The Showdown in Beantown

What happens when the men's hockey teams from Boston College and Harvard meet on the ice to face each other?

You get a good hockey game.

What happens when they meet in the Beanpot?

You get a war.

And by all predictions, a war will be fought tonight when Harvard and BC face off at 9 p.m. in the first round of the 40th annual Beanpot Tournament at Boston Garden.

BC (9-11-3 overall, 6-6-2 Hockey East) isn't fielding as strong a team as it has in years past, but statistics don't mean much when it comes to Boston's premiere collegiate grudge match.

"The Beanpot's totally different. You can take it right out of the schedule," senior forward Tim Burke said. "If you only win two games all season, and they're in the Beanpot, you've had a successful season."

"The records don't matter," said Burke. "It's one game. It's 60 minutes."

Harvard players who come from around Boston, such as Burke, look forward to the Beanpot like no other games in the year.

"I've been going to the games ever since I was young," said freshman forward Ben Coughlin, who comes from Concord and will be skating in his first `Pot. "It's going to be great to be out on the ice."

The Beanpot thrill even affects players who aren't locals. "Coming from the Midwest, I didn't know much about the tournament," junior forward Steve Flomenhoft explained, "but when I stepped into the Garden my first year, I could just feel the excitement."

The last time the two teams met in the Beanpot was 1989, when Harvard defeated BC, 5-4, in the opening round, en route to its most recent tournament title.

And while the Harvard squad is certainly hungry to win another `Pot, BC must be positively starving.

The Eagles have not won the February classic since 1983, despite having talented squads. This year's effort must take on special importance to the players since 19-year Boston College Coach Len Ceglarski has announced that he will retire after the season, making this Beanpot his last.

"Those seniors have never won it," Burke said. "If there's any team that really wants it, it's probably them."

That should make Harvard wary. Moreover, the Eagles, despite a sluggish beginning, have been playing good hockey as of late.

The team has gone 2-0-2 in its last four Hockey East matches, including a 3-3 tie against BU last weekend.

Led by senior center David Franzosa (13-22--35) and junior wing Marc Beran (13-18--31), the Eagles have a good chance at ending their tournament title drought.

Harvard, on the other hand, will be concerned with more than just the Beanpot title.

Playing in its last two non-conference games of the season, the Crimson hopes that a successful Beanpot will send a positive message to the NCAA tournament selection committee which determines the seedings for post-season action.

Still if Harvard fails to win the ECAC tournament, victories over non-league opponents will go a long way towards securing an at-large bid.

"Certainly losing to Michigan and Michigan State [over Winter Break] didn't help," Flomenhoft said. "These two Beanpot games become very important to us."

"We'd like to make it an easy decision for the selection committee by beating up these out-of-conference teams," said Burke.

Of course, the pleasure of beating BC is enough incentive for Harvard.

"I hate BC. It's a pleasure to beat BC," said Burke.

"I have been hearing it for many years that BC is superior to Harvard, so now I get a chance to prove them wrong," Coughlin added.