After two low scoring games, Harvard beat out Boston College 2-1 and the favorite to win it all, Northeastern, was knocked out by Boston University 2-1.

It sets up a match up between Harvard and Boston University's women's hockey programs for the 2026 Beanpot title.

Harvard started slowly, chasing in shots 13-8 in the first period, but sophomore goaltender Ainsley Tuffy was putting on a show. The Massachusetts native ended the game with 40 saves, bringing her save percentage for the season to .956, the highest in the NCAA. Senior goaltender Grace Campbell, on the other end of the ice, held her own with 32 saves for Boston College. 

“I think it's pretty impressive what she did tonight under pressure and it's really fun for her. The team loves Ainsley to see her have that kind of success. Everybody's pretty excited about it,” said Harvard head coach Laura Bellamy.

After a goal in the first period by rookie forward Morgan McGathey, the Crimson turned the game around, increasing their shots on goal in the remainder of the period. The Eagles found the net in the second period after rookie Ava Thomas came through for a backdoor shot off an assist from redshirt senior forward Emma Conner. It was Thomas’ 13th goal of the year and 26th point, making her one of the highest scoring rookies in the NCAA. 

Harvard’s junior defender Kaley MacDonald, another Massachusetts native, took her first goal of the season eight minutes into the third period. After a relentless goaltender battle, it unofficially cinched Harvard’s victory. 

“It's super exciting, especially like I grew up playing with all of the BC high school clubs so it's a good feeling to score against them,” MacDonald said. 

“Just great back and forth hockey. That's what you want in the Beanpot. And two local kids [Tuffy and MacDonald] here making huge plays for us, pretty great part of the story and we're just glad we get to play for a championship,” said head coach Laura Bellamy. 

After holding a middling record all season, Boston College head coach Katie Crowley lamented a game well played by the Eagles that just didn’t go their way. “I just wish the hockey gods would fall our way once this year. I thought this was going to be it.”

While Northeastern went into the matchup as the No. 7 team in the country and Boston University had only six wins under its belt, all bets were off when the cross-town rivals hit the ice. 

BU’s rookie forward Lexie Bertelsen opened the scoring just four minutes in to the matchup off a rebound, and Northeastern’s captain and senior forward Lily Shannon swept in six minutes later off an assist from senior defender Kristina Allard to find the net. 

Tied up by the end of the first, Northeastern was having trouble keeping possession and clearing the zone when they needed it. The team most favored to win the entire tournament just barely surpassed the Terriers in shots on goal in the second period, 12-10. 

Goaltenders sophomore Lisa Jönsson and senior Mari Pietersen, made 32 and 25 saves throughout the night, respectively. Both have been major power players for their respective teams all season.

“Mari given us a chance to win and it was a combination of Mari doing her job and then our D doing their job… Lisa down at the other end made our life tough,” BU head coach Tara Watchorn said. 

Shannon was sent to the penalty box for interference with a 1:19 to go in the second period, putting the Huskies on the penalty kill when they needed momentum in the third. While the teams were mostly evenly matched on shots throughout the night, the Huskies lost out on the faceoff, winning only 22.9%. 

“We got annihilated on the faceoff, so that's a big part of the game if you can't get possession of the puck,” Northeastern head coach Dave Flint said. 

In overtime, the Huskies lost all five faceoff opportunities and a penalty on graduate student forward Jaden Bogden for slashing gave the Terriers the perfect chance to net the winning goal. 

Senior defender Maeve Carey took a shot from the circle three minutes into the period. “I just let it rip,” Carey said. “I was in shock. I took a second to pause and I was like, ‘Oh my god, we just won. We knocked Northeastern out.’”

The evening set the Walter Brown attendance record for women’s hockey with 2,281 fans, just as last year’s Beanpot semifinal game had marked the Northeastern women’s hockey record for Matthews Arena with 3,298 fans.

“Big testament to our department and the university for all the support, but also the Beanpot and the meaning behind it. I think what comes more true to me every year is that we're in a hockey city, a sports city, and a college sports city.” said Watchorn. “And when you see all that come together with the Northeastern fans and ours and the way that that environment was pretty memorable, to say the least. Special tournament, special city and special school.”

Despite Boston University classes not starting until Jan. 20, the Terriers brought out a sizable fan base, but were outpaced by Northeastern fans who flooded the arena, making BU’s rink appear like a home game for the Huskies. 

Both winning teams praised the Belpot tournament from earlier this month for giving them additional tournament experience pre-Beanpot. In the tournament held in Belfast, Ireland, Harvard lost to Boston University 3-2 Jan. 3.

Harvard will now face off against Boston University Jan. 20 at 7:30pm in the third Beanpot championship game at TD Garden. While Boston University has competed in the championship game every year it has been at TD Garden, it will be Harvard’s first time out of the consolation match.