The annual Beanpot Media Luncheon at TD Garden on Monday afternoon arrived at a bit of an awkward moment for the Huskies.
After winning four of five games to kick off January, Northeastern’s positive momentum came crashing down with a 4-3 loss to Merrimack on Saturday at Matthews Arena. It was the latest setback in a disappointing season for the Huskies, who now hold a 9-11-3 (4-8-3 HE) record and a No. 22 ranking in Pairwise — all but guaranteeing a finish outside the NCAA tournament’s at-large field.
But regardless of how the season has unfolded, the Beanpot offers a unique opportunity for Northeastern to flip the script and contend for a trophy on one of college hockey’s biggest stages. And, after enduring an infamous 30-year Beanpot drought, Northeastern has won five of the past six Beanpots, and that success has gone a long way towards defining this era of the program’s history.
Ahead of that, though, the Huskies still have another Hockey East matchup to prepare for on Friday against No. 7 Maine before they turn their full attention to the Beanpot. Their semifinal matchup against No. 1 Boston College is slated for an 8:00 p.m. puck drop on Monday, with Northeastern designated as the visiting team.
The media session offered a chance to check in with a handful of Northeastern players and get their thoughts on the season, their individual play, and their mindset as they look ahead to Monday night.
Below is a collection of some of the most interesting quotes from my conversations with each player:
Vinny Borgesi, junior defenseman
On if Northeastern feels like the underdog headed into the Beanpot: Not at all. I was kind of just chatting with guys earlier this week [about this], I think it’s moreso motivation to keep it going. Every time I’ve stepped in this building, we’ve been the ‘underdog,’ and I’ve never lost. But that’s something that we kind of take for motivation and to tell the guys that haven’t been a part of it, that you’re going to walk into this place, obviously, you’re playing a Big Dog team, and it’s going to be crazy. But at the same time, we have confidence in this club against anyone.
On his approach to the Beanpot compared to regular season games: There is a lot I’ve learned. Now that I’m a junior, I think it’s a good time for me to help the younger guys out by telling them what they’re going to experience and how they’re gonna feel. Explaining when they step on that ice, how electric it is. And, at the end of the day, I think my message for them is, ‘it’s just another game’ — but for us, I think we heat up around this time. When we step in The Garden, we want to win. And that’s what our expectation is, stepping into this place.
On his ice time per game (27:55) leading the country: I think we have a lot better of a D-core than last year, but at the same time, for me, I’m expecting to do that for myself. That’s something that I take pride in, to be in great shape and get back on the ice as much as I can to help this club win. So that’s kind of just been my mindset all year.
I have a great, great relationship with the D coach here in Coach [Mike] Levine. We chat about that a lot. And managing my body and stuff like that, obviously late in the year, is a big part of that. But for me, thank God I’m healthy, and I want to continue to do this.
On fixing the power play down the stretch, which currently is second-worst in the NCAA at 11.3%: Obviously it’s been struggling. We know that, it’s not being kept from us. But we take a lot of pride in what we do, and we’re keeping trust in what we do and what we work on every single week. We’re still working on it. It’s something that obviously we need to make little changes, but we’re right there. We get looks every game. It’s just not going right now, and it hasn’t been going all year.
We just need to keep moving the puck. Nick Rhėaume has been in front [of the net] for us on my unit, so to have his big body there and taking all these eyes away is huge. And for us to obviously move the puck up top and have Lund come down and shoot the puck and have Williiams there on that one timer side, I think that can make a big difference coming down the stretch.
Jack Williams, junior center
On preparing the team’s new players for the Beanpot: It’s hard to explain to guys that haven’t played in it, it’s something you kind of have to experience. Our message going into it is kind of just in warm-ups, ‘don’t blow all your energy, like, save something for the game.’ Once the puck drops for the first time, it’s just another game — but it is a lot for warm-ups, when you look up and it’s a sold-out TD Garden.
On returning to taking faceoffs last week after playing through a midseason injury: I take pride in my defensive game, and honestly, since coming back to it, there’s been a little bit of a timing delay. You get out of the rhythm. But I enjoy taking faceoffs, and it’s something I take a lot of pride in. It’s just more natural for me to play up the middle. I think every time I was out there, it was weird going to the wing, and just being back at center, there’s a little bit less thinking and just more playing.
Ryan McGuire, senior center
On the recent success of Northeastern’s penalty kill unit, which has successfully killed 23 of their past 25 penalties: I think at the beginning of the year, we all were kind of on separate pages because we were a newer team, and we were all focusing on trying to learn the systems. But I think now, with this new system that we’ve all learned together for the first time, we all know where each other are going to be, and our triggers are very fast.
Right now, we’re confident in our ability to kill penalties, especially having Whitehead in the back too. If a team is going to beat us, you’re going to have to make a beautiful play, then we still have Whitey in the net to make a save.
On having scored only two goals this season after scoring 14 goals at Colgate last season: Obviously, my offensive output hasn’t been as much as it was last year. I’m still putting a lot of pucks on net, just they’re not falling as much as they did, or as much as I would hope they are.
But I think the important thing to focus on is just like, as Coach Keefe says all the time, it’s just my checking game, and doing what I do best, like winning faceoffs and playing in the D zone and making sure that I’m a positive every night, and just using my body. I think just playing a pro-style game and playing my own identity is the most important part, not worrying about the points and just focusing on winning.
Jake Boltmann, grad senior defenseman
On how much he knows of the Beanpot: I didn’t really know much about it growing up, being from Minnesota. But especially when you get to high school and college, that’s when you start watching the Beanpot, and you see what it’s like. And then obviously, being in Boston here now, it’s like the biggest thing ever. So I’m just super excited to be a part of it. I’ve seen hype videos, but I’ve never actually been to a Beanpot game before. I’m just blessed to be part of this.
On the team resetting from the Merrimack loss: College hockey is a long year. There’s a lot of ups and downs. You’re not going to have your best certain games. And we didn’t have our best this past Saturday. And we know that. We know that we have to get better from that. So right now, we’re just kind of taking it a day at a time, getting geared up here for Maine, and then Monday we get to step out on the ice at The Garden.
Jake Higgins, grad senior defenseman
On the opportunity to finally play in his first Beanpot after growing up nearby in Hingham: It was obviously a dream, wanting to play college hockey, and then getting to the point where you start to realize that you’re going to be there and maybe have a chance to play in the Beanpot is something super special.
Getting into the process after last year in the [transfer] portal, figuring out where to go —when Northeastern came calling and I had the opportunity to play in the Beanpot instead of watching it in the TD Garden seats, it was an opportunity that I knew that I couldn’t give up. Now it’s a dream come true, having that opportunity of something that you dream of as a little kid. You never know if you’re going to get it.