, setting up title-game matchup with Boston College

Terriers survive 2-2 draw and win in skills session at TD Garden

Boston University advanced to the Beanpot men’s championship game Monday night, outlasting Northeastern in a shootout after the rivals finished tied 2-2 through regulation and 3-on-3 overtime at TD Garden. The result sends the Terriers into next week’s final against Boston College, continuing a tournament run that again funnels through the region’s most familiar pairings.

The semifinal was defined by quick answers and erased deficits. Northeastern struck first on a power-play one-timer at 9:20 of the opening period, taking a 1-0 lead into intermission. Boston University responded early in the second: freshman Jonathan Morello finished at the top of the crease after a backhanded feed from Charlie Tretheway to level the game less than two minutes into the period.

The tie did not last. Northeastern regained the lead at 4:55 of the second on a rush chance converted by Jacob Mathieu. Boston University’s second push arrived before the midpoint of the period, when Nick Roukounakis snapped a shot to restore parity at 2-2. From there, the game tightened, with both teams trading chances without finding a winner through the remainder of regulation.

Overtime drama, then a decisive shootout sequence

The 3-on-3 overtime featured pivotal moments but no goal. With the game still deadlocked, the teams moved to a shootout where Boston University produced the difference: Jack Harvey scored in the opening round, and Cole Hutson sealed the decision in the third round when his attempt slipped past Northeastern goaltender Lawton Zacher. Zacher finished with 36 saves across play before the shootout, while Boston University goaltender Mikhail Yegorov recorded 24 saves.

The semifinal also carried broader context for both programs. Boston University entered the night looking to begin a defense of last season’s Beanpot title while hovering below .500 on the year. Northeastern arrived with an even overall record and had been trying to reverse a difficult stretch of results entering the tournament. The narrow margins matched a season series in which previous meetings between the teams had been decided by a single goal.

What’s next: BU-BC final on February 9

Boston University will face Boston College in the Beanpot championship game on Monday, February 9, at TD Garden. Earlier Monday in the tournament’s opening game, Boston College defeated Harvard 5-1 to claim the first spot in the final.

• Semifinal final score: Boston University 2, Northeastern 2 (BU wins shootout)
• BU goals in regulation: Jonathan Morello, Nick Roukounakis
• Goaltending: Lawton Zacher 36 saves; Mikhail Yegorov 24 saves
• Championship matchup: Boston University vs. Boston College on February 9

In a game of repeated responses and little separation, the outcome ultimately turned on execution in the shootout, sending Boston University back to the Beanpot final.