The BC men's hockey team punched its ticket back into the Beanpot finals on Monday.
BOSTON – Boston College men’s hockey sophomore left wing James Hagens displayed his NHL bona fides in the big house he will someday call home.
The Boston Bruins 2025 first-round draft pick netted two first-period goals and an assist to lift BC to a 5-1 victory over Harvard in the 73rd Dunkin Beanpot semifinal opener on Monday night at TD Garden.
“It was a really special moment to be out there to hear the crowd, it was great,” said Hagens. “To be able to get that win, Harvard is a great team, and it was a really tough game.”
Hagens and Dean Letouneau, the Bruins’ 2024 first-round pick, were recently named nominees for the Hobey Baker Award. Senior center Andre Gasseau, the Bruins’ 2021 seventh-round pick, got the secondary assists on Hagens’ goals. Hagens had the primary assist on Letourneau’s power play tally late in the second.
“I’m sure they wanted to do well here. They have been playing well for a while,” said BC coach Greg Brown. “Of course, when they come here, hopefully for their future place of employment, they want to put a good step forward and do well.”
BC improved to 15-8-1 and can end the longest drought of the four programs next Monday night from TD Garden against Boston University at 7:30 p.m. BC last hoisted the Beanpot in 2016 and leads the series with Harvard, 32-15-1. BC advanced to the title game for the 38th time and has won 21 championships.
“Whenever you are in these moments, it’s about leaning on the older guys,” said Hagens. “Last being a freshman, leaning on the guys that had been through it, and it was the same thing this year. We have a great leadership group.”
The Eagles had just completed a successful penalty kill when junior defenseman Drew Fortescue lit the lamp to make it 1-0 at 3:10 in the first. Fortescue collected the puck at the blue line, skated into the left circle, and unleashed a wrister that beat Harvard goalie Ben Charette’s top shelf on the glove side for his fourth of the season.
BC goalie Louka Cloutier appeared just as focused as he was on Friday night, where he absorbed 33 shots in the Eagles’ 4-1 victory over BU at Agganis Arena. Cloutier had registered 11 saves by the midpoint of the first period and finished with 30.
“He was (sharp) especially in the first when we really needed him,” said Brown. “In both games, he was outstanding; he was really seeing the puck, and he was always tracking it.”
BC went up 2-0 at 13:11 when Hemming set up Hagens for his 13th of the season. Hemming worked the right flank, undressed Harvard defenseman Matt Morden with a slick move, and then managed a quick wrist shot. Charette made the stop, but Hagens flipped the uncontested rebound into the exposed half of the cage.
The onslaught rolled on unabated when Hemmings and Hagens executed a seamless give-and-go play to make it 3-0 at 15:21. Hagens completed the choreographed exchange with a quick flick of the wrist for his second of the period. Harvard exited the energetic first with an 18-16 advantage in shots on goal.
“It was a great play, and Andre Gasseau started it there,” said Hagens. “To be able to be out there with Oscar and see the things he’s done and the way he is playing.
“He made a great move, and he just put it on my tape there. I was just lucky to be there.”
Harvard cut the lead to 3-1 just 29 seconds into the second period. Defenseman Ryan Healey found the loose puck in a chaotic scrum at the BC goal mouth and slipped it by Cloutier for his fourth of the season.
“We had some sustaining shots and some pressure, and I don’t think we executed at a level to give us a chance to win the game,” said Harvard coach Ted Donato.
BC made it 4-1 on the power play with 20.9 seconds to play in the frame. Letourneau redirected Hagens’ slapper for the top of the circle to notch his 15th of the season.
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Category: General Sports
