TD Garden vice president for events Steve Nazro and Jim Prior, longtime public address announcer for Boston University and both the Hockey East and Beanpot tournaments, will each receive the Hockey East Founders Medal prior to the second Hockey East semifinal on Friday, March 22.
Wide-open race makes for important final weeks for Hobey hopefuls
As we prepare for next week’s announcement of the 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, the most impressive thing to me about this year’s race is how wide open it is.
Yes, with the proverbial gun to my head, I would still pick Boston College’s Johnny Gaudreau to win the award when all is said and done — especially now that he’s the national points-per-game leader again — but from where we sit right now, there are several qualified candidates who could easily walk away with college hockey’s top individual honor in less than a month.
Picking the Hobey Hat Trick is an even more complicated enterprise, trying to pick a top three from a group that includes Gaudreau, Greg Carey of St. Lawrence, Ryan Walters of Nebraska-Omaha, Danny Kristo and Corban Knight of North Dakota, Erik Haula of Minnesota and Eric Hartzell of Quinnipiac.
That having been said, as we evaluate the action due to unfold this weekend, I’d say that the stakes are highest on three players: Walters, Carey and Hartzell. I think that all three players are pretty much locks to be named finalists next week, but if they want to go further than that, big performances this weekend are an absolute must.
Walters probably hasn’t gotten as much coverage in this space as he’s deserved this spring, as he is having a fantastic year for the Mavericks. His 50 points lead the WCHA (although Haula leads slightly in points per game), and having 21 of those points be goals is tremendously helpful to his cause. As I’ve written in the past, this year’s Hobey Hat Trick will have room for one player (at most) who doesn’t advance to the NCAA tournament, and I’d give the nod to Walters over Carey — assuming neither makes the tournament — based on the strength of the conference in which he plays, which likely will help make his stats more impressive to the voters.
By the way, I was very impressed by his goal in the first period against Wisconsin a couple of weeks ago, and that will almost definitely be a part of the Hobey finalist video you see at the conference and regional tournaments in a couple of weeks.
However, that having been said, I’m not convinced that this year’s Hobey Hat Trick will have any players that don’t advance to the NCAAs. With a field that includes Gaudreau, the two North Dakota players, Haula and Hartzell, it’s very easy to see a Hat Trick that excludes both, even if one of them winds up as the nation’s top scorer.
Remember, there is no “divine right” to Hobey success associated with being the nation’s top scorer. It was something of a stunner when Ryan Potulny didn’t advance to the Hobey Hat Trick in 2006, while forwards Dave Borrelli of Mercyhurst and Bryan Leitch of Quinnipiac were left out of the top 10 altogether in 2005 and 2009, respectively.
While I don’t see that kind of a snub in the cards for either Carey or Walters, I do think that both could be left home from the Hat Trick if neither is in the NCAAs. That makes this weekend’s playoff series — Carey and St. Lawrence at Yale, Walters and UNO at Minnesota State — crucial for both players … besides, of course, that both players care much more about their team fates than an individual award.
That leaves Hartzell, who will certainly be playing in the NCAA tournament, likely as a top regional seed. However, Quinnipiac will certainly have some doubters based on lack of history and conference affiliation, not to mention a couple of questionable non-conference losses (although Hartzell wasn’t in net for that American International stunner), and if the Bobcats go home early from the ECAC Hockey tournament, it’ll be a huge blow to Hartzell’s chances.
Quinnipiac has a tough draw for this weekend’s quarterfinal series — Cornell was supposed to be much better than it showed during the regular season, and the Big Red fans travel well enough to take over almost any building they visit — but I have a feeling that Hartzell’s Hobey chances are shot if the Bobcats fall this weekend.
What do you think? Leave your thoughts below.
ECAC Hockey picks: Quarterfinals
Last week: 4-0
It’s the last weekend of hockey at campus sites across the league, as the ECAC is set to head to Atlantic City next weekend for the semifinals and championship. I picked all four opening round series correctly, although I did pick Cornell and Princeton to go to three games. Here’s a look at the upcoming weekend. All games are set to start at 7 p.m., unless noted.
No. 9 Cornell at No. 1 Quinnipiac
Season series: Quinnipiac, 2-0
Like I said earlier this week, Cornell is playing much better than its No.9 seed would indicate. The Big Red are 6-1-1 over their last eight games, including a sweep of Princeton in the opening round. Quinnipiac wasn’t as sharp down the stretch once it locked up the Cleary Cup, often relying on goalie Eric Hartzell to bail them out. The Bobcats are a lock for the NCAA tournament, while Cornell will likely need to win out in order to make it. Still, Quinnipiac is looking to hold on to the No.1 overall spot for the NCAA tournament, and a series win this weekend would certainly help. Saturday’s game starts at 7:30 and will be televised on NESN, while any potential start time Sunday could be dependent on the basketball team’s schedule. Quinnipiac in three
No. 7 Brown at No. 2 Rensselaer
Season series: RPI, 1-0-1
The Engineers had their first ever bye in the current tournament format thanks to a 9-1 stretch to close the regular season. Don’t expect a ton of scoring in this series, as both teams are solid in net and emphasis a solid, defensive style of play. The Engineers have some scoring depth through their lineup, thanks to the continued development of their sophomore class, along with senior defenseman Nick Bailen, who has 12 goals and 19 assists, both which are tied for the team lead. Brown moved leading scorer Matt Lorito to wing in an attempt to break him out of a slump, and it worked, as the sophomore had a goal both nights against Clarkson last weekend. Rensselaer in three
No. 6 St. Lawrence at No. 3 Yale
Season series: Yale, 2-0
Hockey is a team sport, but both the Saints and Bulldogs proved how much one player can impact a team. The Bulldogs lost goalie Jeff Malcolm for a five-game stretch last month, and were 0-5 during that span. Head coach Keith Allain said at the time that Malcolm’s injury could just be “circumstantial evidence,” but the senior returned Feb. 23 and Yale was 3-0 the rest of the way. The Saints had a chance to clinch a first round bye entering the final weekend of the regular season, but were without center Kyle Flanagan, who had his appendix removed earlier in the week. Saint Lawrence lost its final two regular season games without Flanagan, but the senior returned for last weekends’ series against Colgate, posting five points in the Saints’ sweep. There’s plenty of top-line offensive talent on both teams, so, I think this series will come down to goaltending and secondary scoring. Saint Lawrence in three
No. 5 Dartmouth at No. 4 Union
Season series: Dartmouth, 1-0-1
For all the ups and downs of the regular season, Union was still able to grab a top-four spot, which was good since goalie Troy Grosenick left the Dutchmen’s game on March 1 with an injury. Grosenick should be ready to go this weekend, as Union looks for its second trip in as many years to Atlantic City. Dartmouth is just 3-7-3 on the road, but one of those ties came at Messa Rink. The Big Green used two different goaltenders in the opening round, as Cab Morris started in Game 1, while Charles Grant started and won Games 2 and 3. Neither one of these teams had a stellar second half, and both will likely need to string together a few wins if they want to make the NCAA tournament. I think the bye and a chance to put the regular season behind them should help Union. Union sweeps
Atlantic Hockey Picks March 15-17 (Quarterfinal round)
Last Week: 5-3
On the Season: 140-75-29 (.623)
This Week’s Picks:
Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinals (Best of Three Series)
March 15-17
Updated from last week: There have been 29 best-of-three series in Atlantic Hockey history, played either in the first or quarterfinal rounds. The home team won 28 of them.
Read more about each series in my weekly AHA column.
No. 8 Rochester Institute of Technology at No. 1 Niagara
The Tigers’ lack of success against Niagara (all the more interesting because both head coaches in Purple Eagle’s history were All-Americans for RIT in their playing days) is well known. It’s going to be a tall order to win twice in a rink that the Tigers have come up short in 10 attempts. Factors include any lasting effects from Niagara’s drubbing at the hands of Air Force in the final weekend of the season, and which RIT team will show up: the one that looked listless in its regular season finale against Canisius, or the team that dominated American International last weekend. The pressure is on the Purps to sweep to stay inside the NCAA selection bubble. A loss, even one, could put Niagara in the same boat as the other seven AHA teams still in the running- win to get in. That said, I think RIT will end the Dwyer Arena jinx, but not twice. Niagara in three.
No. 7 Canisius at No. 2 Air Force
The Falcons are peaking, as they usually do this time of the season. There have been a couple of stumbles in past quarterfinals (Air Force had to go to a third game in 2009 and 2012) but Frank Serratore’s teams find a way to get to Rochester every time. This weekend will be no exception, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a Canisius team that I think will make it to Rochester next season, win a game here. Tony Capobianco, who has quietly had a great season in net for the Golden Griffins, can steal one for sure. Air Force in three.
No. 6 Mercyhurst at No. 3 Holy Cross
These teams are evenly matched, but the Crusaders have the hotter hand, going 4-0-1 in their last five games. Mercyhurst swept Army in the first round last weekend to pull out of a slump that saw it go without a victory in the prior eight games. A lot will depend on which Lakers team shows up, and if the Crusaders can continue to use home ice to their advantage (10-5-2 there this season). I’m picking the Crusaders to advance to Rochester for the first time. Holy Cross in three.
No. 5 Robert Morris at No. 4 Connecticut
Robert Morris has a better overall record, PairWise and RPI thanks to some good non-conference wins. But UConn did better than RMU where it counts in terms of this weekend: two point higher in the final standings, giving the Huskies home ice. Goaltending and special teams also favor the Huskies. Only one road team has won an AHA playoff series in 29 attempts. So why am I picking the Colonials? They’ve shown they can play and beat very good teams. My gut tells me they’ll be able to do that this weekend. Colonials in three.
In summary: I think there’s going to be some hockey on Sunday.
Feel free to chime in by posting your picks in the comments and follow me on Twitter @chrislerch for updates throughout the weekend.
WCHA Picks: playoffs edition
No. 12 seed at Alaska-Anchorage at No. 1 St. Cloud State:
Matthew: Alaska-Anchorage took a pair of poundings last Friday and Sunday at Denver, losing the teams’ two games by a combined 13-2, and this weekend doesn’t look any brighter for the Seawolves. UAA head coach Dave Shyiak is in the final season of his current contract, and he might be reaching the end of the line in this series. Huskies sweep.
Tyler: These teams split earlier in the season in Anchorage and if it weren’t for the disparity in depth and talent, it could’ve easily been a Seawolves sweep. The Huskies had to rally the first night and was as flat as can be in the Saturday game. SCSU doesn’t let that happen this time and sweeps in convincing fashion.
No. 11 seed Bemidji State at No. 2 Minnesota:
Matthew: This is a series that’s very similar to UAA-SCSU in that it’s a mismatch which the home team should have no major issues dealing with if it’s on its game. BSU could give Minnesota fits – remember, the Beavers picked up a tie in one game at North Dakota two weeks ago and held their own in the other – but the Gophers are the better team by far in this series. I don’t see a blowout in either game, but I have Minnesota sweeping its way to its final Final Five.
Tyler: I think the fact that these teams played each other last week helps Minnesota. Bemidji State hangs back in a defensive style that takes time for some teams, even the most skilled teams, to get used to. The Gophers have seen it now and though I don’t expect blowouts, the Gophers should control both games and move on to the Final Five in a sweep.
No. 10 Michigan Tech at No. 3 North Dakota:
Matthew: Surprisingly, this is a matchup of teams with the nation’s two best power play units over the course of the 2013 portion of this season (MTU’s first at 28.6 percent, and UND’s at 27.7). I’m a little concerned by the fact that UND has dropped at least one point in each of the last three weeks, but while I think this could be a close series in the end, and maybe I’m being a little charitable towards the Huskies, but I don’t see Tech advancing. UND in three.
Tyler: To find North Dakota’s last loss in the WCHA Playoffs, you’d have to go back 13 games to Game 2 of the 2010 first round against Minnesota. Though it hasn’t always translated to success in the NCAA tournament, UND seems to play at its highest level in the league playoffs. You never know which version of Michigan Tech goaltending shows up and I think UND will expose that inconsistency. UND sweeps
No. 9 Minnesota-Duluth at No. 4 Wisconsin:
Matthew: UMD scored a ridiculous five power play goals last time out in a 6-0 win over Nebraska-Omaha, but the Bulldogs are on the road this weekend against a much better team than UNO has been lately. Duluth has been playing much better in recent weeks, but it’s hard to be too impressed by sweeps at home over Alabama-Huntsville and a UNO team that’s had serious difficulties on the ice lately. Wisconsin’s a better team on the road this season than it is in Madison, so that could be a plus for the Bulldogs, but I still see UW winning this series in three games.
Tyler: The last two weekends probably gave the Bulldogs confidence, offensively, outscoring their opponents 19-6 in four games. Like Matthew said, that isn’t all that impressive given the opponents. Wisconsin’s defense has carried the team all season and will get the Badgers to the Final Five with a series win in three games against UMD.
No. 8 Colorado College at No. 5 Denver:
Matthew: Obviously I can’t speak for you, Tyler, but this looks to me like our best chance at seeing an upset in the first round. CC took three points from the Pioneers early last month in the teams’ second home-and-home series of the season, and I have a gut feeling that CC will turn DU over again this weekend at Magness. I’m taking the Tigers in three.
Tyler: I agree this is the best chance for an upset because the Pioneers are so unpredictable. Denver has proven it can tighten up and contain good offensive teams but turn around and allow five goals the next night. CC has the ability to pour it on in the offensive zone but I think the Pioneers outlast the Tigers. Denver in three
No. 7 Nebraska-Omaha at No. 6 Minnesota State:
Matthew: Although Minnesota State’s ninth in the current PairWise Rankings, MSU is a more ideal matchup for UNO than everyone else in the WCHA’s top six. UNO has lost each of its final four regular season games for the second year running – and the red Mavericks have lost six of their last eight games this time around – and though I see this series going to three games, I think MSU will prevail.
Tyler: Something has to give in a series between two teams that have had constant struggles in this round of the playoffs. Though MSU got the short end of the three-way tie for fourth place, ending up with the sixth seed, I think it got the best draw of those three teams. Nothing’s going right for UNO and its penalty kill is terrible, lately, which MSU’s efficient power play should take advantage of. MSU sweep
Paula's picks, March 14, 2013: CCHA playoffs, quarterfinals
I knew the series in Fairbanks and Sault Ste. Marie would go to three games. I was wrong, however, about who would advance from those series.
Last week: 4-4-0 (.500)
Season to date: 122-90-29 (.566)
Typical.
This week
This is the second round of the CCHA playoffs. The winners from these four series advance to Joe Louis Arena March 23-24 to play for the Mason Cup. Just as in last week’s first round, all four series are best-of-three series at single sites. All series are Friday-Saturday with Sunday as necessary. There are no shootouts; teams play until someone wins. All games begin at 7:05 p.m. EDT except for Friday’s Michigan-Western Michigan game (6:35 p.m.) and Friday’s Bowling Green-Notre Dame game (7:35 p.m.).
After this round, teams will be re-seeded as necessary for the championship tournament in Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena. The numbers before a team’s name indicate its finish in the final CCHA standings this season.
No. 11 Michigan State at No. 1 Miami
To earn the right to play the regular-season champion Miami RedHawks, Michigan State won its first-round CCHA playoff series on the road against Alaska. The Spartans won the first game, 2-1, in front of junior Will Yanakeff’s 34-save performance. Saturday’s game went to Alaska, 4-1, and MSU took the deciding game Sunday, 4-3, with freshman Jake Hildebrand in net. It was the first playoff series win for the Spartans since 2007, the year Michigan State won the national championship.
The RedHawks, who had a first-round bye last week, captured the regular-season title in the last game of the season with a 4-2 home win over Ohio State. Miami was 7-3-0 in its last 10 games of the season. In November, the RedHawks tied and defeated the Spartans at home, and Miami is 6-0-1 in its last seven games versus Michigan State, dating back to the 2010-11 season.
Taking nothing away from the improved Spartans, the tough Miami defense — in front of the even tougher goaltending tandem of Ryan McKay and Jay Williams — should make this a two-game sweep. Miami 2-1, 3-2
No. 9 Bowling Green at No. 2 Notre Dame
Like the Spartans, the Falcons had to play their way to the second round on the road. After losing their first game to Lake Superior State in Sault Ste. Marie last weekend, 2-0, the Falcons demolished the Lakers with a 6-3 win Saturday and 7-0 romp Sunday. At the end of the 2011-12 season, as the No. 11 seed, Bowling Green won its first-round CCHA playoff series against Northern Michigan before beating top-seeded Ferris State in three games in the CCHA quarterfinals.
With their second-place finish, the Fighting Irish had a first-round bye last week. Notre Dame was 5-2-3 in its last 10 games and the Irish are 3-0-2 in their last five contests, with the last two wins coming at home against Bowling Green March 1-2, a set in which ND outscored BGSU 8-4. Notre Dame is 14-1-1 at home against Bowling Green since 2005-06.
I know I’m calling against the unconventional odds here by picking the Irish in three, given Bowling Green’s current three-series CCHA playoff streak dating back to that upset in Marquette in last year’s first round. All three games are televised by Comcast. Bowling Green 3-1, Notre Dame 3-2, Notre Dame 4-2
No. 7 Michigan at No. 3 Western Michigan
Last weekend, Michigan swept Northern Michigan in two games in the first round of CCHA playoff action, and the sweep was the first home sweep of the season for the Wolverines. That wasn’t the only unusual thing about the weekend; the Wolverines narrowly survived Friday’s 3-2 game before completely handling the Wildcats in Saturday’s 6-2 win. In Saturday’s game, Michigan played like the team most people expected the Wolverines to be this season rather than the seventh-place team that they became.
Before last week’s bye, Western Michigan was 3-3-4 in its last 10 contests of the season, most recently splitting a road series with Michigan State, a 5-2 win and 1-0 loss. WMU was 3-1-0 against UM during the 2012-13 regular season, outscoring UM 12-6 in those contests.
I know that my picks will upset the touchier types among Western Michigan fans, and the only logic to them is Michigan’s 5-0-1 current unbeaten streak along with last Saturday’s game against the Wildcats. Those specific Wolverines are on a mission and I’m not picking against them until they lose. Of course, the Wolverines from earlier in the season may be the ones who play in Kalamazoo this weekend, which would mean two fairly easy wins for Western. A third possibility is that last weekend’s Wolverines show up and the very good Broncos beat them anyway. FOX Sports Detroit is carrying Friday’s game. Michigan 3-2, 4-2
No. 5 Ferris State at No. 4 Ohio State
Each of these teams earned a first-round bye, with the host of this series determined on the last night of regular-season play. Each team finished the season with 13 conference wins, but Ohio State came out two points ahead of Ferris State by virtue of the Buckeyes’ split with Miami the last weekend of the season.
FSU went 3-5-2 in its last 10 games, taking one point from Michigan in Ann Arbor the last weekend of the regular season with a 4-1 loss and 1-1 tie. OSU went 4-4-2 in its last 10 games, splitting with Miami on the road the last weekend of the regular season, a 3-0 win and 4-2 loss.
Ohio State is 7-4-2 all-time against Ferris State in the CCHA Tournament, but the teams haven’t met in postseason since 2005-06, a sweep by the Bulldogs in Ewigleben Arena. The teams split a pair of 3-1 games Big Rapids Jan. 11-12, with FSU taking the first game.
This series will be played in the little OSU Ice Rink because a paying customer of greater importance has booked the Schottenstein Center. (Seriously, the Buckeyes need a hockey-only arena. Seriously.) The games are not televised but will be streamed live here for free. These teams are evenly matched. Ferris State 3-1, Ohio State 3-1, Ohio State 3-2
D-III Frozen Four picks: March 15 (Tim Sullivan)
Friday, March 15
Norwich vs. Oswego State
The Cadets have won four of five, and showed everyone they can turn it on when needed last week. After losing to Babson in the ECAC East Tournament, Norwich rebounded with authority against those same Beavers, handling Babson, 4-0, to earn the right to get to Lake Placid. The Cadets should be able to feed off that momentum. Norwich 3-2
Wisconsin-Eau Claire vs. Utica
The Pioneers have a much shorter trip, and seem to have shaken a puzzling end to the season, when they tied and lost to Manhattanville in consecutive weekends. Sophomore forward Louie Educate transferred to Utica for moments like these, and the team’s leading scorer now has a chance to steal the stage. Utica 4-1
Saturday, March 16
Norwich vs. Utica
The Pioneers, give or take a few slumps here and there, have played like a team on a mission all season. Four straight wins to open the season. Seven out of eight wins to open the new calendar year. And a precision 4-2 win over Bowdoin in the NCAA tournament to earn the right here. They’ve come too far to let it slip now. Utica 3-2
D-III Frozen Four picks: March 15 (Katie Carito)
Four teams will meet at the Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, N.Y., for the Division III Frozen Four this weekend. On one side of the bracket there will be two returning Frozen Four participants in Norwich and Oswego. In the other, there are newcomers Utica and Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Friday, March 15
Norwich vs. Oswego State
Both teams are back for their fourth consecutive appearance in the Frozen Four. Last year, Norwich fell to St. Norbert in the semifinals, while Oswego took a loss to the same team in the championship game. Oswego is 24-4-0 overall, while Norwich holds a 24-3-1 record. I saw Oswego play last week, and they are a big, experienced team that had hunger in their eyes. Oswego 2-1
Wisconsin-Eau Claire vs. Utica
The Blugolds and Pioneers are both new to the Frozen Four and eager to earn their way to the championship round. Wisconsin-Eau Claire holds a 22-5-2 overall record, while Utica went 21-5-1 through the season. The Blugolds are the only team that had to battle through the first round and quarterfinals before reaching the semifinal game. They have had a long road, and are determined to make the last stride. Wisconsin-Eau Claire 2-1
Saturday, March 16
Oswego State vs. Wisconsin-Eau Claire
In championship games, anything can happen. If these two teams end up battling it out it in the final game of the season, it will be an interesting match-up. On one end of the ice, there is an Oswego State squad which has plenty of experience in the arena, and on the other an inexperienced team with the Blugolds taking the long road to the tournament. Oswego 3-2
D-III Frozen Four picks: March 15 (Dan Hickling)
Friday, March 15
Oswego vs. Norwich
Neither team should experience any big stage jitters, since both are making their fourth consecutive Frozen Four appearance. That said, the hot hands, Andrew Hare in net and Paul Rodrigues with super-clutch goals, should decide this one, perhaps in OT. Oswego 2-1
Wisconsin-Eau Claire vs. Utica
Frozen Four newbies, both, Utica is more capable of an offensive eruption. Once the nerves are out of the way, the Pioneers should strike early and often. Utica 5-3
Saturday, March 16
Oswego vs. Utica
Utica handed the Lakers two of their four losses this year, but not this time. Oswego is too strong, too deep, too focused to be denied. Oswego 5-2
D-III Frozen Four picks: March 15 (Brian Lester)
Well, we have reached the final weekend of the Division III hockey season, and four teams are still standing. Norwich and Oswego State will play in one national semifinal on Friday, and Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Utica will meet in the other. So it’s time for me to see how well I can do making picks for the weekend. No more delays. Here we go.
Friday. March 15
Norwich vs. Oswego
Both teams are in the Frozen Four for the fourth straight year, so experience in this setting isn’t going to be an issue for either team. Norwich is coming off a 4-0 win over Babson, and has five seniors on its roster. Travis Janke will be key to the success of the Cadets. He has 15 goals and 23 assists, and has more than 100 points in his career. Shane Gorman could be an X Factor, having scored four goals in the last five games. He has tallied eight goals on the season and has tallied 14 assists. For the Lakers, they will need Paul Rodrigues to step up big time. He has racked up 15 goals and 30 assists, while Luke Moodie has come through with 22 goals. Those two, along with Jon Whitelaw, have combined for 403 points in their careers. This is a match-up where I think the team that is the most efficient on offense gets the job done. Both teams have strong goalies as well — Chris Czarnota for Norwich and Andrew Hare for Oswego State — but the team that makes the most of its opportunities will win. I’m giving the edge to the Cadets. Norwich 5-4
Wisconsin-Eau Claire vs. Utica
The Blugolds are playing well, and punched their ticket to the national semifinals with an impressive 3-1 win over St. Norbert, the defending national champion. Winning a game like that can give a team a world of confidence. Brandon Stephenson will no doubt be a key to success for Eau Claire. The senior goalie has tallied 732 saves and has allowed only 55 goals this season. If he can continue to play at the level he has during this tournament, allowing only three goals, the Blugolds are going to be poised for a trip to the title game. Jordan Singer will be instrumental in success on offense, as he comes in with 20 goals. Utica has been tested time and again, and played one of the toughest schedules in the country this year. That experience can only do the Pioneers good at this point. The Pioneers have been sharp offensively, putting up 121 goals on the year, which is the highest total in program history. Not only does Utica have a dangerous offense, but it is tremendous on defense. The Pioneers have goalie Nick Therrien in their corner, and he has a save percentage of .924. If he can match the effort the Utica offense is expected to give, the Pioneers could be in a position for the win. Utica has been tough when it scores first, and a strong start could be enough to get them on track for a victory, but my money is on the Blugolds, although it would not surprise me if Utica won this game. Wis.-Eau Claire 4-3
Saturday, March 16
Wis.-Eau Claire vs. Norwich
Although it doesn’t matter which two teams reach the final, as all four are worthy of a spot in the championship game, Wis.-Eau Claire has put together an impressive run, and the Blugolds are my pick to win the national championship.
Women’s D-I picks: March 15
Well, I did pretty well again in my second week of postseason picks, going 7-3 (.700). I can’t count the Sunday games, because I didn’t get around to posting picks in the new match-ups since I was at Denver-Alaska-Anchorage for an 11 a.m. game. Overall on the postseason, I am 24-10 (.705).
Here comes the NCAA tournament!
Saturday, March 16
North Dakota at Minnesota
This is the sixth meeting this season between these two teams. However, I don’t see the results changing, although it might be closer than it has in the past. Minnesota 3-2
Mercyhurst at Cornell
The Lakers haven’t really been tested since getting clobbered by Cornell back in January, and I think that will hurt them in this game. Cornell 4-2
Clarkson at Boston University
This comes down to goaltending: can Erica Howe hold off the Terriers offense enough for Clarkson’s less potent offense to succeed? My gut says not enough. Boston University 3-2
Harvard at Boston College
A rematch of a very thrilling Beanpot semifinal game won by the Eagles. I think the score and the winner will be the same. Boston College 2-1
D-III Frozen Four picks: March 15 (Carmine Vetrano)
Friday, March 15
Norwich Cadets vs. Oswego State Lakers
In seasons past, this was the NCAA title game, but these two programs battle to see who moves on the to championship. Oswego has a big win over Adrian, while Norwich got revenge over Babson. Toss-up really. Both teams have the experience and roster to do it, but have to go with the home state, though. Oswego State 3-2
Wis.-Eau Claire Bluegolds vs. Utica Pioneers
Both teams come in with strong records, but with even more impressive wins to reach the semis. The Bluegolds and Pioneers both knocked off strong opponents (St. Norbert and Bowdoin); however, one has to go home. Looking forward to seeing an all New York final. Utica 5-4
Saturday, March 16
Utica Pioneers vs. Oswego State Lakers
Can the Pioneers put a run together like that of Neumann from 2009? We shall see, but Oswego is determined and looks to rebound from losing in last year’s title game. Lakers will handle the Pioneers in this one. Oswego State 4-1
D-III Frozen Four picks: March 15 (Roman Uschak)
Friday, March 15
Norwich vs. Oswego
The Cadets finally got the Babson bear off their back, while Oswego edged Adrian (Mich.) last week and has two of the top three scorers in the nation in Paul Rodrigues (45 points) and Luke Moody (43 points). Oswego was also the national runner-up last spring to St. Norbert, and would like to take that last step to its first national title in six years. Oswego 4-3
Utica vs. Wisconsin Eau Claire
The Blugolds surprised two-time NCAA champ St. Norbert last week, while the Pioneers overcame a rusty start to oust Bowdoin. Utica is 10-2-1 in its last 13 outings, while Wis.-Eau Claire is 10-2 in its last 12 contests. Both schools are Frozen Four neophytes, so someone will be headed to their first national title appearance when it’s all over. The Pioneers are averaging nearly 4.5 goals per game, while Wis.-Eau Claire is averaging just under four goals per game. That might be just enough of a difference. Utica 3-2
Saturday, March 16
Oswego vs. Utica
It’s difficult to beat a team three times in the same season–but it’s not impossible. Utica has just as good a shot at winning its first-ever national title as Oswego does of claiming its second career NCAA crown. Could be a high-scoring affair, but when all is said and done, only one school will skate away with the NCAA championship trophy. Utica 6-5
D-III Frozen Four picks: March 15 (Tim Costello)
Friday, March 15
Norwich vs. Oswego
This one should be one for the ages, with two teams that have been here four straight times. Expect an overtime thriller that goes to the Cadets based on balance and an incredible senior class that has been there before. Norwich 3-2 (OT )
Wisconsin-Eau Claire vs. Utica
It’s a battle between two of the nation’s best goaltenders and likely All-Americans; Stephenson and co. just a bit better to make it to the final. Wis.-Eau Claire 4-3
Saturday, March 16
Norwich vs. Wis.-Eau Claire
Believe in the “been there before” theory, and the history favors the Cadets, who find their seniors bookending their career with a second national,championship. Norwich 3-1
D-III Frozen Four picks: March 15 (Kevin Damask)
Friday, March 15
Oswego vs. Norwich
The puck drops on the NCAA D-III Frozen Four with two traditionally strong programs that are no stranger to the spotlight. The Lakers fell to St. Norbert in last year’s national championship game and have been on a mission to return to the final all season. A late goal sends them back to the title game. Oswego 4-3
Wisconsin-Eau Claire vs. Utica
These two unfamiliar foes clash in Friday night’s nightcap. The key battle will between the pipes, as the Blugolds’ Brandon Stephenson faces the Pioneers’ Nick Therrien. The Blugolds, coming from the tough NCHA, will lean on Stephenson to get the job done and advance to the title game. Wis.-Eau Claire 3-1
Saturday, March 16
Wisconsin-Eau Claire vs. Oswego
The Blugolds could cap off their dream season with their first NCAA D-III title, while the Lakers will be hoping to avenge last season’s loss. Wis.-Eau Claire, armed, by Stephenson and a cast of opportunistic forwards, will push Oswego to the limit. However, the Lakers, leaning on big-game experience will survive to claim the championship. Oswego 3-2 (OT)
Cadets looking for repeat of 2010
What a difference a week makes, at least on the scoreboard, as Norwich made up for a 2-1 loss in the conference championship game with Babson by posting a 4-0 win in last weekend’s NCAA quarterfinal that earned the Cadets a fourth-straight trip to the Frozen Four. The win over a game Babson squad was just the first in four tries this season for coach Mike McShane’s troops, who now know the margin for error is very slim at this point of the season.
“I thought we played pretty well the week before,” noted McShane. “Jamie’s team is very competitive, and although the score was 4-0, you know it was really a 2-0 game, so we were just a goal better than last week, and they went a goal or two the other way. You know, Chris [Czarnota] makes a couple of saves at the right time and we get a bounce, it is the little things that make a difference now, and I like the way we have been playing over the past few weeks. At this point in the season, it is always very close, and now we have a chance to go to Lake Placid, a special place, and play some more hockey.”
For the Cadets seniors, the trip to Lake Placid is déjà vu to their freshman season, when the Cadets won their third national championship. Although they have been back each of the past two seasons, they haven’t been able to repeat the run of 2010, so there is a sense of urgency for the guys who started their career on a winning note.
“These guys came in as freshmen and really played well,” stated McShane. “We go to Lake Placid and win the championship and they are like, ‘Wow, that was great, we can do this again.’ I think what the guys learned is that it is not easy to even get back to play in the Frozen Four, and even harder to win it. I think that is the message they have been sharing in the locker room with the new players, about that sense of urgency and the time being now.”
Of late, senior forwards Kyle Thomas and Blake Forkey have been playing extremely well up front for the Cadets, but their coach sees everyone stepping it up, and knows that some guys can pick up the slack if a line or player is struggling.
“Right now, we need everyone to contribute,” said McShane. “At this time of the season, I feel pretty good that all of our guys are playing well and contributing to our success. We are going to need that level of team play this weekend to be successful.”
Friday afternoon, the Cadets face another four-straight NCAA Frozen Four team in Oswego, which defeated host Adrian in overtime by a score of 3-2 to move on to Lake Placid. Unlike the Cadets, the Lakers’ three previous trips were all unsuccessful in securing a national title for the program, so coach Ed Gosek’s team also has a sense of urgency this time around.
“We know they are a very good team,” said McShane. “All four teams are playing well. Nobody backed their way into this weekend; all the teams earned the trip, so we know we are seeing very good teams playing very good hockey right now. Oswego has 14 seniors who have meant a lot to the program and are very experienced and very dangerous offensively. They have a terrific power play, so it will help us not to give them opportunities with the man advantage. They are a very good team, and we are going to have to play very well to beat them.”
The Cadets and Lakers faceoff in the early game to open the semifinals, and that is something that plays to McShane’s liking.
“I do prefer the early game,” noted McShane. “But really, you take what they give you and get ready to play. The thing about the early game is you get a few extra hours of rest, as compared to the teams playing the late game, and your schedule or pre-game routine doesn’t get impacted if the first game goes into overtime periods. At this point of the season, everyone is in great shape so the extra rest may not be a big a deal, but every little bit helps.”
The only unknown for the Cadets on Thursday evening was the decision on the starting goaltender against Oswego. The Cadets have used three goaltenders all season, and have a routine in place for the timing of letting the starter know his status the day before the game.
“We have a big banquet tonight up here {Lake Placid],” stated McShane. “I will have the discussion tonight so our goalie will be ready for tomorrow. We are just trying to keep things as normal and routine as possible like we have done all season.”
Over the last four seasons, winning and appearances in the Frozen Four have been routine for Norwich. Don’t bet on anyone taking this trip lightly, particularly a group of seniors who would love to bookend their careers with a second national championship.
Hockey East playoff picks: March 14-17
There are a maximum of 15 games remaining to be played in Hockey East. I enter this weekend eight games behind Dave. I should be waving the white flag. But my never-give-up mentality is keeping me alive. Then again, Dave can just match all of my picks this weekend and I’m done. So let’s just say that my white flag is hanging out of my back pocket.
Jim last week: 5-3-1
Jim to date: 103-78-25
Dave last week: 5-3-1
Dave to date: 111-70-25
#8 Maine vs. #1 Massachusetts-Lowell (Thurs., Fri., Sun. at Tsongas Arena)
Jim’s pick: I know that many will say Maine was playing its best hockey down the stretch, but so was Lowell. And I believe the River Hawks best is significantly better than Maine’s.
UML 4, Maine 1; UML 3, Maine 2; (if necc.) UML 4, Maine 2
Dave’s pick: I agree completely with Jim. Over their last 22 games, the River Hawks are 18-3-1. While the Black Bears took the regular-season series, 2-1, one loss came early and the other with Connor Hellebuyck sidelined due to injury. Maine will make it more interesting than Jim thinks, but the results will be the same.
UML 3, Maine 2; UML 4, Maine 3 (OT); (if necc.) UML 3, Maine 2
#7 Vermont at Boston College (Fri., Sat., and Sun. Kelley Rink)
Jim’s pick: Vermont played some great hockey near season’s end, but they now run into a Boston College team that has seemingly had their number when games are played in Chestnut Hill. I do see Vermont keeping it close, but don’t see them winning.
BC 3, UVM 2; BC 3, UVM 1; (if necc.) BC 5, UVM 2
Dave’s pick: I underestimated the Catamounts all season long and may repeat that mistake yet again, but I can’t see the Eagles getting pushed to a third game.
BC 4, UVM 2; BC 4, UVM 1; (if necc.) BC 4, UVM 1
#6 Merrimack at #3 Boston University (Fri., Sat., and Sun. at Agganis Arena)
Jim’s pick: This is one of the series I see going three games. Despite BU’s sweep of the Warriors in the regular season, I see this being a very close series with a razor-thin margin of error for each team.
MC 4, BU 3; BU 4, MC 2; (if necc.) BU 3, MC 2 (OT)
Dave’s pick: I’ve been bullish on the Warriors all season long so you’d think that I’d go with them here, especially with BU losing Garrett Noonan and Matt O’Connor. But BU swept this series and in impressive fashion: a collective 12-4 margin with none of that inflated by empty-net goals. So there’s a significant match-up issue here between two teams with very active defensemen. That, plus I see the Terriers giving their legendary coach an emotional send-off.
BU 4, MC 2; BU 3, MC 2; (if necc.) BU 4, MC 2
#5 New Hampshire at #4 Providence (Fri., Sat., and Sun at Schneider Arena)
Jim’s pick: There is one storyline that really is in play this weekend: which goaltender will play better. I expect Jon Gillies to handle the pressure of his first playoff and I think he may be the edge Providence needs to advance.
PC 3, UNH 2; UNH 2, PC 1; (if necc.) PC 3, UNH 2 (OT)
Dave’s pick: Back in November, I expected to see UNH in the Frozen Four. The Wildcats were playing terrific defensive hockey and a great all-around game. But since then, they’ve faltered, most recently going 2-3-5 over their last 10, including losing home ice by managing only a single point in two games at home against Maine. Meanwhile, the Friars have gone 5-2-4 down the stretch, including wins over BC, Lowell, and UNH. Since they are a young team, they could fail to put two exceptional efforts together back-to-back and require a third game like Jim predicts, but I think they’ll sweep.
PC 3, UNH 2; PC 3 UNH 2 (OT); (if necc.) PC 3, UNH 2
Oswego hopes to go one further
You can’t really automatically pencil Oswego into an annual trip to the Division-III Frozen Four. It just seems that way.
Four FroFour appearances in the last four years — including this one — is reason enough to think that.
Stretch it to five FFs since 2007, all of them coming under coach Ed Gosek, if you want to include the Lakers’ lone NCAA championship.
And why not?
Still, there’s always room in the Campus Center trophy case for another piece of precious hardware, which the Lakers (24-4-0) are gunning for.
A trip to the Frozen Four? Old hat.
This group — which includes 14 seniors — has been there and done that, most of them three times already.
“We’ve been through this already,” said senior assistant captain Chris Brown.
And the last of those, which resulted in a championship game loss to St. Norbert, is the hardest to take. Which means that if any of the four teams who will hit the ice in Lake Placid on Friday is on a mission, it certainly is Oswego.
“It’s win and nothing else,” said senior captain Jon Whitelaw. “The last three years have been heartbreaking. With all the seniors that have felt that heartbreak, anything but a national championship is a failure for us. It’s all we think about and all we want. We won’t settle for anything less.”
The Lakers draw another perennial power, Norwich (also making its fourth FF showing in as many years) in Friday’s semifinal. Oswego didn’t meet the Cadets (24-3-1) this year, but both teams spent chunks of the season at the top of the USCHO D-III poll. Last year, Oswego used the semifinal tilt as the springboard to the championship game, although it wasn’t easy.
In that contest against Amherst, they rebounded after giving up the tying goal with 22 seconds remaining, thanks to Paul Rodrigues’ overtime game-winner. Rodrigues, the nation’s second leading scorer (15-30-45) and SUNYAC Player of the Year, was the overtime hero again in Oswego’s opening round, 3-2 win over Adrian.
That ability not to blink while at the brink is what makes this group of Lakers so special, according to Gosek.
“You don’t want to dwell on last year’s accomplishments,” he said. “What you want to dwell on is using the last three years’ accomplishments to become a better team. Each year, there’s been a little different reason why we fell short. So we try to use our experience to widen our base of knowledge and work on doing the right things at the right times.
“People ask what you learn from all those final four’s and it is the experiences.”
Commentary: Digging into one great playoff series per league
The NCAA gets into a full mode of playoffs this weekend, and every matchup is unique in one way or another, as beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
However, some matchups are really intriguing. Here’s the one matchup per conference that catches my eye after a year of travel through the five conferences.
Atlantic Hockey: RIT at Niagara
It’s always a good day when you get to use a cliche, so here goes: When these natural rivals get together you can throw out the records. Rochester Institute of Technology finished 16 points behind Niagara as the Purple Eagles ran a great race through the AHA this season.
Coach Dave Burkholder’s team, no stranger to successful seasons or the national tournament, was led by tremendous goaltending from Carsen Chubak. Considered undersized by many, he stood tall all season long, posting a 21-5-5 record, a 1.85 goals against average and six shutouts. He was a major reason why Niagara played with so much confidence this season because his play enabled “The Purps” to play with a lead for 47 percent of the time this season. That number is pretty impressive.
Up front, Giancarlo Iuorio (the best name in hockey) and Ryan Murphy paced Niagara and combined for 61 points. Murphy plays the left of Iuorio and Marc Zanette, and Zanette’s 25 points made that line a tough one to shut down. Zanette has done a nice job of following in the footsteps of his big brother Paul, who as a Purple Eagles player was once considered a Hobey Baker Award candidate.
They were blanked in two season-ending games at Air Force (Iuorio did not play Saturday), but is that just a bump in the road? The team went 11-3-1 in the second half and has not lost at home, going 13-0-2. Against the second- and third-place teams in the conference (Air Force and Holy Cross), the Purple Eagles went 2-3; read into that what you will.
If you want to have concern for Niagara’s long-term success you might look at a 1-3-3 non-conference record, but inside the AHA it has been lights-out dominant. The Purple Eagles are coming off that season-ending sweep in Colorado Springs and get an RIT team that was home last weekend; the trip to Niagara is about an hour so road weariness is not a factor.
As far as RIT goes, the Tigers leave the cozy confines of one of the great home rinks in the NCAA, but you can bet Big Goon and The Corner Crew will be on hand at Dwyer Arena. RIT has a 2-2 tie and 6-4 loss in that building but the dimensions should not be a factor as RIT is used to the size sheet they will play on. It is also a cold rink and the ice surface is generally good and fast at Dwyer.
RIT got a tremendous season from talented senior defenseman Chris Saracino, who contributed 11 goals and 32 points. Big-time defensemen are not new to RIT as coach Wayne Wilson has been successful with defensemen who can move the puck with Dan Ringwald and Chris Tanev in recent years. Those 32 points from Saracino combined with a 29-point season from junior defenseman Greg Noyes give RIT a formidable second wave on the attack.
In a sweep of American International to get to round two, the line of Brad McGowan, Matt Grabowsky and Dan Schuler had 10 points and the big two on defense contributed six. Sophomore Jordan Ruby has been carrying the load in goal in the second half and comes in at 8-8-1 with a 3.15 goals against average.
Burkholder won a Division II national championship as the goalie at RIT in the early 1980s. Wilson has been to a Frozen Four, pulling off two unreal upsets in Albany over Denver and New Hampshire to get there in 2010. Burkholder’s teams have represented well in the national tourney. Both are solid, big-game coaches who don’t panic.
What spices this up is Niagara’s at-large bid. RIT is under .500 so it is not a team under consideration for the PairWise Rankings. Niagara is 13th in the PWR, tied with Rensselaer, which also plays this weekend. Niagara has to win. Everyone else in the AHA needs to win out to get the auto bid. So to sum up the AHA, another cliche: “Every game counts.”
Hockey East: Maine at Massachusetts-Lowell
You have to love the sentimentality here as Norm Bazin started his coaching career as an assistant at Massachusetts-Lowell under then-head coach and current Maine coach Tim Whitehead. Lowell and Maine have a history of meeting up in this round of the HEA playoffs — it’s their 11th postseason series. Maine has dominated throughout.
The teams have met three times this season with Maine holding a 2-1 lead. The Black Bears fell to the River Hawks 2-1 on Nov. 9 and came back to win 4-3 the following night. Maine then defeated Lowell 4-3 in overtime on Feb. 3 at Alfond Arena, with Joey Diamond netting the game-winning goal. In the postseason, Maine has won six of the last seven played between the two, all at Alfond.
Lowell became the first team not from Orono, Durham or Comm Ave to win the Hockey East regular season title. Maine looked dead at times and under the leadership of Whitehead and his staff persevered and made the playoffs. The Black Bears’ youth is good, they have good goaltending, and they certainly have some experience playing playoff hockey this season. They could be HEA’s “Diamond in the rough.”
The River Hawks are really good. Disciplined, methodical, no-frills but at the same time they can push the pace and be explosive. Riley Wetmore gets better every time I watch him and Scott Wilson is underrated for all the little things he does. Lowell isn’t fast but has speed; it gets to people quickly. The River Hawks play with an up-tempo tenacity that gives teams trouble. They are the classic in-your-face team and limit time and space as well as any team headed to the field of 16.
Maine brings its own little ball of intensity in Diamond. He could be a difference-maker if he plays on the edge but not over it. Fellow seniors Kyle Beattie and Mike Cornell also turned in solid second-semester performances. That helped the first-semester freshmen become second-semester vets like NHL draft choices Devin Shore and Ben Hutton. Fellow frosh Steve Swavely and Ryan Lomberg also developed into solid contributors.
Following a 1-0 loss at Boston University in early December, Maine then won the Florida College Hockey Classic and went 9-6-6 in the second half. Whitehead and his team have their hands full but are a well-prepared and determined bunch. Both teams made the national tourney last year.
A second series to watch in Hockey East is BU-Merrimack. It becomes a must-watch because it could be the last hurrah for Jack Parker as he gets set to retire. This is another series in Hockey East that could go in any direction. BU has a rally cry; Merrimack makes you earn your ice. Battle of skill and will here.
CCHA: Bowling Green at Notre Dame
No one saw more Notre Dame this season than I did but in the spirit of brevity, here is the Reader’s Digest version of its season: All was well, then came the break, then came a six-game-in-12-nights stretch with the first three on the road and it went downhill for a while. Injuries were also a part of it.
The Irish stabilized the ship as the second half went on and got some big performances from goalie Mike Johnson and his brother Eric, who scored a huge game-winning goal against Michigan. Johnson getting regular minutes helped give a breather to the other five defensemen who were logging big minutes.
Starting goalie Steven Summerhays struggled at times but has been dependable. One thing Summerhays does is compete; he is pretty intense under that calm outward demeanor. At times the Irish look terrific and at times they look fragile. They are a good team and they know it so to take one of my favorite Jack Parker lines and apply it to Notre Dame, at times they look like an egomaniac with an inferiority complex.
They have two good top lines, a solid bottom six and mobility on defense. Defensemen like “Slinging” Sam Calabrese along with Robbie Russo and Stephen Johns add a puck-moving element, and Shayne Taker has been solid in his own end. One thing about the Irish: They can stretch the ice and will think offensive. This program under Jeff Jackson has evolved out of his defensive system of five years ago to one that wants to play offense and can do that well.
Bowling Green is the team no one wants to play, and can you blame them? Last year, the Falcons almost pulled off the impossible by being an 11th seed that wound up in the CCHA title game. They lost to Michigan in the semifinals in overtime after a tremendous run led by goalie Andrew Hammond.
Here is where this gets interesting. Notre Dame is playing for a spot in the NCAA tournament as is BG. Hammond is a senior free agent goalie playing for a pro contract, so he could be lights-out great. That could be just the edge he needs to outduel the snipers in the Notre Dame lineup. Bowling Green plays hard, plays with snarl and is really good below the goal lines.
This is a better series then you would give it credit for on paper. I like this series; it is predictable yet it isn’t. Notre Dame is good enough in many ways to win a national title yet is susceptible to losing this series. The Irish tend to play better against up-and-down-skating teams.
One player to watch: T.J. Tynan. Notre Dame has wanted more offense from him. That happening this weekend could be the X factor BG can’t answer.
Michigan’s magic run since getting healthy makes its visit to Western Michigan another good CCHA series. The Wolverines were awful most of the year but once again a healthy Jon Merrill has stabilized the roster.
Many folks out there thought Merrill returning would jump start Michigan like it did last year when he missed the first half. What many failed to realize was that last year while Merrill was suspended by the team, he was still skating and he was still healthy. Then he went to the World Junior Championship, where Dean Blais worked him relentlessly. When he came back, he was game-ready, having played against the best 18- and 19-year-olds in the world for two weeks.
This year he was out with a cracked vertebra in his neck and didn’t skate at all. There was no WJC for him this year. When he came back, he was starting from scratch. When he started to feel like his old self, Michigan took off. I don’t see that as a coincidence.
Michigan’s reward for an average season is the Broncos at Lawson. Good luck with that. Can the Lawson Lunatics be the one intangible Michigan can’t handle?
WCHA: Colorado College at Denver
I won’t even begin to try to explain this one and insult the good hockey fans of Colorado who live this great and historic rivalry. They know this rivalry and the history behind it.
Among Denver’s top 11 scorers, four are defensemen and they have been active all season. They boast a solid group of top-six forwards with some star power in Los Angeles draft choice Nick Shore, who comes with the pedigree of playing at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor before Denver.
The goaltending of Juho Olkinuora has been solid and the Pioneers strength has been the back end and their goaltending. The unique thing about Denver is the three-defenseman power play it uses with David Makowski on the left side, Joey LaLeggia at center point and Nolan Zajac on the right. Shore is a part of that unit and both Ty Loney or Chris Knowlton, right shots, play on their side for jam play possibilities.
CC has a dynamic player in Rylan Schwartz and an underrated defenseman in Mike Boivin. Boivin is a key guy in all situations and has developed into a good puck-mover that has caught the eyes of NHL scouts. He and another undrafted defenseman in Eamonn McDermott have been part of a defense corps that has been real good getting pucks up ice.
CC brings 11 guys in double digit points to this series in Denver and its strength is that there are no shackles on the forwards. When they see daylight they go and have the backing of coach Scott Owens to play it at a high level offensively. Their top two lines can really generate offense off the rush.
If you are Denver, the last team you wanted was CC. Natural rivals are tricky as underdogs because emotion becomes a bigger part of the equation. This is a 5-8 matchup where the teams were separated by seven points in the standings. They played two home-and-home series this season. Denver swept one early and lost and tied one late. The concern here is the 3.5 goals against average that CC has.
Owens is 31-22-8 against Denver in his career. CC is 15-10-5 in its last 30 at Magness Arena and swept Denver there in the 2004 WCHA playoffs, the year Denver went on to beat Maine in the national championship game in Boston. (Yes, that’s the game where Maine had a goal waved off due to a foot in the crease that wiped out a 1-0 lead. The same game where Denver spent the better part of the last 91 seconds of the game facing a six-on-three with Jimmy Howard pulled for an extra attacker. Denver won 1-0.)
ECAC Hockey: Cornell at Quinnipiac
I’ll start with this: A few years back on its way to a berth in the ECAC championship game, Quinnipiac went to Lynah and beat the Big Red. I also remember the Bobcats losing a good defenseman in that series who got hurt in the postgame celebration. Nonetheless, the roles are reversed and Cornell looks to play spoiler as Quinnipiac is as close to its first ECAC playoff title as it has been since a 2-0 lead disappeared in the third period against Clarkson in the conference championship game in 2007.
The Bobcats have been backstopped by Eric Hartzell, a senior who figured out how to use his size and strengths to become a dominant goalie. One game stands out for me. On a Saturday night in front of a packed house at Yale, Hartzell and the Bobcats beat the Bulldogs 6-2. However it wasn’t that cut-and-dried.
Hartzell looked scared to death and gave up two awful goals early as Yale came out flying. At 2-0, Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold called timeout, his team took a breath and from then on Hartzell was terrific and the Bobcats rallied with six unanswered. It was a statement game for Quinnipiac and it backed it up by beating Yale again later that season in a nationally televised game.
The one thing scouts have mentioned to me about Quinnipiac — and a few ECAC coaches have also mentioned it — is that its big-time guys are for real. The Bobcats have had some talented players in the past but none that many felt would be there at the end when the chips were down. This group has made believers out of many with its work ethic, compete level and consistent play, especially on the road. They aren’t afraid of a tough game and want a chance to prove to the nation they can get to Pittsburgh and win.
Cornell was under .500 at home, which almost never happens, and under .500 in the ECAC. The Big Red pounded Michigan at Madison Square Garden in November but the Wolverines were a train wreck at that point. They swept Union but were swept by Quinnipiac in the regular season.
They did get a good season out of a player I really respect in Greg Miller. Miller is a tremendous playmaker and also has added a scoring threat to his resume. He can make his linemates better and we have seen him have that impact on Bruins draft pick Brian Ferlin. Ferlin, who plays on the right of Miller, is developing into a good NHL prospect.
Joakim Ryan and Nick D’Agostino, a pair of defensemen drafted by San Jose and Pittsburgh, respectively, combined for close to 40 points and give Cornell an offensive one-two punch from the back end. Andy Iles, an Ithaca native who grew up watching the Big Red, gets another shot at getting the hometown team into the national tourney after an accomplished career in front of the Lynah faithful.
What are your thoughts on the series involving your team? How do they size up? What worries you about your team’s playoff matchup? Hit me on Twitter at @DaveStarmanCBS to share your thoughts.
