Freddy Meyer scored the game-winning goal and added an assist vs the Crimson.

Senior captain Freddy Meyer scored the game-winning goal late in the third period and junior goalie Sean Fields turned aside 28-of-29 Harvard shots as the Terriers skated to a 2-1 win over the Crimson in the opening game of the 51st Annual Beanpot Hockey Tournament on Monday night (February 3rd).

In the nightcap, Boston College, trailing 1-0 at the end of the first period, exploded for three second-period goals en route to a 5-2 win over Northeastern.

That sets up a B.U. vs. BC final next Monday night at the FleetCenter. The game will face off at 8:00 p.m. with Northeastern and Harvard playing in the consolation game at 5:00 p.m.

It will mark the 16th time since 1957 that these two archrivals will be meeting for the Pot of Beans. The Terriers, who have won 9 of the last 11 meetings in the Tournament title game, hold the overall edge, 9-6. The Eagles won the most recent title game encounter with a 5-3 win on February 12, 2001. Prior to that, the Terriers had won seven straight matchups in the title game.

Perhaps the most staggering statistics to come out of the Terriers' win over Harvard are that B.U. has now advanced to the title game the last nine years, 19 of the last 20, 36 of the last 40, and 42 times in the 51-year history of the tournament.

David Klema won the faceoff that started Meyer's game-winning goal.

However, the Terriers' trip to the 2003 title game was not assured until Meyer scored on a blistering slap shot from the right point at the 13:21 mark of the final period. Sophomore David Klema won the faceoff to the left of Harvard goalie Dov Grumet-Morris. The puck came back directly to Meyer. He took one stride toward the goal and let go of his shot. Grumet-Morris was screened somewhat but the puck found its way to the far left side of the goal.

"We lost the faceoff straight up," Grumet-Morris said after the game. "And, Meyer took the shot. At the last second, I caught up with it, but he (Meyer) put it where he needed to."

"I was waiting to get out of the (penalty) box," Meyer recalled of his game-winning play. "I had a good run, walked up to the net, got a good shot off and it got a piece of the net. It was a nice faceoff from Klema and thankfully I got a good shot off."

Just moments before the winning play, the Crimson had an excellent chance to take the lead themselves. They had a 2-on-1 in close, but, at the last minute, Fields put out his skate and his toe redirected the puck wide. The Terriers came down the ice, forced a faceoff, and Klema set the winning play in action.

"Whit (Terrier defenseman Ryan Whitney) played him (the Harvard forward) pretty well, but he got a pretty good shot off. Luckily, it hit me off the toe and rolled wide."

As was the case with the Terriers, Harvard scored a goal on a faceoff, and it gave the Crimson a 1-0 lead at 6:59 of the second period. After a scoreless first period in which the Terriers outshot the Crimson, 10-3, Harvard's Tom Cavanaugh won a faceoff deep in the Terrier zone. He got the puck back to Kenny Smith whose shot from the left point beat Fields to the far left side of the goal.

Brian Miller's nifty move led to his goal that tied the game.

Terrier defenseman Bryan Miller tied the game at 11:19 of the second period after he put on a beautiful move that put the puck between the legs of Harvard defenseman Noah Welch. Miller picked up the puck and came in on Grumet-Morris. Miller's shot beat the Crimson goalie high to the left side. Mark Mullen and Meyer picked up the assists.

That set the stage for Meyer's game-winner.

"It was a very tight game," said Terrier head coach Jack Parker, who is now 26-4 in his 30 previous Beanpot openers. His overall record in the tournament is 45-14. "I was very pleased with our defense, and I never thought we were in trouble.

"I thought we did a real good job killing penalties," the coach continued about his penalty-killing unit that was a perfect 4-for-4. "And, we got some great goaltending. Fieldsy held the fort for us."

"This was a great game," said Harvard coach Mark Mazzoleni. "I couldn't have been prouder of our team. They competed for 60 minutes. I thought that tonight we had the ability to beat B.U.

"But, they are a good team," the coach went on. "The difference is that they were able to finish and we didn't. You have to give credit to their goalie. They are a tournament- tested team. Hopefully, we will see them again in the NCAA Tournament."