Beanpot 2/11 5-5 OT Final Score 6-5? :-P

[KeithK]

[quote Jim Hyla]Well, I'd be happy if they did win. Yesterday, until the OT, they played BC just about even.[/quote]
I can think of plenty of occasions where Harvard played an out of conference opponent even or better than even for a large portion of the game.  A particular match against Maine springs to mind.  Somehow it never seems to be a full game though.

[Josh '99]

[quote Jim Hyla][quote Josh '99]Harvard loses?  I'm shocked!  I thought they were going to start winning the Beanpot now that the ECAC bends over backward to give them the same favorable scheduling that the other participants get.[/quote]

Well, I'd be happy if they did win. Yesterday, until the OT, they played BC just about even.[/quote]I wasn't expressing an opinion on my preference with regards to their winning, just my lack of surprise that they didn't win once again.  Because they suck.  B-]

[RichH]

Well, it was a day of 2 really entertaining games, and a good time overall.  

Unlike the semifinal, where Harvard blitzed the front of the crease to score, all their goals came from the circles or further back.  Two Harvard goals were very entertaining...the one that tied it at 3-3 was a misfire on a one-timer that fluttered like a knuckleball and just floated right over Muse's ready glove and in.  The tying goal late in the 3rd was a very well timed play with Taylor perfectly timing a tip of Biega's shot from the far corner of the offensive zone.  BC definitely dominated OT, and the winning goal was a big, juicy rebound that was easily tucked home with Richter down and out.

I'd say it was the perfect outcome.  The ECAC team shuts up much of the BC crowd in the 3rd period, and I got to see Harvard lined up at the blueline as the dejected losers at the end of a tournament again.  Brings back some good memories.  :-D

The fan experience was pretty interesting.  No way was that a full house.  Even if you don't count the empty seats in the BU section, there were empty seats clearly scattered around both levels all night.  Outside of the students, my impression of the typical beanpot fan is that this is the only college hockey event that many of them attend for the year.  Lots of that (forgive the expression) Boston douchebag type.  I got a few people, upon seeing my CU gear (majority rules), "hey, whatta YOU doin' hee-ah?  Cornell isn't even PLAYIN'!!"  I also got stopped by a group of BU students asking me who I was rooting for, and my answer of "for the ice to open up and swallow them both" got applause.

Also, what a great idea to put the opposing students in adjacent sections in an arena with beer sales. I saw at least 4 BC fans get escorted out, and Harvard's 6 jerk fans seemed to be just as aggressive as they always are.  For the conso, Northeastern HEAVILY outnumbered and outcheered BU.  NE had about 3 full sections (all wearing black...an impressive visual) to a combined one for BU.  For the Championship, a mix of NE and BU fans moved over to the rows above the Harvard band to help them cheer against BU.  The bands are in 2 sections, and never matched position to the location of the student sections.  Dumb, considering the arena knows what teams will be there and has been doing this for years.  The Harvard band was massive for a hockey band.  At least 60.  And it is a funny experience to see Sousaphones and bass drums crammed onto T trains for the ride back to campus.  Something we country mice in Ithaca don't even think about.

Overall, a good event, but slightly overrated.