Boston College may have boasted higher-ranked hockey teams in the past decade, but none of them were able to accomplish what the 2026 Eagles were able to accomplish on Monday night at TD Garden.

In the 300th Battle of Commonwealth Avenue, the 14th-ranked Eagles shook off a so-so first period and captured their first Beanpot championship since 2016, beating Green Line archrival Boston University, 6-2. The Terriers beat a talented BC team in the final last season.

Special teams and Bruins prospects were the story. The Eagles went 3-for-4 on the power play while the Terriers were 1-for-5 on the man advantage.

Bruins prospect Andre Gasseau led the way with a couple of net-front goals, James Hagens picked up two assists and flashed his abundant skill while Dean Letourneau (one goal) was a physical presence on the forecheck and penalty kill. Will Vote also scored a pair and Louka Cloutier made 27 saves in the Eagles win.

Hagens, the Bruins’ top amateur prospect (7th overall pick last June), earned Beanpot MVP honors after recording two goals and three assists for five points in the two-game tournament.

Andre Gasseau of the Boston College Eagles scores on Mikhail Yegorov of the Boston University Terriers during the first period of the Beanpot championship at TD Garden. (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

While the Terriers were coming off a good overtime win over Maine on Friday, the Eagles fell victim to the pre-Beanpot pothole, getting blown out at home, 6-1, to an unranked Vermont team.

The first period at times looked like an extension of that game for the Eagles.

The teams traded goals in the first period. BU’s tally came 2:15 into the game and it was a bit of a gift. Gavin McCarthy took a long-distance shot from inside the blue line that was an easy stop for Eagles goalie Louka Cloutier. It hit him int the chest, but the freshman could not control the rebound and Brandon Svoboda punched home the rebound.

The Terriers had a chance to take full control of the game when they got the first two power plays of the contest. But though they landed some rubber on Cloutier, they could not extend the lead.

When the Eagles got their first chance on the man-advantage, the top PP in Hockey East evened it up. Ryan Conmy carried the puck behind the Terrier net, dished it out front to senior captain Andre Gasseau and the Bruins prospect buried it past Mikael Yegorov for the equalizer at 15:02.

The Eagles were fortunate to be tied after 20 minutes. BU had more jump and was quicker to pucks. They held a 9-7 shot advantage after one. But BC found its groove in the second period eventually.

The Eagles did need a big save, however

After BC killed off the remnants of their third penalty to start the second period, the Terriers had a great opportunity to regain the lead when Sacha Boisvert carried the puck in deep, cut across the top of the crease and had Cloutier on his belly. But with a lot of net at which to shoot, Boisvert could not lift it over Cloutier, who lifted his right pad just enough to make the stop.

Midway through the second period, it was Yegorov’s turn. On a bad BU change, Hagens gave Brady Berard a clean breakaway from the high slot. Berard went to the backhand and it looked like he had the netminder beaten, but Yegorov reached behind him and snared it with his glove.

Then on another BC chance, Eagles freshman Oscar Hemming had Yegorov down and out but hit the crossbar.

Nick Roukounakis of the Boston University Terriers checks Brady Berard of the Boston College Eagles during the first period of the Beanpot championship at TD Garden. (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

The Eagles, however, were getting their chances and got the go-ahead goal at 14:54 of the second. Letourneau, another top Bruin prospect, won a puck race and battle in the corner behind the BU net and got it out high. Eventually, Vote tipped home home Lukas Gustafsson’s shot from the left point and the Eagles were up, 2-1.

BC then took a 3-1 lead at 16:52 on another PP goal. Hagens dangled and came out of the corner with the puck, feeding Gustafsson out high. The defenseman’s long-distance wrister eluded Yegorov and the Eagles were up two.

The Terriers started the third with a power play after Drew Fortescue took a roughing penalty at the end of the second period, but BU again failed on the man advantage.

When the BU then put the Eagles back on the power play, BC made them pay — again. At 5:36, Gasseau got his stick on a loose puck in front and swept to home to give BC a commanding lead.

The Terriers finally score a PP goal on their fifth try with 5:09 left in regulation when Cole Eiserman blasted a slap shot past Cloutier to pull BU within striking distance.

But Letourneau gave BC their three-goal lead back with 3:57 remaining. Teddy Stiga found him all alone in front of the net and he potted his 16th of the season. Vote added an empty-netter.