No. 1 Terriers Hoist Beanpot With 5-2 Win Over No. 2/3 Northeastern

Senior Jason Lawrence scored his third career game-winner in the Beanpot. (Photo by Dominick Reuter)

Senior Jason Lawrence scored his third career game-winner in the Beanpot. (Photo by Dominick Reuter)

Feb. 9, 2009

 

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BOSTON - Powered by three short-handed goals, the top-ranked Boston University men's ice hockey team captured the 2009 Beanpot - its 29th title in the 57-year history of the tournament - with a 5-2 win over third-ranked Northeastern on Monday night at the TD Banknorth Garden. Sophomore Colin Wilson scored a goal and added two assists in the title game, while classmate Nick Bonino scored his third goal of the tournament to claim Most Valuable Player honors.

BU, which got a 23-save performance from freshman goaltender Kieran Millan, won its eighth straight game and improved to 22-5-1 on the year.

Senior Jason Lawrence broke a 2-2 tie midway through the second period with what ended up being his third career game-winning goal in the Beanpot and the second in as many weeks.

A third-period slashing penalty on sophomore Joe Pereira ended up producing two short-handed goals, as freshman David Warsofsky and Wilson scored within 30 seconds of each other to seal the victory.

Junior goaltender Brad Thiessen made 29 saves in a losing effort for the Huskies, who fall to 19-7-2. Thiessen captured the Eberly Trophy for posting a tournament-best .925 save percentage.

Northeastern, which was attempting to win the Beanpot for the first time since 1988, got goals from freshman Mike McLaughlin and sophomore Tyler McNeely.

The Terriers never trailed in the contest, using a power-play tally from sophomore Colby Cohen at 16:09 of the first to open the scoring. Northeastern, however, potted a power-play goal of its own when McLaughlin knocked in a rebound just 26 seconds left to play in the opening period to allow his team to head into the first intermission tied.


 

 

Bonino gave BU the lead back with his first career short-handed tally just 27 seconds into the second, as the sophomore sent home a rebound from a shot by senior Brandon Yip that bounced off the caromed off the glass and right to Bonino's stick in the left slot.

McNeely scored what would be the Huskies' final goal of the night at 10:01 of the second to make it a 2-2 affair, but Lawrence countered just 65 seconds with the game-winner off assists from senior Chris Higgins and Wilson.

BU returns to action this weekend when it visits Maine for a two-game set on Feb. 13-14. Both games will start at 7 p.m.