BU’s beat guys – Nick Cardamone and Dave D’Onofrio of the Free Press, and WTBU’s Noah Coslov and Russell Rubin – try to earn their beans by predicting the outcome of tonight’s Beanpot first round.

Nick Cardamone Earlier in the year, the Icedogs and the Crimson met at Walter Brown, with BU getting a deceptive 3-0 victory. It was only the strong play of junior goalie Sean Fields which counteracted a great performance on the other end from super soph Dov Grumet-Morris that kept the Crimson off the board. Recently, BU has been playing its best hockey of the season despite losing four of its last six games. BU’s 5-0 blanking of Merrimack College showed what BU can do when it puts goals up on the board, and the great recent play of junior forwards Frantisek Skladany and Kenny Magowan has BU sporting three excellent scoring lines. The defense is at its best right now, with senior captain Freddy Meyer arguably Hockey East’s best blueliner and sophomore Bryan Miller making up a versatile defense partnership that also provides offensive spark. Fields has been playing well other than his gaffe against BC two weeks ago, and is looking to get another shot against the Eagles next Monday. BU 5, Harvard 3

Russell Rubin The last time these teams met, the Terriers’ defense was stellar and kept the Crimson off the board. Remaining inconsistent and undisciplined since that Thanksgiving week, we have seen this team both play like a dream and fall asleep at the wheel. What we won’t see from Harvard tonight is an offense that can penetrate like Boston University’s. Since winter break, the Terriers have crashed the boards and buried rebounds, relying less on finesse goals to win hockey games. That’s what we like to call Beanpot hockey. Grinding out the Crimson this time will be tougher than in years past, but no Jack Parker team will come out with flat tires. BU 4, Harvard 2

Noah Coslov The Beanpot could not have come at a better time for Boston University. Playing arguably its best hockey of the season, the Terriers enter the Fleet Center winners of eight of their last 12 contests and fresh off a 5-0 dismantling of Merrimack Thursday night. All the numbers point in BU’s favor in this semifinal match-up against Harvard, but as the cliché goes, the numbers mean nothing when Boston’s four best programs skate after the city’s most coveted trophy. Back in November, the Crimson peppered Sean Fields with 36 shots 19 in the third period but the junior goaltender turned them all aside in BU’s 3-0 shutout. Tonight, expect big games from senior assistant captains Brian Collins and John Sabo along with freshman Brad Zancanaro in the Terriers’ 4-2 win. BU 4, Harvard 2

Dave D’Onofrio Jack Parker hit the nail on the head during last week’s Beanpot Luncheon at the FleetCenter: If his Boston University Terriers stay out of the penalty box, they’ll be a tough team to beat. And on the Terriers’ favorite of all stages, the Beanpot, it’ll be close to impossible to get past a disciplined BU team. Harvard University’s power play is one of its strengths, scoring on 20 percent of its chances and wearing out opposing defenses with a deep and talented crop of forwards. But if the Icedogs can avoid handing the Crimson too many man-advantages, size, strength and speed will win out, and BU has advantages in each of those criteria. Point in case: Nov. 26. Harvard gets only four power play advantages and BU wins, 3-0. Look for local boy Brian Collins to play big, and big-game Justin Maiser to again meet the occasion. Also, don’t be surprised to see Bryan Miller’s name on the scoresheet once or twice. It’ll be a thriller, but with a late empty-netter, BU takes this one. BU 3, Harvard 1