By: Dan McLoone
BOSTON – It may not have been in the game they wanted it, but Northeastern picked up a win on the second Monday in February.
For the second year in a row, the Huskies (12-12-5) earned a victory in the Beanpot consolation game. Dylan Sikura netted what proved to be the game-winner with just 43 seconds left and Adam Gaudette added an empty-netter to earn a thrilling 4-2 victory over Boston College (18-11-2).
The Eagles got the scoring started with 2:29 left in the first period, as David Cotton deflected a shot from the right dot past Ryan Ruck for a 1-0 lead. Freshman Matt Filipe, a Lynnfield native who never forgot his roots, tied up the game in the second period. He then gave the Huskies the lead seven minutes into the third period, giving him two goals in a tournament he grew up watching.
Nursing a 2-1 lead down the stretch, the Huskies gave up the equalizer to Colin White with 6:31 left to play. The Eagles then appeared to take the lead with just 1:13 remaining, but the goal was waved off after official review found BC guilty of goaltender interference on Ryan Ruck, who finished the evening with 30 saves.
Given new life, the Huskies responded. Sikura played hero for the umpteenth time this season, taking a pass from Zach Aston-Reese in the high slot and firing it past Joe Woll to give Northeastern a 3-2 lead with 43 seconds to go. Gaudette added an insurance tally 15 seconds later, pouncing on an errant pass and slotting it into the empty net to give Northeastern the 4-2 win.
The win gives the Huskies their second consecutive bronze finish in the Beanpot, and also hands BC head coach Jerry York his first last-place finish in the four-team tournament since he became coach.
The Huskies will return to the ice this weekend when they play a home-and-home with UConn. Northeastern will travel to Storrs for a 7 p.m. game on Friday before Uconn comes to Matthews Arena for a 7:30 p.m. puck drop on Saturday. Complete coverage of both games will be provided by WRBB, with pregame slated for 15 minutes before puck drop.