Growing up playing hockey in Dorchester, Boston University sophomore forward Mark Mullen watched the Beanpot Tournament every year and dreamed of one day winning it.
After Monday night’s 5-3 BU victory over Northeastern University, Mullen’s dream has come true.
As the Terrier teammates passed the trophy between each other on the ice, Mullen looked on, smiling. “Give it to Mully!” one teammate shouted. “Let Mully hold it!” Mullen skated forward and took the Beanpot, holding it high above his head.
“When we won, it was awesome to hold it up in front of our fans,” Mullen said. “It was unbelievable. It was such a good feeling.”
Mullen said the Beanpot always had a special significance, even during his time at Boston College High School. He and his friends would spend time talking about the tournament, about the challenges of getting tickets for it and simply about how important it was to them.
“It was always a special thing to go to,” the sophomore said. “You always look forward to being part of one someday.”
Along with teammate Jack Baker and Harvard freshman Noah Welch, a Brighton native, Mullen is one of only three players from the city of Boston to play in this year’s Beanpot. With Harvard’s first-round loss to Northeastern this year, Mullen and Baker were the only Boston players in the final.
Like Mullen, Baker grew up rooting for BU every February in the four-game tournament. “I remember going to the old Boston Garden. Watching BU. Watching local kids I knew, or knew younger brothers of,” said Baker, who hails from South Boston. “I was dreaming of playing in it myself.”
While only two players come directly from the city of Boston, the BU hockey team still has a very local flair. Eight of the players that dressed for the first game, and nine in the second, are from eastern Massachusetts. “A lot of the team is from around here. I don’t really feel like I’m the only one,” Baker said.
“[The Beanpot is] just a kind of bragging rights in Boston,” Mullen said, adding that being from Boston adds a little more flavor.
But neither Baker nor Mullen feel any extra pressure being residents of the city; rather, they have a sense of familiarity.
“My first year or so I didn’t feel pressure, but being one of the only players from the city I felt like I knew a lot of people out there in the stands,” Baker said.
The same is true for Mullen, who said he had about 10 family members in the FleetCenter stands Monday night.
“Being from Boston it’s probably a little more special … It makes it that much more fun,” he said. “You know that there are a lot of people at the games that know you, and it’s a lot of fun that you know the people watching you.”
Baker has had a remarkable career in the FleetCenter, with six goals and three assists over eight games. In Baker’s freshman year, he led the team in scoring with three points. He got even better in his sophomore year, notching a hat trick against Harvard in the first round.
Baker’s first year in the Beanpot was a memorable year for the entire BU team as well. Going into Game 1 riding a seven game winless streak, no one expected the Terriers to win.
“My first game playing in the Beanpot was my first game against BC, and we beat them in overtime,” said Baker of BU’s surprising 3-2 victory over Boston College, to which he contributed an assist. “I was excited to get one point. It’s something I’ll never forget.
“I really enjoyed it. It was my first Beanpot and I got to contribute.”
Mullen’s first look at BC in the tournament did not turn out quite as well as Baker’s. BU lost the Beanpot for the first time in seven years when it was defeated by BC 5-3 in the championship game.
Last Monday, Mullen and the rest of the Terriers were able to come back and defeat the defending Beanpot and National Champions, 5-3.
“We beat BC in the Beanpot,” Mullen said. “It’s the first time I’ve been able to do that.”
For Baker, this year’s Beanpot final was a chance to finish his college career with three Beanpot victories. “I’m just looking to win,” he said before the final game. “I really don’t care if I get any goals as long as we still win.”
Mullen will get two more return trips to the tournament. “I want to win it the next two years,” Mullen said. “It’s kind of been a BU tradition to constantly win, so hopefully we can keep that going.”
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