The stage is set for Hockey East’s annual TD Garden party. The #1 overall Boston College Eagles will take on the #13 University of Massachusetts-Amherst Minutemen at 4 pm EST, followed by the #2 Boston University Terriers battling the #7 University of Maine Black Bears at 7:30 pm. The two winners will square off Saturday at 6 pm for the Hockey East Championship.

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The Eagles dispatched the UConn Huskies 5-4 to punch their ticket to the Garden. BC dominated early but let the Huskies hang around long enough to make it interesting. Defenseman Jacob Bengtsson had a goal and two assists, center Jack Malone had two goals, right-wing Andre Gasseau had two assists, and goalie Jacob Fowler stopped 30 shots.

The Minutemen jumped ahead of the PC Friars early and held on for a 3-1 win. Two goals in the opening five minutes by Ryan Lautenbach and Ryan Ufko set UMass up to play their defensive style of hockey as goalie Michael Hrabal turned back 27 of 28 shots.

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Maine whitewashed the UNH Wildcats 5-0 in Orono, ME, to earn their first trip to Boston since 2012. Bradly Nadeau had two goals and two assists, Josh Nadeau had a goal and an assist, Nolan Renwick had a goal and two assists, and netminder Albin Boija turned back all 18 Wildcats shots for the shutout.

Boston University Terriers Lane Hutson (20), Case McCarthy (7), and Macklin Celebrini (71) prepare to lineup for the opening faceoff against the Northeastern Huskies in the Beanpot Final at TD Garden on Monday, February, 12, 2024. (Photo by: Jason Scales)

The Terriers jumped ahead in the second period with three goals before Justin Hryckowian and the NU Huskies made it interesting for twenty-four seconds. NU made it 3-2, only to have Macklin Celebrini cap off the BU party seconds later. BU’s attack was well-balanced; eleven players factored into the four goals. Only Luke Tuch (a goal and an assist) had multiple points. Mathieu Caron had 21 saves for the Terriers.

Boston College vs UMass-Amherst

The Eagles took both games from the Minutemen this season in mid-February. That series went as follows: a 5-1 win in Amherst on Friday; the Eagles and Minutemen were tied until halfway through the second period of that game. The Eagles pulled away after Cutter Gauthier’s second goal gave BC the 2-1 lead. Ryan Leonard added a pair for good measure.

On Sunday, the second game was followed by a 6-4 win at Chestnut Hill. The Minutemen and Eagles traded leads in the first two periods before entering the third in a 3-3 tie. The Minutemen had pulled ahead 4-3 on a Dans Locmelis goal. Shortly after that, Lucas Mercuri was called for a questionable Goalie Interference call, and the Eagles pulled away after back-to-back Leonard power-play goals in just over a minute.

The University of Massachusetts Minutemen juniors Scott Morrow (23) and Ryan Lautenbach (14) prepare to hit the ice for the third period of UMass’s 1-0 loss to the University of Maine Black Bears at the Mullins Center in Amherst, MA on Saturday, February, 3, 2024. (Photo by: Jason Scales)

UMass is undoubtedly looking to play the spoiler in BC’s quest to win the Hockey East tournament for the first time since 2012. UMass won back-to-back tournaments in 2021 and 2022. Despite the Minutemen’s defensive acumen this season, the Eagles have already shown that they are too much for UMass to handle. The Eagles win this by a goal, 3-2.

Boston University vs Maine

BU took both games at Agganis Arena in November, 3-2 and 5-4. In both games, the Terriers had the lead going into the third period, 3-1 on Friday and 2-1 on Saturday. The Black Bears made games of each night, turning it on in the final twenty minutes of action. Maine had 10-2 shots on goal differential in the first game and a 20-8 output in game two.

Both teams’ scoring was relatively evenly distributed among their rosters. Maine’s Thomas Freel scored both goals in the 3-2 loss, while Quinn Hutson scored two goals and an assist in the 5-4 win for the Terriers. Macklin Celebrini (one goal and three assists) had four points in the two games for BU.

Boston University Terrier forward Ryan Greene fires off a shot at Northeastern Huskies goalie Cam Whitehead during the Terriers’ 4-3 overtime loss in the Beanpot Final at TD Garden on Monday, February 12, 2024. (Photo by: Jason Scales)

Victor Ostman started both games in the net for Maine. Ostman was the Black Bears’ workhorse for most of the year, but freshman Albin Boija has started the last seven, going 5-2 in that span. Boija’s been the man with the season on the line. He could be the difference-maker on Friday.

Boston U. is the defending Hockey East champion, and Maine hasn’t been to the Garden since 2012. The Black Bears are the Hockey East feel-good story of the season, and it won’t end on Friday. Maine wins 4-2.

Players to Watch

Macklin Celebrini – Boston University 

Celebrini is a phenom. The 17-year-old from Vancouver, B.C., is third in points (55) and second in goals (30) in the NCAA. And he still has 25 assists, tied for 15th, at the age of 17. 17! He won’t turn 18 until mid-June, just in time to be eligible for the NHL Entry Draft, where he is expected to be the number one overall pick.

Ryan Leonard – Boston College

Leonard is also a true freshman and has been tearing up the NCAA all season. The Washington Capitals’ number eight pick in last year’s draft has a stat line of 26 goals and 23 assists for 49 points, good for eighth overall. Like the Terriers, there are multiple first-round picks and prospects on the Eagles roster to keep your eyes on. Leonard is the one to watch because he has five goals in two games against what is essentially his hometown Minutemen.

Josh and Bradly Nadeau – University of Maine

The freshman Nadeau brothers led the Black Bears’ offense, each with 45 points. Bradly, at age 18, is the younger of the two and has 19 goals and 26 assists. Josh, a 21-year-old freshman, has 18 goals and 27 assists. There’s just something about brothers playing together that you have to enjoy. There’s that natural chemistry. These two have it. Also, BU has three sets of brothers: Hutson, Celebrini, and McCarthy.

Ryan Ufko – University of Massachusetts

Ufko, the lone defenseman on the watch list, has a flair for the dramatic and a knack for scoring late, especially in overtime. The junior from Smithtown, NY, has been among the Minutemen’s top point-getters in all three seasons in Amherst. If it’s a close game late, watch number six in maroon and white.