Eagles down Crimson for Beanpot

Defenseman Nick Petrecki (SJ) scored the game winning goal for Boston College, giving the Eagles their first Beanpot win since 2004. The three Sabres prospects playing tonight - Nathan Gerbe, Alex Biega, and Andrew Orpik - each performed well in their respective roles. Major dogs heading into the final, Harvard has nothing to hang their heads about. Anything can happen with the enthusiasm of the tournament, and the two teams were dead even in shots on goal after regulation play. The extra session was the difference however, as BC outshot Harvard 7-0 leading up to the Petrecki winner. Final score: BC 6, Harvard 5. Nathan Gerbe 0-0-0 -1 2 PIM 5 SOG Andrew Orpik 1-0-1 +1 2 SOG Alex Biega 0-2-2 +3 4 SOG

Going to OT in Beanpot final

It's been a back and forth affair in Boston tonight, with BC and Harvard knotted 5-5 after regulation. It'll be an exciting sudden death session to say the least. - Alex Biega (+3) has made some nice defensive plays throughout to go along with his two assists. His swift skating makes him noticeable on most shifts, as he's counted on to be a Crimson motor from the back end. His wrister towards the net was deflected in by Mike Taylor for the game-tying goal. - Andrew Orpik, along with linemates Matt Lombardi and Kyle Kucharski, have provided a spark in the Eagles offensive zone. The trio owned the boards in the third, with their crashing style creating the fifth BC goal (credited to Orpik). - Nathan Gerbe has been more active since the start of the second period. He's often been found flying around the net, both with the puck and on the forecheck, and his #9 jersey has been active after the whistle as well. He showed a great burst late, going around a defender while shorthanded to create a scoring opportunity. Pointless thus far, Gerbe looks to again be the hero after last Monday's OT goal against BU. Sudden death now underway....

After one: Gerbe bottled up, Biega +2

At the end of one at the Beanpot, Harvard has a surprising 2-1 lead over Boston College. Nathan Gerbe is having difficulty getting it going, while the entire Eagles squad has been unsuccessul in cracking the neutral zone versus a diligent Crimson defense. Alex Biega, who can look like one of college hockey's better defensemen when he's skating hard, was on the ice for both Harvard goals. With BC's having trouble getting it deep, one might think that Andrew Orpik's physical play will come in handy as the Eagles amend their game plan to more of a dump-and-chase style. After 20:00 Harvard 2, Boston College 1 Biega +2 Gerbe -1, 2 SOG Orpik even

Gerbe forces OT at the Beanpot

Or as the clever kids would write, (beanp)OT. Trailing BU by one just over a minute into the third, Boston College LW Nathan Gerbe connected on the power play to force sudden death at the Beanpot. Sitting on the doorstep, Gerbe poked a loose puck through Brett Bennett's pads to get on the scoresheet. Boston College was the better team in the third, and Gerbe was abuzz after the goal. The equalizer was his 20th of the season, and 8th on the power play. He currently has a game-high seven shots on goal. Alex Biega and the Crimson await the winner.

Gerbe charge helps rival

The second period of BC's match-up with defending Beanpot champ BU didn't go as planned for the Eagles. Leading 2-1 after one, they gave up a pair of power-play goals as BU re-gained the lead heading into the third period. For the most part, Nathan Gerbe has been kept in check by the Terriers D.

Terrier D Kevin Shattenkirk (COL) picked up a blueline turnover along the LW boards and fed a pass to wide-open Nick Bonino (SJ) to tie the game at the 3:57 mark.

Minutes later, Gerbe would play a role in the Terrier's go-ahead goal. Charging to the net short-handed, the Hobey favorite was penalized after making contact with BU netminder, Brett Bennett (PHX).

The call was questionable, and it's easy to suggest Gerbe's past transgressions created an illusion of guilt in the eyes of referee, Tim Bendetto. Bennett, a native of Buffalo, was outside of his crease making a pokecheck when the contact was made. Gerbe even moved aside at the last moment in an attempt to avoid the goalie as he was steered in that direction by Terrier defenseman, Colby Cohen (COL).

With Gerbe in the box, 2006 Beanpot MVP Pete MacArthur cashed in the five-on-three advantage to give BU the lead.

The Eagles will look to even the game quickly, beginning the third with a powerplay that is just one for six on the evening.

At the end of two, its BU 3, BC 2.

Eagles up after one

At the end of one, Boston College has a 2-1 lead over Boston University. Neither of Nathan Gerbe and Andrew Orpik factored into the Eagle tallies. Gerbe, active on an early power play, had two shots on goal in the period. The Terriers got out to a 1-0 lead when John McCarthy slipped one past Eagles goalie John Muse athe 4:40 mark. Anthony Aiello and Benn Ferriero would later answer by scoring two goals in ten seconds to give BC the lead heading into the break.

Crimson to play for 'Pot

The Buffalo Sabres will have at least one prospect in the Beanpot final, as Alex Biega and the Harvard Crimson sat on their first period jump to surprise #14 Northeastern, 3-1. Harvard advances to the Beanpot final for the first time in a decade, and hasn't taken the trophy home since 1993. With 31 shots through the first two periods, Harvard was outshot 7-2 in the third. The Huskies held play, but couldn't get another goal on the board. Biega led the Crimson charge, finishing a +3 with four shots on goal. The Montreal native now has one goal, eight assists, and is +1 in 21 games this season. Boston College, the team that all non-Eagles fans seem to hate, faces off against B-line rival Boston University in just a few minutes. NCAA top-scorer Nathan Gerbe (1.54 ppg) of Boston College is the featured player in tonght's closer at TD Banknorth Garden. Fellow Sabres prospect Andrew Orpik will see key minutes for the Eagles as an energy line banger.

Harvard leads 3-1 after two

In a year when #14 Northeastern has a chance at capitalizing on underachieving Boston-area teams, the Huskies find themselves trailing Alex Biega and Harvard 3-1 after forty minutes in the opening game of the 2008 Beanpot. The 2006 fifth-round pick, Biega has been on the ice for all three Crimson goals while collecting three shots on net. A first-round rematch of the last three finals between Boston College and Boston University follows at 8:00.

Schedule for week of 2/4 - 2/10

With the DEL and SEL on hiatus until February 12th, and the OHL taking a breather for their All-Star break, there are just 27 games on the Sabres prospect slate this week. Games To Watch This week features the opening round of Boston's famous Beanpot tournament, played between D1 programs Harvard, Northeastern, Boston College, and Boston University. Alex Biega and the Crimson will kick things off with a Monday night battle against Northeastern. The Huskies have beaten the Crimson in every first-round match-up since 1996. In the same span, Harvard is just 4-20 in Beanpot games. BC juniors Nathan Gerbe and Andrew Orpik have never hoisted the Beanpot trophy, losing in the finals to Boston University in their two outings. They will have a chance to knock off the Terriers, winners of the past three titles, during Monday's capper. BU and BC have won the last fourteen tourneys between them, and face each other in the first round due to an annual rotating schedule. Ideally, both Boston College and Harvard will earn victories this week, giving the Sabres three prospects in the raucous finale next Monday. Other Notes The Rochester Americans will look to start their first winning streak in quite a while when they host I-90 rival Syracuse on Wednesday. Chris Butler and the Denver Pioneers will return to Magness after a disappointing weekend of losses in Mankato to take on Minnesota. After a hard-fought win against Camrose this past week, Brad Eidsness and the Okotoks Oilers will face the team they're trying to catch in the South Division standings two times in the next seven days. The AJHL clubs will swap home-ice on Tuesday and Sunday. Monday (2/4) Northeastern vs. Harvard Boston College vs. Boston University Tuesday (2/5) Camrose at Okotoks Wednesday (2/6) Gatineau at Victoriaville Syracuse at Rochester Boras at Nykopings Thursday (2/7) Kingston at Niagara Friday (2/8) Michigan State at Northern Michigan Minnesota at Denver Harvard at Union Alaska at Bowling Green Colgate at St. Lawrence Waterloo at Sioux Falls Niagara at London Baie-Comeau at St. John's Saturday (2/9) San Antonio at Rochester Cornell at St. Lawrence Alaska at Bowling Green Minnesota at Denver Michigan State at Northern Michigan Quebec at Gatineau Baie-Comeau at St. John's Omaha at Waterloo Drayton Valley at Okotoks Sunday (2/10) Grand Rapids at Rochester Mississauga/St. Mike's at Niagara Okotoks at Camrose