2015 Beanpot: Boston University vs. Northeastern Pregame Notes and Line Combinations

BOSTON -- Boston College entered this year's Beanpot as the five-time defending champion, but now a new team is set to hoist the trophy for the first time since 2009 after the Eagles were ousted back on Feb. 3. The tournament's 63rd edition comes down to No. 4 Boston University and Northeastern, set for 7:30 p.m. on this Monday evening from TD Garden.

The Terriers and Huskies will meet for the first time this season as they have closed the Hockey East regular season with a two-game weekend series during each of the past five seasons. Tonight's game will be televised on New England Sports Network (and TSN1 in Canada) with Dale Arnold and Andy Brickley on the call.

After a 6-4 win on Friday night, NU saw its seven-game winning streak with a 6-3 setback at Maine. Sophomore John Stevens posted four assists on the weekend, including three in the series-opening win, while freshman Dylan Sikura scored two of his three goals in the series in Friday's game.

The Huskies have reached the 'Pot final in each of the last three years but have not won the trophy since 1988 when they were 6-3 winners over BU.

BU is in the midst of a season-worst three-game winless streak after earning just one point from a home weekend series with Notre Dame. The Terriers remain one shy of the 20-win mark with three games to play in the regular season and are looking to win their first championship trophy since the 2010 IceBreaker in St. Louis.

Senior Evan Rodrigues is the nation's leading scorer since the start of the 2015 calendar year with 27 points in 14 games, while NU junior Kevin Roy's 23 rank second during that time.

Rodrigues put BU ahead 31 seconds into the third period of Friday's 2-2 tie with the Irish. Local juniors Matt Grzelcyk (Charlestown) and Mike Moran (Marshfield) scored on two of BU's 46 shots on goal, but the Terriers fell 3-2 in Saturday's series finale.

BU holds a 154-57-8 advantage in the all-time series with Northeastern, including 4-1 and 4-2 wins in last season's home-and-home series, and is 31-8 in Beanpot meetings. BU's last Beanpot title came with a 5-2 win over NU in 2009.

Here are tonight's lines:

TERRIERS (19-6-5, 13-4-3 Hockey East)

Evan Rodrigues - Jack Eichel - Danny O'Regan
Ahti Oksanen - Robbie Baillargeon - Cason Hohmann
Nikolas Olsson - Matt Lane - Nick Roberto
A.J. Greer - Mike Moran - Chase Phelps

Matt Grzelcyk - John MacLeod
Brandon Hickey - Brandon Fortunato
Doyle Somerby - Brien Diffley

Matt O'Connor
Connor LaCouvee
Anthony Moccia

HUSKIES (15-12-4, 10-8-2 Hockey East)

Kevin Roy - Dalen Hedges - Mike McMurtry
Zach Aston-Reese - Mike Szmatula - Torin Snydeman
Nolan Stevens - John Stevens - Dylan Sikura
Mike Jamieson - Brendan Collier - Adam Reid

Dustin Darou - Matt Benning
Trevor Owens - Colton Saucerman
Dax Lauwers - Garret Cockerill

Clay Witt
Derick Roy
Jake Theut