Fifth Beanpot title game was the first between BC and BU

First-ever Beanpot championship game between Boston College and Boston University. Feb 6, 1957 The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts) Newspapers.com

The fifth men’s Beanpot tournament was notable because the final included Boston College and Boston University for the first time. It was also the first time Harvard did not make it to the championship game, after the Terriers handed them a loss in the opening game. The Eagles were riding a six-game winning streak against the Terriers with the last loss against Boston University taking place February 13, 1953.

In the Beanpot title game that was played at Boston Garden the evening of February 5, 1957, the Terriers controlled most of the game and held five different leads throughout the contest. Sarge Kinlin of Boston University netted a hat trick. Hank Levin made several standout saves throughout the game, but the Eagles Ned Bunyon slipped one by him with only 53 seconds left in regulation to tie the game 4-4 and send it to overtime. Then in the extra period, Joseph Celata scored in front of 4,052 spectators to win the second Beanpot in a row for Boston College, and third in the past four years. The Terriers would end up winning the program’s first Beanpot in the following season’s tournament.

Jump ahead 69 years and the same two teams will play for the men’s Beanpot tonight at TD Garden in a repeat of last year’s title game. It coincidentally will be the 300th game in the historic Boston College and Boston University men’s hockey series that dates back to February 6, 1918. Boston University is looking to repeat as men’s Beanpot champions tonight. Boston College is looking to win its first men’s Beanpot since 2016 when it blanked the Terriers 1-0 in an overtime game.

Photo Credit: The Boston Globe, February 6, 1957.