The Boston University Terriers men’s ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team that represents Boston University. They played their first game in 1918 and have won five national championships, while making 25 appearances in the Frozen Four.
BU has won 12 major conference tournament championships as well as 32 titles in the historic Beanpot tournament featuring the four major Boston collegiate hockey teams. BU played in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) from 1961 to 1984, winning five tournament championships; and has since competed in the Hockey East Association, winning ten tournament titles. Ice hockey is the most popular sport at Boston University and has a large fan base on campus and among BU alumni nationwide.
Season-by-season results
Current roster As of September 8, 2025.
Championships NCAA Tournament championships
Tournament RecordScoreOpponentCityArena1971 28–2–14–2MinnesotaSyracuse, New YorkOnondaga War Memorial1972 26–4–14–0CornellBoston, MassachusettsBoston Garden1978 30–2–05–3Boston CollegeProvidence, Rhode IslandProvidence Civic Center1995 31–6–36–2MaineProvidence, Rhode IslandProvidence Civic Center2009 35–6–4 4–3 (OT)Miami UniversityWashington, D.C.Verizon Center
The Terriers have won five national championships, and are the only eastern team to win back-to-back NCAA titles. Under head coach Jack Kelley, they won their first title in 1971 and repeated in 1972. USCHO BU won their other three titles under head coach Jack Parker, in 1978, 1995, and 2009. In 1972, 1995, and 2009, BU won the "triple crown," consisting of the Beanpot, conference tournament, and NCAA championships. In 1995 and 2009, the Terriers also won the Hockey East regular season title, giving the team four major trophies in a single season. The Terriers have 40 NCAA Tournament appearances, 25 Frozen Four appearances, and have finished as the NCAA Tournament runners-up on seven occasions: 1950, 1967, 1991, 1994, 1997, 2015, 2025.
Conference tournament championships
TournamentConferenceScore Opponent1951NEIHL4–1Boston College1952NEIHL3–1Brown1972ECAC4–1 Cornell1974ECAC4–2 Harvard1975ECAC7–3 Harvard1976ECAC9–2 Brown1977ECAC8–6New Hampshire1986Hockey East9–4Boston College1991Hockey East4–3 (OT)Maine1994Hockey East3–2UMass Lowell1995Hockey East3–2Providence1997Hockey East4–2New Hampshire 2006Hockey East2–1 (OT)Boston College2009Hockey East1–0UMass Lowell2015Hockey East5–3UMass Lowell2018Hockey East2–0Providence2023Hockey East3–2 (OT)Merrimack Conference regular season championships SeasonConferenceConference Record1938NEIHL5–1–21939NEIHL6–0–01947NEIHL11–0–11948NEIHL12–1–01950NEIHL8–1–01965ECAC15–3–01967ECAC19–0–11971ECAC18–1–11976ECAC21–2–01978ECAC21–1–01979ECAC17–4–21994Hockey East21–3–41995Hockey East16–5–31996Hockey East17–5–21997Hockey East16–4–41998Hockey East18–4–22000Hockey East15–3–62006Hockey East17–7–32009Hockey East13–10–12015Hockey East14–5–32017Hockey East13–6–32023Hockey East20–8–0 From 1936-1954, BU was a founding member of the New England Intercollegiate Hockey League, winning five regular season titles and two tournament championships. In 1961, BU was again a founding member of a conference, this time for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). BU would win six regular season titles and five tournament championships in the ECAC before departing in 1984 to help form the Hockey East Association. BU has competed in Hockey East since the 1984–85 season, winning eleven regular season titles and ten tournament championships.
In-season tournament and event championships
Beanpot (32 times champion): 1958, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2022, 2025 Red Hot Hockey, Kelley-Harkness Cup (4): 2007, 2011, 2013, 2025 Friendship Four (1): 2024 Ice Breaker Tournament (3): 2002, 2008, 2010 Denver Cup (1): 2008 Great Lakes Invitational (1): 2002 Johnson Nissan Classic (1): 1999 Badger Showdown (2): 1992, 1995 Mariucci Classic (1): 1994 Auld Lang Syne Tournament (1): 1991 Syracuse Invitational Tournament (1): 1982 Colonial Bank Hockey Invitational (1): 1980 ECAC Holiday Hockey Festival (2): 1966, 1977 St. Louis Fireman’s Tournament (1): 1974 ECAC Christmas Hockey Tournament (1): 1971 Boston Arena Christmas Tournament (5): 1957, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970 New Brunswick Invitational (1): 1968 Boston Garden Christmas Hockey Festival (1): 1964
Beanpot results Boston University is sometimes jokingly referred to as "Beanpot University" because of its success in the annual mid-season hockey tournament called the Beanpot. This highly anticipated single-elimination tournament is contested by Boston University, Northeastern University, Harvard University, and Boston College, with the winner receiving the coveted Beanpot trophy and bragging rights over its Boston rivals. The four-team tournament is played on the first two Mondays of February at the TD Garden. Of the 63 Beanpots played since the 1952–1953 season, Boston University has been victorious on 32 occasions. The Terriers' last win came in 2025 as they defeated Boston College 4-1 in the final round.
BU Terriers in the Olympics
BU Terriers on the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team
The' Miracle on Ice' team that defeated the Soviet Union and won the gold medal during the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, featured four Boston University players including Olympic team captain Mike Eruzione. Along with Dave Silk, Jack O'Callahan, and goalie Jim Craig, these Terriers played key roles and were the only players from eastern schools on a U.S. squad composed predominantly of Minnesotans.
Eruzione scored the famous winning goal against the Soviets with 10 minutes remaining, and Craig made 36 saves to preserve the 4–3 victory. Silk, who assisted on the United States' second and third goals, was mentioned in sportscast Al Michaels' final call: "Eleven seconds, you've got ten seconds, the countdown going on right now! Morrow, up to Silk. Five seconds left in the game. Do you believe in miracles? Yes!"
O'Callahan, who had injured his left knee in an exhibition match, returned for the famous "Miracle on Ice" game and in his first seconds on the ice, delivered a massive hit on a Soviet player that turned the puck over to the Americans near the Soviet defensive zone. The hit caught the Soviets off guard and set up a goal scored by William "Buzz" Schneider to tie the game at 1–1.
After defeating the Soviet Union squad, the U.S. players went on to defeat Finland to secure the gold medal.
Boston University Olympians This is a list of Boston University alumni who have played on an Olympic team.
Name Position BU Tenure Team Year Finish Forward USA 1932, 1936 , Forward 1932–1935 USA 1936 Forward 1932–1935 USA 1936 Forward 1949–1951 USA 1948 DQ Forward 1948–1951 USA 1952 Goaltender USA 1956 Forward 1951–1953 USA 1956, 1960 , Forward 1970–1971 France 1968 11th Goaltender 1969–1972 USA 1972 Forward 1966–1969 Japan 1972, 1976, 1980 9th, 9th, 12th Defenseman 1976–1978 USA 1976 5th Defenseman 1972–1973 Netherlands 1980 9th Left Wing 1973–1977 USA 1980 Goaltender 1976–1979 USA 1980 Defenseman 1975–1979 USA 1980 Right Wing 1976–1979 USA 1980 Left Wing 1978–1980 Italy 1984 9th Right Wing 1985–1987 USA 1988, 1992, 2002 7th, 4th, Center 1984–1987 USA 1988, 1992 7th, 4th Defenseman 1990–1991 USA 1992 4th Left Wing 1988–1991 USA 1992 4th Right Wing 1987–1990 USA 1992 4th Right Wing 1990–1991 USA 1992, 1998, 2002, 2006 4th, 6th, , 8th Defenseman 1984–1988 USA 1992 † Defenseman 1991–1992 Canada 1994 Right Wing 1991–1993 USA 1994 4th Center 1988–1993 USA 1994 8th Right Wing 1989–1991 USA 1998, 2002 6th, Left Wing 1994–1998 USA 2002, 2006, 2010 , 8th, Defenseman 1996–1998 USA 2002 Goaltender 1999–2000 USA 2006 8th Defenseman 2001–2004 USA 2010 Defenseman 2007–2010 USA 2014 4th Left Wing 2004–2005 USA 2018 7th Left Wing 2015–2018 USA 2018 7th Defenseman 2005–2009 USA 2018 7th Left Wing 2005–2009 USA 2018 7th Defenseman 2008–2011 USA 2022 5th Goaltender 2020–Present USA 2022 5thBrandon YipRight Wing2005–2009 China 202212thMacklin CelebriniCenter2023–2024 Canada2026Mike SullivanHead Coach1986–1990 USA2026Jack EichelCenter2014–2015 USA2026Clayton KellerRight Wing2016–2017 USA2026Charlie McAvoyDefenseman2015–2017 USA2026Brady TkachukLeft Wing2017–2018 USA2026Jake OettingerGoalie2016–2019 USA2026 † cut from team before Olympics.
Rivals
Boston College Boston University's biggest rival is Boston College. Referred to as the Green Line Rivalry or The Battle of Commonwealth Avenue because of the proximity of the schools and the means of transportation to get from one campus to another, the Terriers and Eagles have played each other well over 200 times since their first meeting in 1918. The rivalry is considered one of the best in NCAA hockey, both in terms of intensity and quality. The schools have combined for ten national championships and even played each other in the NCAA championship game in 1978, with BU skating off to a 5–3 victory.
After the 1978 national championship victory over Boston College, BU co-captain Jack O'Callahan was quoted as saying "We shouldn't have to beat BC for the nationals. Hell, we can do that anytime."It's still a one-way avenue. But every game between the teams is highly anticipated. "You could wake up both teams at three o'clock in the morning and tell 'em we're playing on Spy Pond in Arlington, and they'd be there," BU coach Jack Parker once said.BU-BC? B-eautiful!
BU and BC have played at least once a year since 1946, and at least twice a year since 1949. They usually play two Hockey East regular season games each year, and typically face each other once more in February during the Beanpot, with BU holding a substantial edge in tournament and head-to-head victories. The teams have twice played each other for the Hockey East Championship, in 1986 and 2006, with BU winning both titles. In 2005–06, BU and BC played six games—three in the Hockey East regular season, and once each in the Beanpot, Hockey East tournament, and NCAA tournament. At every game, regular season and playoffs, the spirited student sections – BU's nicknamed the Dog Pound and BC's the Superfans – are seated in proximity to each other and hurl insults and chants back and forth. BU and BC ratcheted up their rivalry on Jan. 8, 2010, when they played each other at Fenway Park in front of 38,000 fans, the biggest crowd to ever watch the teams play. BU won the game, 3–2.
Sports Illustrated columnist Steve Rushin went so far as to call BU-BC the biggest rivalry in all of sports. Despite substantial bitterness between the fan bases of the two schools, the hockey teams and coaches generally agree that the magnitude of the rivalry has benefited both hockey programs. "The best thing that ever happened to BU hockey was BC," Parker told Rushin.
The first varsity ice hockey game BU ever played was a 3–1 loss to Boston College on February 6, 1918. As of the 2010–11 season, BU led the all-time rivalry 125–112, with 17 ties.
Cornell The rivalry between Boston University and Cornell dates to 1925 when Boston University beat Cornell 7–2. The teams played each other in the NCAA championship game in both 1967 and 1972, with Cornell defeating BU 4–1 in '67 and the Terriers taking the '72 title with a 4–0 win. Between the years 1967 and 1977, Boston University and Cornell won the ECAC crown five times each.
The schools renewed the rivalry over Thanksgiving weekend of 2007, with a sold out game dubbed "Red Hot Hockey" at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. After scoring three goals in the first several minutes of play, BU went on to win 6–3. Red Hot Hockey returned to Madison Square Garden on November 28, 2009, with the two teams skating to a 3–3 tie after one overtime period. The event again sold out the arena. The third meet up on November 26, 2011, resulted in a 2–1 win for BU in overtime.