BOSTON — Let’s start the 2022 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four with this statement: This year’s event is the greatest collection of single-season point production on this stage in at least the last two decades.
Not only are the four teams playing in Thursday’s national semifinals the top four this season in terms of scoring average, they combine for players with 11 of the top 20 point totals in the country.
Check back through the scoring totals from every year since 2002 and you’ll find the closest to that was eight in 2016. In Pittsburgh last season, there was one player from the top 20 in points, UMass’ Bobby Trivigno.
You’ll find one short of a dozen players with 40 points or more in this year’s Frozen Four. Denver has four (national scoring leader Bobby Brink, Cole Guttman, Carter Savoie and Brett Stapley), Minnesota State has four (Nathan Smith, Julian Napravnik, Brendan Furry and Cade Borchardt), Michigan has two (Matty Beniers and Brendan Brisson) and Minnesota has one (Ben Meyers).
The Frozen Four has seen its share of low-scoring games — see the 1-0 final between Denver and Maine in this same TD Garden in 2004 — but the goalies will be challenged to make it that way this year.
“We’re going to go for 9-8,” Denver coach David Carle said with a smirk.
The Pioneers and Michigan are ranked first and third, respectively, in goals per game entering their semifinal on Thursday. Minnesota State and Minnesota are second and fourth.
“You have to take care of your defensive game and after that, you can go do whatever you want, really,” Michigan forward Jimmy Lambert said of his team’s offensive mentality.
A freewheeling Frozen Four? These teams’ tendencies makes it something to look for.
