Terriers Fall to Harvard in Overtime in Women's Beanpot Final, 2-1

Tuesday, January 20

Boston, MA (TD Garden)

7:30 PM

Boston University

Harvard

Photo by: Eliza Nuestro

Terriers Fall to Harvard in Overtime in Women's Beanpot Final, 2-1

January 20, 2026 | Women's Ice Hockey

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BOSTON - The Boston University women's ice hockey team came up just short in its bid for a Beanpot title on Tuesday evening as a Harvard penalty shot in overtime proved to be the difference in a 2-1 contest in the 47th Dunkin' Women's Beanpot championship game at TD Garden.

An early Harvard goal was answered by the Terriers midway through the first on a power play and the 1-1 score held up for the final 49 minutes. BU held a commanding 47-16 shot advantage for the game but was unable to score on its final six power-play chances in the contest.

The Terriers controlled the puck for the first minute of overtime and created a chance that was saved by tournament MVP Ainsley Tuffy before the rebound popped out to spring Harvard's Carla McSweeney for a breakaway. McSweeney was hauled down from behind as she approached the crease and the referee called for a penalty shot.

On the penalty attempt, McSweeney converted a low shot inside the right post to beat BU netminder Mari Pietersen and lift the Crimson to the victory.

Junior Greta Henderson scored for the Terriers, who move to 7-13-3 on the season. Harvard improves to 11-10-1.

HOW IT HAPPENED

BU quickly created a odd-player rush just a minute into the game but could not convert and the Crimson opened the scoring moments later.
A deflected puck made its way towards the BU crease and Harvard's Gwynn Lapp was able to get her stick on it and pop it over Pietersen's pad just 1:34 into the game.
The game's first power play was awarded to the Terriers midway through the first and they converted on it to create a 1-1 deadlock.
A center-point bid by senior Maeve Kelly was tipped in by Henderson in the slot as the redirect found the top left corner of the net at the 10:27 mark.
The teams later traded abbreviated power plays in the first and the Crimson had another skater advantage later in the period but the teams headed into the first intermission tied 1-1.
The story in the second period was four Harvard penalties but Tuffy and the Crimson kill were up to the task each time, stymieing the Terriers to keep the contest tied.
Tuffy made 18 of her 45 saves in the middle period.
BU recorded 15 of the 17 shots that occurred in the third period while in search of the elusive game-winner.
Harvard had a pair of power-play tries in the third while the Terriers had their seventh and final woman-up opportunity before regulation ended and the game advanced to overtime.

GAME NOTES

This marked the third straight year that the Terriers suffered a loss in the Beanpot title game.
BU was 1-for-7 on the power play while the Crimson was 0-for-4.
BU won 29 of the game's 47 faceoffs with senior Lilli Welcke winning 14 of her 18 chances at the dot.
The Crimson blocked 18 shots while the Terriers blocked seven.
In shot attempts, BU took 72 compared to just 29 for the Crimson.
Senior Luisa Welcke earned an assist on the Henderson goal.

UP NEXT

BU will return to action on Friday (Jan. 23) when it hosts Vermont in the opener of a two-game weekend series at Walter Brown Arena.
Game time is set for 6 p.m.