It's Monday.

As the world wakes up slowly and rubs Friday and Saturday night out of its eyes, it may not realize what today really is.

Because this is no ordinary Monday.

Today is not the usual start of that seemingly endless trek towards the weekend.

This is the second Monday in February, and to all college hockey fans in Boston that means one thing: the Beanpot Championship.

And in this, the 41st Beanpot Tournament, it also means the matchup to end all matchups--the Crimson against the Terriers, skating, scraping, and clawing for that chance to hold the silver plated Beanpot in the air for all to see.

But there is even more on the line than the sought after 'Pot. With the Crimson's recent loss to RPI, Harvard and BU are also battling over the right to the second spot in the East behind Maine. And that ranking may mean the difference between a first-round bye and an extra trip to Michigan (and Detroit, of all places) come NCAA Tournament time.

Harvard (14-2-1 overall, 13-1-1 ECAC) is ranked second in the nation. BU (19-5-2 overall, 13-4-1 East) is ranked fourth.

'In the past, BU has been better than us. This year we know we're better. We're going into this game thinking BU can't beat us.'

Lou Body

The Crimson has lost two Beanpot finals to BU in the last three years. The Terriers have won the last three titles in their quest for something no one else has ever done: four consecutive Beanpot championships.

BU Head Coach Jack Parker has collected a record 10 'Pots. Harvard Coach Ronn Tomassoni is still looking for his first as head coach.

The Terriers and the Crimson have already met once earlier this season, and BU won that game at home 4-3.

Both teams have Hobey Baker candidates. Harvard has Captain Ted Drury and BU has Co-Captain David Sacco.

Both teams have four lines of forwards that can skate rings around most other squads.