Northeastern takes third place in Women’s Beanpot, edging Boston College 3-2 at TD Garden
A tightly contested consolation game capped a turbulent Beanpot path for both programs
Northeastern secured third place in the 47th Women’s Beanpot on Tuesday afternoon at TD Garden, holding off Boston College, 3-2, in a game defined by sustained territorial pressure, standout goaltending, and late-game urgency.
The result closed a Beanpot run in which both teams fell in the semifinals a week earlier. Northeastern entered the tournament as the three-time defending champion, but its bid for a fourth straight title ended in an overtime loss to Boston University on Jan. 13. Boston College, meanwhile, was eliminated the same night by Harvard, 2-1, setting up the Huskies-Eagles third-place matchup.
How the game turned: shot volume, rebounds, and a narrow finishing margin
Boston College scored first despite spending extended stretches defending. With about three minutes remaining in the first period, Sammy Taber converted a rebound chance after Northeastern goaltender Lisa Jönsson made the initial stop. Northeastern responded roughly 90 seconds later, when Éloïse Caron finished a rebound near the far post after Stryker Zablocki forced a turnover behind the net and brought the puck to the front, tying the game 1-1.
The middle period tilted heavily toward Northeastern. The Huskies carried play and generated repeated looks at the net, and Zablocki’s goal with about two minutes left in the second period put Northeastern ahead 2-1. Boston College’s Grace Campbell faced a high shot volume throughout, reaching 38 saves by the end of two periods and finishing with 54 saves, a season high.
Insurance goal holds up as Boston College pushes late
Northeastern extended the lead in the third when Lily Shannon scored with less than 10 minutes remaining, making it 3-1. Campbell was later pulled for an extra attacker, and Taber added her second goal with three seconds left, trimming the deficit to 3-2 but leaving no time for an equalizer.
Final: Northeastern 3, Boston College 2 (Women’s Beanpot third-place game)
Key scorers for Northeastern: Éloïse Caron, Stryker Zablocki, Lily Shannon
Key scorer for Boston College: Sammy Taber (two goals)
Notable performance: Grace Campbell (54 saves)
The consolation result offered a measure of closure for Northeastern after its overtime semifinal defeat, while Boston College’s late surge underscored how narrow the margin was despite long stretches spent under pressure.