For all you nay-sayers about the Beanpot consolation not meaning anything,
that the teams don't care, think about this:
 
For BC, a loss means it likely drops out of the Top 10 in the country and
could face a trip to the West regionals if they don't win the HEA
tournament -- a tall order indeed. Not to mention, losing to Harvard won't
help the RPI much...
 
For Harvard it means a second victory this season over BC, and for all the
frustration Harvard has had with the ECAC this season and the Beanpot in
recent years, a season sweep over BC will still be a strong memory for the
players.
 
For both teams it also does represent a "must-win" situation in that not
only is it the final non-conference match of the season but it's also one
of the best tuneups for postseason play they can get.
 
BC needs to put their season back together IMMEDIATELY if they're going to
threaten for any titles, whether HEA or NCAA. A loss won't do much else
besides lower team confidence, a win will at least get them back on track
mentally.
 
If Harvard has any plans for the postseason, they must include this match.
A SECOND victory over BC will undoubtedly breed the kind of confience that
a team can carry with them through the end of the season, the kind of
confidence that will take a team through a first-round series against a
higher-ranked opponent.
 
 
And of course, the by the start of the third the Gahden (yeah yeah) is
pretty much packed, and no team wants to lose in front of 17,000 fans.
 
 
greenie
 
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