Boston College has ended North Dakota’s season each of the past two years in this very game – the NCAA semifinals. In 2005 North Dakota ended BC’s season in the regional final. But is that enough to make a rivalry?
“I think it’s a different feeling,” said BC defenseman Mike Brennan yesterday. “I mean, playing against BU at home is a really good Boston rivalry and you always get fired up for those weekends, but it seems to me that we always play North Dakota on a bigger stage. ”
“I’ve had ten national championship appearances with BC, and North Dakota has been an opponent in seven of them,” said Eagles’ coach Jerry York. “This rivalry is something – it’s really special. We have respect for their program. When we blow the whistle in Octover, our goal is to get to the national tournament and the end of the year and to to win the national title. We have the full understanding that somewhere along the line, if history repeats itself, we’re going to play North Dakota.”
“The Boston College/North Dakota rivalry is great for college hockey,” said North Dakota netminder Jean-Phillipe Lamoureaux. “You have a team from the West and a team from the East and they always seem to be in the mix towards the end of the year. I think it’s great for the game and exciting for the fans.”
