The North Reading forward, who during the weekend became the 83rd Terriers player to reach 100 career points, views the annual event with both respect for its rich tradition and a trace of jealousy after reaching the final the past three years only to come away empty-handed. BU has fallen to BC (2016), Harvard (2017) and Northeastern (2018).

Carpenter and the rest of the scarlet-and-white skaters want to end this trend. BU, which last won in 2015, has reached the final in 53-of-66 Beanpots and has captured the trophy 30 times. Even more remarkable is that after winning only one in the 1950s (’58), BU has skated off the Garden ice with the silver chalice 29 times in 53 years. BU first-year coach Albie O’Connell played on four straight Beanpot championship teams from 1996-99.

BOSTON, MA. - JANUARY 28: Boston University hockey coach Albie O'Connell, captain Bobo Carpenter, Northeastern captain Eric Williams, coach Jim Madigan, Boston College captain Casey Fitzgerald, coach Jerry York, Harvard captain Michael Floodstrand, Beanpot Hall of Fame recipient Scott Fusco and coach Ted Donato pose for a picture during a media press conference to talk about the 67th Beanpot Hockey Tournament at the TD Garden on January 28, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA. - JANUARY 28: The Beanpot trophy on January 28, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA. - JANUARY 28: Boston College coach Jerry York speaks as Harvard hockey coach Ted Donato listens during a media press conference to talk about the 67th Beanpot Hockey Tournament at the TD Garden on January 28, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)



BOSTON, MA. - JANUARY 28: Boston University hockey coach Albie O'Connell and Northeastern coach Jim Madigan as Boston College coach Jerry York and Harvard coach Ted Donato talk after a media press conference to talk about the 67th Beanpot Hockey Tournament at the TD Garden on January 28, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA. - JANUARY 28: Northeastern hockey coach Jim Madigan speaks during a media press conference to talk about the 67th Beanpot Hockey Tournament at the TD Garden on January 28, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA. - JANUARY 28: Boston University hockey coach Albie O'Connell, Northeastern coach Jim Madigan, Boston College coach Jerry York and Harvard coach Ted Donato pose for a picture during a media press conference to talk about the 67th Beanpot Hockey Tournament at the TD Garden on January 28, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)



BOSTON, MA. - JANUARY 28: Boston College coach Jerry York speaks sitting next to captain Casey Fitzgerald as Harvard hockey coach Ted Donato and captain Michael Floodstrand listen during a media press conference to talk about the 67th Beanpot Hockey Tournament at the TD Garden on January 28, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA. - JANUARY 28: Harvard hockey coach Ted Donato speaks next to captain Michael Floodstrand as Boston College coach Jerry York and captain Casey Fitzgerald listen during a media press conference to talk about the 67th Beanpot Hockey Tournament at the TD Garden on January 28, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA. - JANUARY 28: Boston College coach Jerry York and Harvard coach Ted Donato talk after a media press conference to talk about the 67th Beanpot Hockey Tournament at the TD Garden on January 28, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)



Few players have a better understanding of what the Beanpot tournament means than Boston University captain Bobo Carpenter.

“(The Beanpot) is always in the back of your mind. You can’t wait for the first Monday in February to come around,” said Carpenter, who has 56 career goals and 45 assists. “Now that it’s here, it really grabs your attention. It’s an exciting atmosphere, and it’s going to take a lot of hard work and all of our energy and focus to win it.”

Sitting at Monday’s annual Beanpot luncheon at the Garden, Carpenter mulled the fact that only twice in history, from 1981-84 and from 2015-18, have all four schools won the tournament in rotation. If the Terriers, who have 12 NHL draft picks on the roster, want to keep the rotation going, they must dethrone reigning champion Northeastern in the semifinals.

“It just shows you how tough it is to win it,” Carpenter said. “It’s been a blast to play in the finals. Some of the best games that I’ve been part of have been in here. It’s a great atmosphere, and I would love to have that final experience while holding up that trophy.”

Speedy BU forward Ryan Cloonan of East Longmeadow began skating at age 3 when his dad Ed and brother Kevin brought him to Fitzpatrick State Rink in Holyoke and shared stories about the Beanpot.

“We’ve made the last three finals, but we haven’t enjoyed that experience of winning the trophy,” Cloonan said. “Last year, the atmosphere was insane. Hopefully, we’ll have a little more success and take it home. We just have to play simple. When we get too complicated, it never works out for us.”

Terriers forward Max Willman, a transfer from Brown who grew up in Barnstable, remembers watching the Beanpot with a feeling of envy.

“I was probably 10 or 11 years old when I first went to watch the Beanpot. I definitely wanted to be part of it. I went last year, before I was making my decision to transfer,” the 23-year-old Willman said. “I was definitely a little jealous. At Brown, we had the (Mayor’s Cup) with Providence, and that was always fun to play in, but it wasn’t the same.”

Beanpot notes

The coin toss to determine the home teams for the semifinals saw the coin twice roll off the dais and onto the floor. Harvard captain Michael Floodstrand called heads only to see it come up tails, so Boston College will be the home team for Game 1 next Monday. Northeastern defenseman Eric Williams also came up on the wrong side of the coin, making BU the home team for the nightcap. …

Burlington native Scott Fusco is the newest inductee of the Beanpot Hall of Fame and the 13th member from Harvard to be selected. Fusco, who won the Hobey Baker Award in 1986, played on two U.S. Olympic teams in 1984 and 1988, was a two-time All-America (1985-86) and the only Harvard skater twice named ECAC player of the year. Fusco, Harvard’s all-time leading scoring with 240 points (107 goals) joins brother Mark in the Beanpot Hall. His daughter, Bradley, will play in the women’s Beanpot next Tuesday at Bright-Landry Center.