BOSTON -- The battle for Boston's hockey bragging rights begins a new chapter on Monday when the 62nd annual Beanpot Tournament kicks off at TD Garden. The No. 11/11 Northeastern men's ice hockey team will square off with Harvard in the first semifinal contest at 5 p.m. before Boston College and Boston University tangle in the nightcap at 8 p.m. Both games will be aired live on NESN.
The Huskies and Crimson will be meeting for the first time in the Beanpot since the 2012 consolation game, a 3-2 triumph for Harvard. The Crimson leads the all-time series in the tournament, 23-18, with each meeting coming either in the semifinals or consolation game.
Northeastern has won four Beanpot titles in the 61-year history of the tournament, and is looking to end a 25-year drought that dates back to 1988. NU also captured Beanpot championships in 1980, 1984 and 1985.
NU will be looking to secure its 16th trip to the Beanpot championship game, and third in the last four seasons. The Huskies advanced to the title game last season with a 3-2 victory against Boston University before Boston College defeated NU in the championship tilt, 6-3.
Sophomore forward
Kevin Roy has been a steady point producer for NU in 2013-14, leading the team with 14 goals and 17 assists. He is one of 22 players in the nation with at least 30 points this season, and is the first Husky to record 30 points in back-to-back seasons since Wade MacLeod (2009-10 and 2010-11).
Roy could become the third player in tournament history to take home Most Valuable Player honors in consecutive seasons, and first since Boston University's Sean Fields accomplished the feat in 2003 and 2004.
Redshirt junior goaltender
Clay Witt has emerged as one of the top goaltenders in the nation this season, earning the start in 14 of Northeastern's last 15 games. The Brandon, Fla. native, a four-time Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week honoree, leads the nation with a .943 save percentage, and is one of nine goaltenders in the country with at least 13 wins this season.
A win against Harvard would …
• Be NU's 890th victory all-time, and 36th Beanpot win.
• Propel Northeastern into the tournament title game for the third time in four seasons, and 16th time overall.
• Give Northeastern its first Beanpot win against the Crimson since Feb. 7, 2011 (3-2; semifinals).
• Improve NU's record in Beanpot semifinals against Harvard to 9-12.
Huskies vs. Crimson in the 'Pot
Monday marks the 42nd meeting between the two teams in the tournament, with Harvard holding a 23-18 edge in the all-time series. The squads haven't met since the 2012 consolation game, a 3-2 victory for the Crimson. NU will be looking to avoid dropping back-to-back Beanpot games against Harvard for the first time since 1978, when the Crimson topped Northeastern 4-3 (OT) in the semifinals after a 4-2 win in the 1976 consolation game. Northeastern is 8-12 in Beanpot semifinals against Harvard.
Madigan and the Beanpot
Northeastern head coach
Jim Madigan played and coached in the Huskies' golden era of Beanpot success. Madigan has direct involvement with three of NU's four Beanpot championships, two as a student-athlete (1984, 1985) and one as an assistant coach (1988). Madigan actually scored a goal in one of Northeastern's two victories over BU in the Beanpot, including the 4-3 victory on Feb. 8, 1983. Trailing 3-0, Madigan scored the Huskies' first goal, sparking a four-goal flurry for the win. As a head coach, Madigan is 1-3 in two seasons.
Third time's a charm?
NU coaches in their third season at the helm have never placed higher than second in the Beanpot. Only two coaches have led their teams to the championship game, most recently in 1999. Below is a list of finish and year of each third-year head coach:
• Herb Gallagher (1955 – 4th place)
• Jim Bell (1958 – 2nd place)
• Fernie Flaman (1973 – 4th place)
• Don McKenney (1992 – 4th place)
• Ben Smith (1994 – 4th place)
• Bruce Crowder (1999 – 2nd place)
• Greg Cronin (2008 – 4th place)
Rest for the weary?
With no games scheduled for the weekend prior to the Beanpot, the Huskies will have eight days between its last game and the tournament semifinal. It marks just the second time in team history, and first time since the 1986-87 season, that NU has gone more than a week without playing a game before the Beanpot semifinal.
Last time out
Northeastern generated 36 shots on goal against No. 15/15 Notre Dame, but could not solve goaltender Steven Summerhays as the Fighting Irish blanked the Huskies on Saturday night at Compton Family Ice Arena, 3-0. The Huskies, who outshot UND 36-33 in the game, had six opportunities on the power play during the contest, tossing six shots on goal. Notre Dame, meanwhile, went 1-of-3 on the power play and won 34-of-63 face-offs.
Clay Witt made 30 stops in goal for the second straight game.
Monday night Roy
After scoring five of Northeastern's six goals in the 2013 Beanpot Tournament,
Kevin Roy added to his sterling freshman season by earning Beanpot MVP honors. Roy became the first Beanpot MVP of a second-place team since Boston University's Sean Fields in 2004.
Roy was the Huskies' fifth-ever MVP and Northeastern's first since Bruce Racine took home the award in 1988.
Roy became the first rookie skater to net a hat trick in his first Beanpot appearance since Boston College's Krys Kolanos on Feb. 7, 2000, in a 6-1 win over NU. The Lac-Beauport, Quebec, native became the first Husky to score a hat trick in the Beanpot since Mike Ryan netted three against Harvard on Feb. 8, 2002. Roy was also the first freshman to score the opening goal of the Beanpot since Boston College's Brock Bradford on Feb. 6, 2006. Roy followed that up with another Monday night performance of two goals in the championship game vs. Boston College.
Should Roy follow up 2013 with another strong performance this season, he could become the third player in tournament history to earn MVP honors in consecutive seasons. Boston College's John Cunniff picked up two straight awards in 1964 and 1965 before Boston University's Sean Fields was named MVP in both 2003 and 2004.
Poll position
Winners of five of their last seven games, the Huskies cracked the top-ten USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll. It is the program's highest ranking since the end of the 2008-09 season. The Huskies are also one of eight Hockey East squads either ranked or receiving votes.
Northeastern has been ranked in each of the last eight USCHO.com polls, and has been either ranked or receiving votes for 15 straight weeks dating back to Oct. 14, 2013. The Huskies also cracked the top-ten of the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine top 15 poll for the first time this season.
Road warriors
The Huskies picked up their ninth victory away from home last weekend, and are 9-5-2 away from Matthews Arena this season. It's the most wins away from home since Northeastern went 13-9-2 on the road during the 2008-09 season.
NU's nine wins away from home are tied for the third most in the nation and second in Hockey East, while the Huskies' 52 goals on the road are tied for the most in the country.
Against the best
Northeastern hasn't been afraid to take on the nation's top teams this season, having squared off against six straight ranked opponents entering Monday's game. So far this season, the Huskies are 6-4-1 against teams ranked in the top-20 of the USCHO.com poll. All of those games have come against teams from Hockey East.
Getting hot at the right time
Already more than halfway through its conference schedule, Northeastern has picked up victories when it's needed them most so far this season. The Huskies are 7-1-1 in their last nine Hockey East games. Prior to Saturday's loss at Notre Dame, it was their best stretch (7-0-1) since the 1999-00 season (5-0-3).
NU is currently in sole possession of second place in the conference standings with 17 points (8-5-1), and is looking to secure a top-five finish and earn a first-round bye in the Hockey East playoffs.
At Witt's end
After making a combined 60 saves in two games at No. 15/15 Notre Dame last weekend,
Clay Witt picked up his fourth Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week honor of the season on Monday.
The honor comes after Witt recorded his third shutout of the season against the Fighting Irish with a 30-save performance. The win moved the Brandon, Fla. native into a tie for fourth on the Northeastern record list for shutouts in a season (three), which is tied for fourth in the country and tied for first in the conference.
He is now tied for 10th on the NU single-season record list for wins in a season (13). He followed up Friday's shutout with another 30-save effort against UND.
Witt has appeared in 21 games for the Huskies so far this season, posting a 13-6-2 record and a.943 save percentage that leads the nation. His 2.04 goals against average, meanwhile, is fourth in the league and 10th in the country. In conference action, he ranks first in Hockey East in both save percentage (.953) and goals against average, where he has posted a 1.83 mark on the season.
30/30
Sophomore forward
Kevin Roy reached the 30-point plateau for the second straight season last weekend against Vermont. The Lac-Beauport, Quebec native leads the team with 14 goals and 17 assists, and is the first Husky since Wade MacLeod (2009-10, 2010-11) to log at least 30 points in consecutive seasons. Should Roy finish the season as the team's leading scorer, it would mark the 18th time in program history that a player has led the team in scoring in consecutive seasons, and the first to do it in his first two seasons with the team since Les Chaisson in 1970-71 and 1971-72.
On Nov. 22, Roy became the 56th player in program history to record at least 50 points in their first two seasons in college hockey, and first since Wade MacLeod and Tyler McNeely in 2008-09. The Huskies are 14-4-3 when he tallies a point, and 8-1-1 when he scores a goal.
Huskies for Hobey
NU's
Kevin Roy and
Clay Witt are two of 68 players nominated for the Hobey Baker Award, which honors an elite NCAA men's ice hockey player who exhibits both athletic talent and strong sportsmanship.
Roy currently leads the team offensively with 31 points (14 goals, 17 assists) and is tied for 10th place nationally among top scoring leaders. He has averaged 1.19 points per game through 26 games so far this season and was named the Warrior Hockey Player of the Week twice (Dec. 23 and Oct. 14) while also earning the title of National Player of the Month in October.
In goal, Witt has backstopped 21 games for the Huskies while posting a 2.04 goals against average and a .943 save percentage, good for first in the nation. He earned the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week accolade four times this season and has made a total of 718 saves this season (fifth in the country).
What do you Reid into that?
Junior forward
Adam Reid has proven himself to be a second half threat for the Huskies in his two-plus seasons. Reid has 12 goals and seven assists in 46 games after the Christmas break, compared to a five-goal and seven-assist mark in 47 games before the holidays.
Pimm earns the 'A'
Prior to the Huskies' Citi Frozen Fenway 2014 game against UMass Lowell, NU head coach
Jim Madigan announced that senior
Braden Pimm has been named an assistant captain. Pimm earned the 'A' for his leadership both on an off the ice. Pimm joins captain
Josh Manson and assistant captains
Dax Lauwers and
Adam Reid who will wear letters for Northeastern for the remainder of the season.
Pimm is third on the team with 15 goals and 10 assists this season, which is good for a tie for 11th in Hockey East. Nine of Pimm's 15 goals this season have come in special teams situations (seven power play goals, two shorthanded goals), which is tied for the fourth most special teams tallies in the nation. Pimm's seven power play goals, meanwhile, are tied for sixth in the country and tops in Hockey East. Pimm has more than doubled his goal total from a season ago after posting six goals and 11 assists as a junior this season.
Head of the class
The Northeastern rookie class has tallied 29 goals and 69 assists in 26 games this season, leads the nation in points for a freshman class. Eight different NU rookies have tallied a point this season. Freshman
Mike Szmatula is second on the team with 28 points this season (10 goals, 18 assists), and is fourth in the nation in rookie scoring with 1.08 points per game. He is also one of just three rookies to have at least 25 points this season. If Szmatula finishes the year first on the team in scoring, it would mark the third straight season that a freshman has led NU in scoring (
Ludwig Karlsson in 2011-12,
Kevin Roy in 2012-13).
The NU rookies have also tallied seven game-winning goals this season, the most in the nation.
Get in front of it
Dax Lauwers leads the team with 50 blocked shots this season, which is tied for fifth in Hockey East and tied for 16th in the nation, highlighted by a season-high eight blocks against Providence on Dec. 6.
Cardiac canines
NU has made a habit of doing their damage in the third period this season, scoring 32 of its 85 goals in the final 20 minutes of play. NU is tied for third in the country in third period goals behind Boston College (40) and Providence (37).
The Huskies have also made use of pulling the goaltender this year, and lead the nation with five goals with the extra attacker, highlighted by two at Dartmouth on Dec. 30 to force overtime.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner
Northeastern has had several skaters step up when the team has needed them most in 2013-14, with 11 different players recording game-winning goals for the first time since the 2008-09 season and tied for the second most in the country. NU is one of five teams in the country to have at least 11 players with game-winners, and is tied with Minnesota, UMass Lowell and Wisconsin for second behind Ferris State.
Three of freshman
Dalen Hedges' six goals this season have proven to be game-winners, which is tied for fifth in Hockey East. Hedges is also one of just seven freshmen with three game-winners, and matched
Kevin Roy's 2012-13 team-leading total.
League things
The NU defense has made a point of tightening things up against conference opponents. Northeastern holds a 2.07 goals against average in Hockey East play, which is first in the league and fourth in the nation, compared to a 3.17 goals against average against nonconference foes (10th in Hockey East; 38th in the nation).
Killing it on the PK
Despite being 13th in the country and first in Hockey East with 15.1 penalty minutes per game, the Northeastern penalty killing unit has stepped up its play in recent weeks. In the last 14 games, NU has killed off 55-of-62 penalties (87.7%), which is fifth in the country. The Huskies have also been shorthanded 136 times this season, the most in the country.
Powerful power play
The Northeastern power play unit has also come into its own in recent weeks, netting six goals on the man advantage in its last eight games. NU is 23-of-128 on the power play this season, and is one of 16 teams in the country with at least 23 conversions on the power play. The Huskies have worked hard to draw penalties throughout the season, as well, and they are one of 11 teams to have at least 120 power play attempts this season.
Senior
Braden Pimm has been the go-to player for power play goals this season for NU. He is one of 11 skaters in the country with at least seven power play goals, which is tied for sixth in the nation and tops in Hockey East.
Filling the net
While head coach
Jim Madigan has shuffled the lineup a bit so far this season, one line of Huskies has remained intact.
Kevin Roy,
John Stevens and
Braden Pimm have been grouped together on the same line in 22 of NU's 26 games this year, totaling 34 goals and 34 assists along with a combined +19 rating. The Huskies are 14-6-3 when the trio skates together.
Rookies in the middle
The Huskies have relied on its freshman class to produce at the face-off dot all season, with a rookie serving as the primary center on all four of their lines.
John Stevens has won 51.6% of his face-offs this season, going 252-of-488. His 252 wins are tied for 22nd in the nation, and he is one of four freshmen in the nation in the top 30 in face-off victories.Â
Mike Szmatula (225-of-499; 45.1%),
Dalen Hedges (218-of-393; 55.5%) and
Tanner Pond (91-of-183; 49.7%) make NU the only team in the country to have four freshmen who have taken at least 100 face-offs this season.
As a team, NU is 908-of-1840, which is sixth in the nation and second in Hockey East.
Lending a helping hand
Northeastern has tallied 142 assists through 26 games this season, which is tied for 10th in the country and third in Hockey East, sparked by 18 helpers from freshman
Mike Szmatula (tied for 20th in the nation). Szmatula, who is tied for the nation's lead in assists among rookie skaters, has an assist in 12 of the team's 26 games this season, including five games with multi-assist efforts.
Offensive explosion
After scoring 81 goals all of last season, Northeastern has exceeded that total in 25 games. NU is tied for eighth in the nation with 85 goals this season, and its 3.27 goals per game average is 13th in the country.
Hello, my name Is …
Northeastern houses 12 freshmen (eight forwards, three defensemen, one goaltender) on its 2013-14 roster, which is the most in Hockey East and tied with Sacred Heart for the most rookies in the nation.Â
Nine freshmen have seen playing time so far this season, and have accounted for 29 goals and 69 assists, which is 43.1% of Northeastern's total scoring.
Oh brother
Northeastern's 28-man roster features two sets of brothers in Cody and
Nathan Ferriero, as well as Derick and
Kevin Roy. The Huskies are one of just two teams in the nation to have two pairs of brothers on its roster, joining Quinnipiac's Connor and Tim Clifton and Conner and Kellen Jones.
Show dogs
Northeastern has four NHL draft picks on this year's squad. Sophomore
Kevin Roy is NU's highest draft pick after the Anaheim Ducks took him in the fourth round (97th overall) last year. San Jose selected senior
Cody Ferriero in the fifth round (127th) in 2010 while junior
Josh Manson was an Anaheim sixth rounder (160th) in 2011. Newcomer
Matt Benning was selected by the Boston Bruins in the sixth round (175th) at the 2012 Entry Draft.
Poile named General Manager of U.S. Olympic Team
Alumnus David Poile has been named general manager of the 2014 United States Olympic men's hockey team, USA Hockey announced on Jun. 28.
Poile, currently the general manager of the NHL's Nashville Predators, played three seasons of varsity hockey at Northeastern from 1967 to 1970. He is 26th on the Northeastern all-time scoring list with 118 points, and he still holds the program record for hat tricks with 11. He was inducted into the Northeastern Hall of Fame in 1987.
Hang out with the Huskies
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@GoNUathletics, and 'Like' us at
facebook.com/GoNUathletics. To get live, in-game updates of Northeastern men's hockey, follow
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facebook.com/GoNUmhockey.
The road ahead
The Huskies will return to Matthews Arena on Feb. 7 when Northeastern battles Massachusetts in a league contest at 7 p.m. The two teams met earlier this season, also at Matthews Arena, in a nonconference bout that saw NU top the Minutemen, 4-3.
