Box score

Senior Kyle Kraemer's powerplay goal was not enough to get by Boston University in the semifinal round of the 58th Annual Beanpot Tournament on Monday evening at the TD Garden in front of 17,565. An exhilarating affair with countless momentum swings ended up in BU's favor by a final score, 2-1.

Northeastern had 88 seconds of a two-man advantage in the closing seconds of the game as Ross Gaudet was called for tripping at 18:32. Head coach Greg Cronin opted to pull freshman's Chris Rawlings in favor of an extra skater, but the Terriers' tightened up and prevented the Huskies from netting the equalizer.

Rawlings made 33 stops in his introduction to the Beanpot while BU's Kieran Millan steered aside 26 attempts in the victory.

“It was a great game, obviously, to go down to the wire like that,” Cronin said. “There was a lot of drama in the game. There were five-minute majors, five-on-three's. We had a six-on-four with a minute and a half to go in the game. I like the way our team played. I told them after the game that I don't like the outcome, but I like the way we played, and that the game-winning goal was a reflection of playing with fire with BU.”

The first period provided some back-and-forth action as the powerplay took effect for Northeastern at 4:54 as Max Nicastro was whistled for tripping. The Huskies tested Millan on a couple occasions, but it was towards the middle of the frame when Kraemer and junior Tyler McNeely offered the Huskies' best looks of the first.

Momentum shifted back towards the Terriers at the 13:00-minute of the first, but Rawlings emphatically denied the Terriers on three consecutive looks. Boston University attacked NU's zone for over a minute, but the rookie goaltender was able to keep the Terriers off the boards as the Terriers tried 13 shots to Northeastern's 10 in the first stanza.

Boston University attacked first on a powerplay tally from Colby Cohen at 8:23 of the second period when senior Chris Donovan was hauled away for holding at 6:39. Chris Connolly cycled the puck down to Cohen on the near post just below the left dot and beat Rawlings on the far angle to give the Terriers the 1-0 lead.

Northeastern had a fantastic opportunity on a Joe Pereira hooking call at 14:25, but an unlucky bounce kept the puck out of the net. Right off the draw, Kraemer let a rifle loose from the blue line and freshman Justin Daniels was able to redirect the puck to try and trip up Millan, but the disc met iron and BU swatted it away from the crease.

Sophomore Alex Tuckerman's five-minute major for hitting from behind at 2:46 of the third gave the Terriers the apparent upper hand, but Northeastern's penalty killing unit stepped up to the challenge and shut down the extended man advantage.

Extra curricular activity on BU's behalf from David Warsofsky and Colby Cohen turned the tides and gave Northeastern a 5-on-3 advantage at the 7:41 mark.

The Huskies cashed in during the waning moments of the powerplay as Kraemer tied it up at 9:34 on a blast from the slot. Kraemer received the puck from freshman Garrett Vermeersch behind the goal line, created some room and unleashed the tying tally, 1-1. Vermeersch notched his first Beanpot points while McNeely and Kraemer registered their third and second 'Pot points, respectively.

Alex Chiasson delivered the game-winning blow at 14:13. A turnover in Northeastern's zone lead to a transitional marker for the Terriers. Warsofsky stripped the puck and fed Chiasson on the red line. Chiasson skated in on Rawlings and showed patience as he waited for the right second to shoot a low wrister hit Rawlings and trickled across the goal line for the 2-1 final.

Northeastern will skate against Harvard University in the consolation round of the Beanpot Tournament on Monday, Feb. 5 at the TD Garden. Game time is set for 5 p.m. The Crimson owns a 22-16 mark over NU in the Beanpot Tournament.

In between the Beanpot, Northeastern resumes Hockey East action and pays a visit to North Andover, Mass. to take on Merrimack at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 5.