Rosner On Gatcomb Boston, MA -- New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/] prospects and Boston University forwards Cole Eiserman (2024, No. 20) and Kamil Bednarik (2024, No. 61) shined in their first career Beanpot tournament Monday night. Eiserman entered the night with 15 goals and eight assists for 23 points in 25 games, while Bednarik sat at one goal and 12 assists for 13 points in 26 games. Eiserman, like he has for the majority of the season, slotted in on the second line alongside Los Angeles Kings prospect Jack Hughes and Philadelphia Flyers prospect Devin Kaplan. Bednarik centered the third line alongside Edmonton Oilers prospects Shane Lachance and Matt Copponi: Notably, Copponi began the season on the second line alongside Eiserman before head coach Jay Pandolfo sent him down to the third line. Copponi also spent the past three seasons at Merrimack College, collecting most of his ice time alongside current Bridgeport Islanders forward Alex Jefferies. Here is how the Islanders youngsters played: The Eagles controlled the first period, scoring the lone goal while outshooting the Terriers 16-9. Given the Eagles controlled possession for much of the period, neither Eiserman nor Bednarik recorded a shot on goal. However, each prospect impressed in their forechecking and aggression. Early in the second period, Bednarik played a key role in generating momentum for the Terriers at 4:08 when Copponi’s shot from the top of the crease created a rebound. Charging toward the net, Bednarik fired a shot, but Jacob Fowler turned it aside with a strong save. The Terriers carried this momentum when Brandon Svoboda, a teammate of Eiserman on the 2025 World Junior Championship-winning United States team, found the equalizer at 5:43 with a wrist shot past Fowler’s left shoulder: Just over a minute later, the Terriers took their first lead of the night, originating off the stick of Bednarik: After Cole Hutson’s shot was blocked from the left hash mark, Bednarik collected the loose puck and cycled it to Hutson below the net. He fed Vancouver Canucks prospect Tom Willander at the blue line, who then passed back to Hutson, who fired a wrist shot past Fowler. While the goal ultimately came from Hutson, Bednarik’s hard-nose playstyle made it possible, encapsulating what he brings on a regular basis to the Terriers. Approaching the end of the second period, Bednarik nearly doubled the Terriers' lead with a breakaway chance on Fowler. Bednarik went from his forehand to his backhand but his shot was ultimately saved by Fowler's left pad: In the third period, Eiserman makes his presence known. He first got involved close to five minutes into the frame with consecutive shots from the top of the left hash mark, but neither reached Fowler. He later broke through on the scoresheet. With 6:22, Eiserman sent a cross-crease pass to Kaplan, who was unable to get his stick on it. Moments later, Eiserman stole Lukas Gustafsson's pass attempt on the blue line and drove to the net. A step ahead of the next closest defenseman, Eiserman opted for his backhand as he went five-hole on Fowler: His 16th goal of the season extended his lead as the NCAA's freshman scoring leader and also secured the Beanpot victory. With a 4-1 win, the No. 9 Terriers improved to a 16-10-1 record, while the No. 1 Boston College Eagles fell to 21-5-1.
