Beanpot Final Preview -- Harvard

For the first time since 1998, BU and Harvard will square off in the Beanpot final, Monday night. This is  Harvard’s first appearance in the championship game in nearly a decade, having to go back to 2008 to find the last time the Crimson played in the late game on the second Monday in February. That was a 6-5 overtime loss to Boston College in 2008. Harvard is the last non BU/BC winner, taking home the 1993 tournament with a 4-2 win over BU in the finals.

From The Vault

Nick Gillis tips home a Tom Poti pass to win the 1998 Beanpot Championship game against Harvard 2-1 in overtime

Back to this millennium… BU and Harvard met earlier this season, with BU pulling out a crazy 5-3 win. The teams went blow for blow through 40-minutes, tied 3-3 after two, before Nick Robert and Patrick Curry both scored in the final frame to give BU the win.

Monday night’s game will feature the two top teams in the east according to PairWise rankings. Both would be “one seeds” if the bracket was to come out today. BU is third and Harvard is fourth.

Harvard is currently riding a seven game unbeaten streak and a five game win streak coming into the Beanpot final. In round one, the Crimson took down Northeastern 4-3. Harvard had a 4-1 lead midway through the third before NU stormed back and scored a pair of goals late to make things real interesting in the final minutes, but Harvard hung on. Over their current hot streak, Harvard has beaten Cornell, Colgate, Dartmouth and last weekend torched Union 6-2 at home.

Scouting the Crimson.
Alex Kerfoot leads Harvard in scoring with 30 points, by way of 10 goals and 20 assists in 24 games played. Right behind him is fellow senior Sean Malone with 28 points. Malone is second on the team in goals scored with 14 and has also added 14 assists. Bruins prospect Ryan Donato, son of Harvard head coach Ted Donato, is the team's leader in goals scored at 15. He has also notched 10 assists for 25 points in 24 games.

Merrick Madsen will more than likely get the start in net for Harvard. The junior from Acton, California is 17-5-2 on the year with a .918 save percentage and a 2.22 goals against average in 24 appearances.