Sports are full of statistics – lots and lots of statistics. Most of them are useless numbers that don’t really say anything about how a game ended up or more importantly, why it ended up the way it did.
But this one might just say a little something -10 straight.
What, you don’t like that one? How about 20 out of 21? Or 43 out of 52?
Monday night marked the beginning of the 52nd Beanpot Tournament in the city of Boston. The Terriers have now won their first-round game 43 times. 43 times.
Chew on that one for a minute, then reverse it. In the long and storied history of the Beanpot, only nine championship games have been Terrier-less, and that includes five of the first 11 (BU missed the title game in 1954, 1955, 1956, 1961 and 1963). Do a little simple math and you just might realize that in the 40 tournaments since 1964, the Terriers have played in the consolation game just four times. There has never been a graduating class of Terriers who played in four consolation games, and there have been 27 separate classes who never felt the sting of a consolation game at all.
“That’s one of our mottos before we get in here,” said BU coach Jack Parker. “I said, ‘Boys, we don’t play in consolation games.’
“I told them after the game. I said, ‘Guys, you don’t know what [the consolation game] feels like. I know what it feels like. I’ve never been in it as a player, but I’ve been in it as a coach,'” Parker said before turning to BU Sports Information Director Ed Carpenter during the press conference for clarification. “I don’t know how many times, three or four?”
Even Parker managed a smile as the room erupted in laughter.
“I don’t want to be in that game. To come over here at 3:30 next Monday is absolutely a tough night,” Parker said. “There’s a lot at stake in this game to get yourself to the final. The Super Bowl is over now, there’ll be all kinds of talk about this Beanpot coming up, and there’ll be a lot of press, and to be sneaking in the building to play the consolation game is real tough.”
If he thinks that’s tough, imagine coaching against him when that little silver trophy is on the line. And just for the record Jack, it’s four consolation games – or 27 title games if you want to look at the positive side of things.
Either way, that’s one stat that would make three other Boston teams relieve themselves in a certain ‘Pot.
That is, if they ever get their hands on it.
FOR ALL THE BEANS
Next Monday’s Beanpot final showdown between BU and Boston College could have some added significance for both teams.
As if it needs it.
With BU’s 5-2 win over Northeastern and BC’s 4-1 triumph over Harvard Monday night, Parker and BC coach Jerry York are now tied as college hockey’s winningest active coaches with 688 victories apiece. If both coaches win (or lose) this weekend (BU plays Providence Friday at home and BC travels to Merrimack Thursday), then Monday’s Beanpot final would be – well – for all the beans, so to speak.
TWO’S COMPANY,
EIGHT’S A CROWD-ER
With Monday night’s win, Parker moved to 8-0 all-time vs. Bruce Crowder-coached teams on Causeway Street. He is now 6-0 against Northeastern at the FleetCenter, and won two games in two tries against the University of Massachusetts at Lowell when Crowder was coaching the River Hawks … Senior Steve Greeley’s first period goal was the 500th in BU’s illustrious Beanpot history. With 105 Beanpot games now under their belts, the Terriers have averaged just under five goals a game … After a 35-save performance against Northeastern, Sean Fields is now 5-0 in the Beanpot with a 2.2 goals against average (not to mention last year’s Eberly Award for the best save percentage and Most Valuable Player honors) … Of the six possible matchups for the finals, one has amazingly never happened in the Tournament’s 52 years. Harvard and Northeastern have never faced off in the championship game on the second Monday in February.