For the 16th time in the tournament’s 47-year history, Harvard is the Women’s Beanpot champion. Freshman Carla McSweeney scored the game-winner on a penalty shot in overtime to defeat Boston University and capture the coveted Beanpot trophy.
It’s Harvard’s first Beanpot title since 2022 and BU’s third straight loss in the championship game. Harvard goaltender Ainsley Tuffy won the Bertagna award as the top goaltender and the Most Outstanding Player award with 86 saves in the tournament, including a lights-out 46-save performance in the championship to secure the win for the Crimson.
THE BEANPOT IS COMING BACK TO CAMBRIDGE 💍#GoCrimson x #OneCrimson pic.twitter.com/4P5m3sQcbO
— Harvard Women’s Hockey (@HarvardWHockey) January 21, 2026
BU dominated play for most of regulation, peppering Tuffy with 46 shots, while limiting the Crimson to just 14 SOG. Seven Terrier powerplays gave BU a decided advantage in puck possession, but Tuffy and the Crimson penalty-killers stood tall, holding BU to just one powerplay goal despite plenty of chances.
Tuffy stopped the Terriers’ lone overtime shot in spectacular fashion, springing leading Harvard goalscorer Carla McSweeney the other way. The freshman was hauled down on the breakaway, though, drawing an OT penalty shot in front of the TD Garden crowd.
And the one they call McClutch was exactly that, picking her spot and wiring a wrister past Mari Pietersen for the game-winning goal.
THE CRIM IS BACK ON TOP OF BOSTON 🚨#GoCrimson x #OneCrimson pic.twitter.com/yVUngrsoby
— Harvard Women’s Hockey (@HarvardWHockey) January 21, 2026
How they got to overtime
Gwynn Lapp opened the scoring with an early first-period tally, her first of the season. Emily Hamann set it up with a tenacious forecheck, forcing a turnover and throwing a loose puck into the crease, which Lapp tucked past Pietersen. The Terriers answered back a few minutes later, as Greta Henderson got her second of the season, a powerplay goal on a deflection off a point shot by Maeve Kelly.
Then came the parade to the box.
Entering the game, Harvard was tied for second in the country with 5.0 penalty minutes per game, but the Crimson racked up the PIMs tonight with six penalties in the first two periods. BU added a pair of minors in that time as special teams got a workout in the first 40. Harvard finished the night with a season-high seven penalties, but BU could only muster the one powerplay goal in the first period, allowing the Crimson to hang around.
