Sioux Sports Talk

This is the first of three Fighting Sioux All-Decade teams. Click here for the 1990s team. Check back later for the 2000s All-Decade Team.

I came up with this list based on statistics, honors, and championships. More consideration was given to players who played their entire career in the 1980s.

Forwards:
Steve Johnson-Tony Hrkac-Bob Joyce
Phil Sykes-Mark Taylor-Doug Smail
Cary Eades-Perry Berezan-Jim Archibald
Troy Murray-Lee Davidson-Chris Jensen

Neil Eisenhut, Dave Tippett, and Brian Williams are the reserve forwards.

Defensemen:
James Patrick-Craig Ludwig
Ian Kidd-Russ Parent
Scott Sandelin-Marc Chorney

Rick Zombo and Howard Walker are the reserve defensemen.

Goaltender:
Ed Belfour

Jon Casey and Darren Jensen are the backup goaltenders.

This is the type of list that (hopefully) will spark some debate. Feel free to chime in with your own list or take me to task for a glaring omission.

As expected, Kevin Porter won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award for 2007-2008.  The senior forward tallied 33 goals and 30 assists in 43 games for the Michigan Wolverines this season and led his team to the Frozen Four.

Porter joins Brendan Morrison (1997 recipient) as the only two Hobey winners in Michigan history.

The other two 2008 Hobey Hat Trick finalists were Ryan Jones of Miami and Nathan Gerbe of Boston College.

Porter finished his career at Michigan with 85 goals and 98 assists for 183 points in 162 games.

Here’s my top ten list of games, stories, and memorable moments from this year’s North Dakota Fighting Sioux hockey team.  Follow the highlighted links to articles and video clips from this season.

Number 10: The Pact

This year started out with so much more promise because T.J. Oshie, Taylor Chorney, Joe Finley, and reiging Hobey Baker winner Ryan Duncan all turned down pro contracts and returned for their junior seasons. The four returning players combined for 43 goals and 81 assists this season, 36 percent of North Dakota’s scoring for the year. Check out Patrick C. Miller’s great story, “The NHL Can Wait“.

Number 9: The Hall of Fame Game

The defending national champion Michigan State Spartans came to Ralph Engelstad Arena in a much-anticipated matchup, and North Dakota came to play. The Sioux scored early and often, as six UND players scored in a 6-0 rout. Senior goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux looked sharp, turning aside all 23 shots he faced after struggling in exhibition action against Manitoba (2 goals on 2 shots). Lamoureux’s shutout would be one of four in his first five games of the season.

Number 8: The Fog

In a game called after two periods due to poor ice conditions, North Dakota and Boston College skated to a 0-0 tie at Conte Forum. If only the first period of the Frozen Four semifinal could have counted as the completion of this game from October 19th…

Number 7: The Donnybrook

After losing 4-0 on Friday night in Madison despite peppering Badger goaltender Shane Connelly with 43 shots, the Sioux came out firing in Saturday’s rematch. The key goal was Oshie’s game-winner with three seconds remaining in the first period, but this tilt will be remembered for the line brawl which came with four minutes remaining in the hockey game. Oh, and by the way, North Dakota won, 3-1.

Number 6: The Streak

After falling to St. Cloud State on January 4, 2008, North Dakota embarked on an 18-game unbeaten streak (15-0-3). This run put them in a position to capture a #1 seed in the national tournament (see #3, below). The Fighting Sioux lost only four games in 2008 after finishing 2007 at 9-7-1.

Number 5: The Trupper

February 1, 2008. North Dakota and Minnesota were locked in yet another epic battle. The teams traded first period goals and then went scoreless for the final 52 minutes of regulation. Enter Evan Trupp. The freshman from Anchorage, Alaska scored a spectacular game-winner at 2:23 of the overtime and North Dakota prevailed, 2-1. For the season, Trupp had five game-winners and his scoring punch was sorely missed down the stretch after he went out with a broken leg.

Number 4: The Comeback at the Ralph

Someone should tell the Denver Pioneers that second periods last twenty minutes, not just nineteen. The Pios held a comfortable 4-1 lead with but sixty seconds to go in the middle frame, but the Sioux would not go quietly into the locker room. UND scored not one but two late goals, drawing to within one on Andrew Kozek’s nice feed to Ryan Duncan. Kozek would add two goals in the third to complete his hat trick (check out the three goals here, here, and here) and the single greatest comeback ever witnessed at the new Ralph Engelstad Arena. Emotions from this game spilled over into Saturday’s contest, as the two teams scuffled after the second period. North Dakota would sweep the series and move into second place in the WCHA.

Number 3: The Battle for a #1 Seed

This is the reason that the WCHA teams play for third place at the Final Five (well, this AND money). North Dakota and Colorado College went head to head in a showdown that many felt would take place in the championship game. In any event, the Fighting Sioux put together their most complete performance in a month and locked up the top seed at the Midwest Regional in Madison, Wisconsin. North Dakota was blistering on the power play, scoring three times in seven chances against a very good Tiger penalty kill. Colorado College, meanwhile, limped into the West Regional after losing both games at the Final Five and fell to Michigan State 3-1 in its NCAA tournament opener.

Number 2: The Hobey Hopefuls

After Ryan Duncan won the Hobey Baker award last season (becoming just the second Sioux player to capture the elusive trophy), junior forward T.J. Oshie and senior goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux were named as two of the top ten finalists. Oshie didn’t have the statistical season of some of the other candidates (18 goals and 27 assists put him in twelfth place nationally), but his complete game resonated with the voters. Oshie also battled through injuries for much of the season.

Lamoureux put up staggering numbers, leading the nation in goals-against average, save percentage, and shutouts while playing the country’s most difficult schedule. In my opinion, JPL deserved to be in the Hobey Hat Trick. He was the best at his position, played the toughest competition, and brought his team to the Frozen Four.

Number 1: The Comeback at the Kohl Center

This will go down in the annals of Fighting Sioux hockey history as one of those “I remember where I was when….” games. North Dakota survived (yes, survived) the first two periods of hockey against the hometown Badgers in the Midwest Regional Final. UND was lucky to be down only 2-0 (thank you, Lamoureux, and your trusty sidekicks, the pipes). And then the captain did what captains do: they leave it all on the ice. Rylan Kaip netted just his eighth goal of the season at 3:33 of the third (and how perfect is that?), and 47 seconds later, Ryan Duncan took a brilliant pass from T.J. Oshie and tied the game at two. Andrew Kozek completed the UND comback at 1:47 of the overtime, and North Dakota was headed to Denver.

So there you have it – my top ten from 2007-08. It was a wild ride and one I wouldn’t have missed for anything.

Thank you for reading. I welcome your comments and suggestions as well as items you feel should be included on this list.

The Eagles outworked, outhit, and outhustled North Dakota for the majority of the hockey game and capitalized on several scoring chances in the first period, effectively putting the game out of reach after twenty minutes of play.

Team speed was definitely a factor in this contest, as Boston College created offensive opportunities and took away time and space defensively by being the quicker, more explosive team.

As BC’s forwards applied continuous pressure, North Dakota struggled to break the puck out of its own end and hold the puck in the zone at the offensive blue line. The Fighting Sioux exhibited precious little puck poise in this game; that is to say, UND as a team made poor decisions all over the ice and did not protect the puck. Consequently, Boston College capitalized on turnovers, mistakes, and breakdowns and buried their chances, particularly in the first period.

One key moment in the hockey game occurred at the 13:00 mark of the opening period. North Dakota trailed 1-0 but found itself on the power play. Boston College junior (and Hobey Baker Hat Trick finalist) Nathan Gerbe forced a turnover at the blue line and raced in on Jean-Philippe Lamoureux, beating the senior netminder for a short-handed tally. Less than two minutes later, Gerbe scored again with the teams skating 4 on 4. The scoreboard read 3-0, and the rout was on.

“When we went down 2-0, I thought we were fine,” said North Dakota head coach Dave Hakstol. “Even after the third goal we thought on the bench that things would be okay, but we didn’t get out of the period that way. Once we were down four, that was a little too big of a hill to climb.”

UND didn’t get out of the first period with a three goal deficit because the Eagles’ relentless attack wouldn’t let them. Dan Bertram sent a rocket past Lamoureux with 15 seconds remaining in the opening frame, and North Dakota never recovered.

A second key moment in the game occurred behind the play, away from the eyes of the officials. Eagles junior forward Andrew Orpik went knee-to-knee on UND defenseman Taylor Chorney less than three minutes into the second period, and Chorney would not return to the game. No penalty was called on the play.

I’m not suggesting that a power play at that moment would have changed the outcome. The bigger impact was Taylor Chorney’s absence from the lineup. Freshman blueliner Jake Marto filled Chorney’s role admirably, and scored the lone Sioux goal, but North Dakota missed Taylor Chorney’s speed and puck-handling ability for the final 37 minutes of the game.

With the loss, North Dakota’s season ends at 28-11-4. The senior class of Robbie Bina, Rylan Kaip, Jean-Philippe Lamoureux, and Kyle Radke have played their last game in the green and white. Sioux fans are left wondering whether Taylor Chorney, Ryan Duncan, Joe Finley, Andrew Kozek, T.J. Oshie, and Chris VandeVelde will be back for another run at the title in 2009.

Thank you once again for supporting the SiouxSports.com blog this season. I welcome your comments and suggestions. Check back throughout the off-season for player news, features, and commentary.

April 5, 2007. St. Louis, Missouri. The NCAA Frozen Four semifinal. Yet another in a seemingly endless string of bouts between two heavyweights. Arguably the two hottest teams in the tournament: Boston College, winners of 12 straight games, versus North Dakota, winners of 19 of their last 21 contests. A furious final seven minutes turns a 2-2 tie into a 6-4 Eagles victory.

This type of game has become almost commonplace for these two clubs. Thursday’s game will mark the seventh time in the past ten seasons that Boston College and North Dakota have met in the NCAA tournament. The teams have played four times in the Frozen Four and twice for the National Championship.

Before we look forward to this Thursday’s Frozen Four semifinal matchup, let’s look back at some memorable moments in what has become an intense rivalry….

March 28, 1999. Madison, Wisconsin. BC defeats UND 3-1 (en) in the NCAA quarterfinals. The Sioux, who received a first-round bye in the NCAA tournament, lose for only the sixth time all season, and finish the year at 32-6-2, one game short of the Frozen Four.

April 8, 2000. Providence, Rhode Island. UND defeats BC 4-2 (en) in the NCAA title game to claim its seventh national championship. The Sioux rally from a 2-1 deficit after two periods.

April 7, 2001. Albany, New York. BC defeats UND 3-2 (OT) to win its first NCAA crown since 1949. Krys Kolanos nets the game-winner at 4:43 of overtime after UND scores twice in the final four minutes of regulation to even the score.

March 26, 2005. Worcester, Massachusetts. UND defeats BC 6-3 in the NCAA East Regional Final to advance to the first of four consecutive Frozen Fours. Colorado College, Denver, and Minnesota also advance, setting up an all-WCHA Frozen Four.

April 6, 2006. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. BC defeats UND 6-5 in the Frozen Four semifinal. North Dakota scores twice in the final five minutes to make it close, but it’s too little, too late.

North Dakota head coach Dave Hakstol isn’t reading too much into being matched up against Boston College for the fourth consecutive season.

“We are just happy to be playing at this time of year,“ Hakstol said. “It’s been a season full of challenges, and this will be a great game for us and what has become a much respected but very heated rival.”

Sioux senior goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux added that the team was focused on the game this Thursday.

“This is a new year, this isn’t last year or 2006,” said Lamoureux, who has played all but one game for UND this season. “We are approaching the game as we always do and preparing as best we can to play our best hockey. I don’t think we’re going to worry too much about what BC is going to do.”

Boston College head coach Jerry York, who picked up his 800th career coaching victory last weekend in the regionals, noted that the two teams have historically collided in the postseason.

“Now we get to play the Sioux again,” said York. “This is the third straight time in the Frozen Four. We’ve got a great history of playing the Sioux. It just seems like if we’re going to advance in the tournament, we have to go through the Sioux at some point.”

Boston College has been to the Frozen Four eight times in the past 11 seasons, winning one championship (2001). North Dakota has made the Frozen Four seven of the past 12 seasons, winning two championships (1997 and 2000).

BC claims three of the top 11 scorers in the country heading into Thursday’s contest. Junior forward Nathan Gerbe, a member of the Hobey Hat Trick, leads the way for Boston College with an impressive 30 goals and 30 assists. Freshman forward Joe Whitney (10-40-50) leads the nation in assists, and sophomore forward Ben Smith (23-22-45) has benefited from being Gerbe’s linemate.

The Eagles also have scoring depth; the top six BC forwards have collected 261 points this season (102 goals, 159 assists). North Dakota’s top six, by comparison, have collected 170 points this year (85 goals, 85 assists).

Where the Fighting Sioux make up the scoring difference, however, is on the blue line. The top four scoring UND defenseman have 93 points this year (17 goals, 76 assists), while the top four Boston College blueliners have 47 points (14 goals, 33 assists).

Boston College Team Profile
National Rankings: #7/#3
PairWise Ranking: #6 (tied)
KRACH Strength of Schedule: 12th of 59 teams
Head Coach: Jerry York (14th season at BC, 334-180-50, .637)
This Season: 23-11-8 Overall, 11-9-7-Hockey East (4th)
Team Offense: 3.57 goals scored/game (3rd of 59 teams)
Team Defense: 2.36 goals allowed/game (14th of 59 teams)
Power Play: 21.7% (46 of 212)
Penalty Kill: 83.9% (177 of 211)
Last Season: 29-12-1 Overall (NCAA Runner-up), 18-8-1 Hockey East (2nd)
Key Players: Junior F Nathan Gerbe (30-30-60, named to the Hobey Baker Hat Trick), Freshman F Joe Whitney (10-40-50), Sophomore F Ben Smith (23-22-45), Junior F Benn Ferriero (17-24-41), Freshman G Jon Muse (23-11-8, 2.26 GAA, .920 SV, 3 SO)
NCAA Championships: 2 (most recent, 2001)
NCAA Appearance: 28th (most recent, 2005)

North Dakota Team Profile
National Rankings: #3/#2
PairWise Ranking: #3
KRACH Strength of Schedule:1st of 59 teams
Head Coach: Dave Hakstol (4th season at UND, 106-55-15, .645)
This Season: 28-10-4 Overall, 18-7-3 WCHA (2nd)
Team Offense: 3.05 goals scored/game (16th of 59 teams)
Team Defense: 1.76 goals allowed/game (1st of 59 teams)
Power Play: 19.1% (36 of 188)
Penalty Kill: 87.4% (159 of 182)
Last Season: 24-14-5 Overall (NCAA Frozen Four semifinalist), 13-10-5 WCHA (3rd)
Key Players: Junior F T.J. Oshie (18-27-45, Hobey Baker finalist), Junior F Ryan Duncan (18-22-40), Sophomore F Chris VandeVelde (15-17-32), Sophomore D Chay Genoway (8-21-29), Senior D Taylor Chorney (3-21-24), Senior G Jean-Philippe Lamoureux (27-10-4, 1.64 GAA, .936 SV, 6 SO, Hobey Baker finalist)
NCAA Championships: 7 (most recent, 2000)
NCAA Appearance: 23rd (most recent, 2007)

By The Numbers
Last meeting: October 19, 2007 (Chestnut Hill, MA). Boston College and North Dakota battle to a 0-0, two-period tie in a game delayed and ultimately shortened due to fog and poor ice conditions.
Most important meetings: The Sioux and Eagles have met twice to decide the National Championship, with UND taking the title in 2000 and BC winning it all in 2001.
All-time: UND leads the all-time series between the schools, 11-9-1 (.548). The teams first met on December 29, 1959, with the Sioux winning 5-3. In addition to the more recent playoff meetings listed above, UND and BC also played in national semifinal games in 1963 and 1965, splitting the two contests. When the newly-formed Hockey East began play in 1984-1985, it created a five-year interlocking schedule with the WCHA. During that time, Boston College and North Dakota met 7 times, with John “Gino” Gasparini’s Fighting Sioux squad going 5-2-0 against Len Ceglarski’s Eagles.

Game News and Notes
UND senior goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux leads the nation in every major goaltending category, including goals-against average (1.64), save percentage (.936), and shutouts (six). Lamoureux needs 17 saves at the Frozen Four to give him 1000 for the season. Boston College forward Nathan Gerbe has seven goals and seven assists in his last seven games. North Dakota is outscoring opponents 44 to 12 in the first period this season. Both teams have plenty of big-game experience. 13 North Dakota juniors and seniors see significant playing time, while 11 Boston College upperclassmen are in the regular lineup.

The Prediction
If previous games between these two teams are any indication, this one will be thrilling and go down to the wire. North Dakota has an edge in goaltending and penalty killing, two areas which become more important in the playoffs. If the Fighting Sioux can contain the speedy forwards from Boston College (and I think they have a chance on the smaller ice sheet), they will win a close contest. If BC can find space and create offense, only Lamoureux will stop the Eagles from advancing to their third consecutive championship game. Former UND head coach Dean Blais once said that in the playoffs, hockey should just be called “goalie”, and I’m sticking with his advice and going with the best goaltender in the country. UND 3-2.

Here are possible reasons why UND goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux was not named one of three finalists for college hockey’s Hobey Baker Memorial Award:

5) The committee couldn’t pronounce Lamoureux.

4) The panel believed Lamoureux was only the second-best goalie on his team after seeing video of Sioux junior Aaron Walski against Red River in the North Dakota state high school championship game.

3) The voters wanted to include a player who didn’t lead his team to the Frozen Four (Jones).

2) Committee members read Lamoureux’s statistics wrong; thought he had a goals-against average of 93.6 and a save percentage of 1.64.

1) Conspiracy theorists claimed that Phil, Philippe, and Jean-Philippe were three brothers who each collected nine victories and two shutouts this season.

Well, there you have it. Since there is no reasonable explanation why Lamoureux was left out of the Hobey Hat Trick, this is all I could come up with. Feel free to add your own explanation in the comments section below.

The last time these teams met, even the post-game handshake was heated. There’s plenty more on the line this time around, and Wisconsin, whose unexpected tournament berth may have had them scrambling to cancel tee times, will be ready. The Badgers used a fair bit of puck luck and a partisan crowd to down Denver 6-2, while North Dakota withstood a furious Princeton forecheck and survived 5-1. Yes, I said survived 5-1. The UND/Princeton tilt should have been a 3-2 contest either way, but Hobey Baker finalist Jean-Philippe Lamoureux stole the show, turning aside 38 Tiger shots before his shutout bid was spoiled with 33 seconds remaining.

Of the six Western Collegiate Hockey Association teams invited to the NCAA tournament, only these two remain, and one of them will represent the WCHA in the Frozen Four (Denver, CO). The other four league representatives (Colorado College, Denver, St. Cloud State, and Minnesota) failed to win a game in the tournament.

The winner of this Midwest Region final will face the Boston College/Miami winner in one national semifinal, while Michigan will battle CCHA rival Notre Dame in the other semifinal.

Wisconsin Team Profile
National Rankings: #17/-
PairWise Ranking: #12
KRACH Strength of Schedule: 4th of 59 teams
Head Coach: Mike Eaves (6th season at UW, 123-94-30 .559)
This Season: 16-16-7 Overall, 11-12-5 WCHA (6th)
Team Offense: 2.87 goals scored/game
Team Defense: 2.54 goals allowed/game
Power Play: 17.1% (31 of 181)
Penalty Kill: 81.3% (152 of 187)
Last Season: 19-18-4 Overall, 12-13-3 WCHA (6th)
Key Players: Freshman F Kyle Turris (11-23-34), Junior F Ben Street (13-17-30), Sophomore D Jamie McBain (4-19-23), Senior D Kyle Klubertanz (4-15-19), Junior G Shane Connelly (15-15-5, 2.43 GAA, .913 SV, 1 SO)
NCAA Championships: 6 (most recent, 2006)
NCAA Appearance: 22nd (most recent, 2006)

North Dakota Team Profile
National Rankings: #3/#3
PairWise Ranking: #3
KRACH Strength of Schedule:2nd of 59 teams
Head Coach: Dave Hakstol (4th season at UND, 105-55-15, .643)
This Season: 27-10-4 Overall, 18-7-3 WCHA (2nd)
Team Offense: 3.05 goals scored/game
Team Defense: 1.76 goals allowed/game
Power Play: 19.5% (36 of 185)
Penalty Kill: 87.6% (156 of 178)
Last Season: 24-14-5 Overall (NCAA Frozen Four semifinalist), 13-10-5 WCHA (3rd)
Key Players: Junior F T.J. Oshie (18-25-43, Hobey Baker finalist), Junior F Ryan Duncan (17-22-39), Sophomore F Chris VandeVelde (15-17-32), Sophomore D Chay Genoway (8-21-29), Senior D Taylor Chorney (3-21-24), Senior G Jean-Philippe Lamoureux (26-10-4, 1.63 GAA, .935 SV, 6 SO, Hobey Baker finalist)
NCAA Championships: 7 (most recent, 2000)
NCAA Appearance: 23rd (most recent, 2007)

By The Numbers
Last Meeting: November 10, 2007 (Madison, WI). North Dakota defeats Wisconsin 3-1 to salvage a split of the weekend series at the Kohl Center. The Badgers won Friday night, 4-0. Saturday’s finale was marred by 172 penalty minutes, most of which came during a line brawl late in the third period.
Most Important Meeting: March 27, 1982. A 2-2 tie after two periods turns into a 5-2 Sioux victory, as Phil Sykes nets a hat trick and leads UND to its fourth National Championship.
All-time Series: Wisconsin leads the all-time series, 80-57-10 (.578), including a 43-22-3 mark (.654) in Madison and an 11-5 record (.688) at the Kohl Center.

Game News and Notes
UND senior goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoure (Grand Forks, ND) enters Sunday’s game leading the nation in goals-against average (1.6346) and save percentage (.935). The Hobey Baker finalist is tied for first with six shutouts and has given up exactly one goal 17 times this season. Only two of the other top-ten net minders (Michigan’s Billy Sauer and Miami’s Jeff Zatkoff) are still active in postseason play. Saturday’s win against Denver was Wisconsin’s first action since a March 15th overtime loss to St. Cloud eliminated them from the WCHA playoffs. North Dakota is outscoring opponents 44-12 in the first period this season; Wisconsin is 2-12-6 when trailing after twenty minutes. The Badgers finish strong, however, outscoring opponents 49-23 in the third period. Freshman phenom Kyle Turris (11-23-34) is expected to turn pro at the conclusion of Wisconsin’s season. The six goals Wisconsin tallied against Denver were the most the Badgers had scored in a game since a 7-2 victory over Denver on January 12th. North Dakota’s four juniors who turned down pro contracts (Oshie, Duncan, Chorney, Finley) have combined to score 42 goals and 79 assists, more than a third of UND’s goal scoring for the season.

Prediction
The Badger faithful will be out in full force, and the first ten minutes will tell the tale. If North Dakota can demonstrate puck control and poise early on, it could be a long night for Bucky. If Wisconsin keeps the crowd involved, this one might go to overtime. The Sioux rebound from a shaky first-round game and head to Denver on a high note. UND 3-1.

Thank you for reading. I welcome your comments and suggestions. Check back after the game for reaction, commentary, and analysis.

Let’s take these games in order of start time today:

Midwest Regional semifinal: (1) UND 5, (4) Princeton 1
The WCHA finally picked up a victory in the 2008 NCAA tournament, but it wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t easy for North Dakota. Sioux goaltender (and Hobey Baker finalist) Jean-Philippe Lamoureux made 38 saves and reigning Hobey Baker winner Ryan Duncan netted a natural hat trick in the victory. Cam MacIntyre scored the lone goal for the Tigers with 33 seconds remaining to spoil the shutout bid, but Princeton outplayed the Fighting Sioux for much of the game, outshooting North Dakota 39-18. Chay Genoway notched an empty net goal and added two assists, while Hobey Baker finalist T.J. Oshie collected two assists. North Dakota head coach Dave Hakstol is 8-3 in the NCAA tournament, and his team has a chance to make it a perfect four Frozen Fours in his four seasons behind the bench. UND moves on to face Wisconsin in the Midwest Regional final Sunday at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Northeast Regional semifinal: (1) Miami 3, (4) Air Force 2 (OT)
Miami scored a power play goal with 6:16 remaining to tie the game at two and Justin Mercier scored the game winner 15:21 into overtime as the Redhawks avoided the upset and move on to face Boston College in a rematch of last season’s Northeast Regional championship game. The power play with 7:50 remaining in the hockey game came on a questionable too-many-men penalty. 2007 Hobey Baker finalist Eric Ehn returned to the ice for the first time in two months (broken fibula) and was a factor for the Falcons. Miami opened the scoring just 19 seconds into the hockey game. Air Force nearly knocked off top seed Minnesota last season, leading 3-1 with ten minutes to play in the third period before falling, 4-3. Falcons goaltender Andrew Volkening was spectacular, making 30 of 33 saves for the game. Miami junior forward Nathan Davis left the game with a shoulder injury and is questionable for the championship game on Sunday.

Midwest Regional semifinal: (3) Wisconsin 6, (2) Denver 2
Wisconsin blew this game open with four goals on nine shots in the third period after leading just 2-1 after two periods. Cody Goloubef and John Mitchell scored one minute apart midway through the final frame and the Badgers got great goaltending from Shane Connelly (30 saves on 32 shots). Five different Badgers scored goals in this statement game (the statement being: yes, we belong in this tournament). The Pioneers became the third Colorado school to fall short of the Frozen Four, held at Pepsi Center (Denver, CO), as Colorado College and Air Force also lost in regional action.

East Regional final: (1) Michigan 2, (3) Clarkson 0
Hobey Baker finalist Kevin Porter figured in the scoring on both Wolverine goals, assisting on Aaron Palushaj’s game-winner with 5:37 to play in the first period and adding an insurance goal 26 seconds into the third period. Porter collected 5 goals and 1 assist in two East Regional games. Michigan goaltender Billy Sauer stopped all 27 shots he faced for his fourth shutout of the season. Clarkson finished 0 for 9 on the power play (and 0 for 13 for the weekend), and that was ultimately their undoing. The Wolverines became the first team to punch their ticket to the Frozen Four, and will face a familiar opponent in the national semifinals, as fellow CCHA members Michigan State and Notre Dame face off for the West Regional championship and a date with the Wolverines.

Northeast Regional semifinal: (2) Boston College 5, (3) Minnesota 2
Early on, this game looked like a mismatch. The Eagles played a nearly flawless first period, but led only 1-0. Minnesota elevated their play in the second, but traded goals with Boston College and went into the third period trailing 2-1. Defensive breakdowns led to two quick BC goals, but the Gophers went on the power play with four minutes remaining and pulled Kangas for a 6 on 4 advantage. Ben Gordon appeared to score, although play went on for more than two minutes before the Eagles scored an apparent empty-net goal to make the score 5-1. After a lengthy review, the Gordon goal stood (making the score 4-2) and the clock was reset to 3:27. Minnesota applied furious pressure for the remainder of the hockey game but would come no closer. Gerbe added an empty net goal for the final margin. The Eagles face the Miami Redhawks in Sunday’s Northeast Regional championship, and hope to replicate last season’s result, when they blanked Miami 4-0.

The West Regional final between (3) Michigan State and (4) Notre Dame was still in progress at the time this article was published.

Here’s a closer look at the four teams in the NCAA Northeast Regional (Worcester, Massachusetts):

Game 1: (1) Miami (OH) vs. (4) Air Force (Saturday, March 29, 4:00 p.m. ET)

Miami Team Profile
National Rankings: #2/#2
PairWise Ranking: #2
KRACH Strength of Schedule: 25th of 59 teams
Head Coach: Enrico Blasi (9th season at Miami, 186-137-28, .570)
This Season: 32-7-1 Overall, 21-6-1 CCHA (2nd)
Team Offense: 4.08 goals scored/game
Team Defense: 1.80 goals allowed/game
Power Play: 20.1% (50 of 249)
Penalty Kill: 89.6% (198 of 221)
Last Season: 24-14-4 Overall (NCAA Northeast Regional Finalist), 16-8-4 CCHA
Key Players: Senior F Ryan Jones (30-17-47, Hobey Baker Finalist), Senior F Nathan Davis (8-9-17), Junior D Alec Martinez (9-21-30), Junior G Jeff Zatkoff (26-7-1, 1.67 GAA, .934 SV, 3 SO)
NCAA Championships: None
NCAA Appearance: 6th (most recent, 2007)

Air Force Team Profile
National Rankings: #20/-
PairWise Ranking: –
KRACH Strength of Schedule: 52nd of 59 teams
Head Coach: Frank Serratore (11th season at Air Force, 170-200-30, .463)
This Season: 21-11-6 Overall, 14-9-5 Atlantic Hockey (3rd)
Team Offense: 3.37 goals scored/game
Team Defense: 2.32 goals allowed/game
Power Play: 18.1% (39 of 216)
Penalty Kill: 84.2% (154 of 183)
Last Season: 19-16-5 (NCAA West Regional Semifinalist), 13-10-3 AHA (5th)
Key Players: Junior F Brent Olson (18-20-38), Sophomore F Jeff Hajner (15-22-37), Junior D Greg Flynn (8-23-31), Junior G Andrew Volkening (21-10-6, 2.08 GAA, .912 SV, 4 SO)
NCAA Championships: None
NCAA Appearance: 2nd (most recent, 2007)

What to watch for: Will 2007 Hobey Baker finalist Eric Ehn (6-19-25 in 24 games) return to the lineup for the Falcons after missing two months with a broken fibula? Air Force brings the nation’s longest unbeaten streak (8-0-1) to the NCAAs, and still remember last year’s collapse against Minnesota (the Falcons led 3-1 midway through the third period before losing 4-3). Can Miami score early and often against Volkening, who has four shutouts in the past five weeks?

Who will win: On paper, it’s Miami. They’re the only team in the country scoring more than four goals per game, and have the ability to shut the game down defensively as well. Air Force will need to keep the game close through two and hope for things to go their way in the third, but I think the Redhawks have too much for the Falcons to handle. Miami 4-1.

Game 2: (2) Boston College vs. (3) Minnesota (Saturday, March 29, 7:30 p.m. ET)

Boston College Team Profile
National Rankings: #7/#7
PairWise Ranking: #6 (tied)
KRACH Strength of Schedule: 16th of 59 teams
Head Coach: Jerry York (14th season at BC, 332-180-50, .635)
This Season: 21-11-8 Overall, 11-9-7-Hockey East (4th)
Team Offense: 3.52 goals scored/game
Team Defense: 2.35 goals allowed/game
Power Play: 22.1% (45 of 204)
Penalty Kill: 83.7% (169 of 202)
Last Season: 29-12-1 Overall (NCAA Runner-up), 18-8-1 Hockey East (2nd)
Key Players: Junior F Nathan Gerbe (28-29-57, Hobey Baker Finalist), Sophomore F Ben Smith (21-22-43), Junior F Benn Ferriero (16-22-38), Freshman G Jon Muse (21-11-8, 2.26 GAA, .919 SV, 3 SO)
NCAA Championships: 2 (most recent, 2001)
NCAA Appearance: 28th (most recent, 2005)

Minnesota Team Profile
National Rankings: #10/#11
PairWise Ranking: #11
KRACH Strength of Schedule: 8th of 59 teams
Head Coach: Don Lucia (9th season at Minnesota, 239-112-38, .663)
This Season: 19-16-9 Overall, 9-12-7 WCHA (7th)
Team Offense: 2.43 goals scored/game
Team Defense: 2.36 goals allowed/game
Power Play: 12.7% (24 of 189)
Penalty Kill: 87.3% (165 of 189)
Last Season: 31-10-3 Overall (NCAA West Regional Finalist), 18-7-3 WCHA (1st)
Key Players: Junior F Blake Wheeler (15-19-34), Senior F Ben Gordon (14-14-28), Senior D Derek Peltier (4-16-20), Freshman G Alex Kangas (12-9-9, 1.92 GAA, .932 SV)
NCAA Championships: 5 (most recent, 2003)
NCAA Appearance: 32nd (most recent, 2007)

What to watch for: If Gerbe is involved, the Eagles win. In 11 BC losses this season, the junior forward scored a total of one goal and two assists. Minnesota enters the tournament on a 7-3-2 run, and will be playing for Tom Pohl, who suffered a severe head injury in the WCHA playoffs. How will freshmen goaltenders John Muse and Alex Kangas handle the pressure of the big stage?

Who will win: Minnesota comes into this game with momentum, inspiration, and the goaltending necessary to make this a tight contest. The Gophers will need to stay out of the penalty box and avoid the potent Eagle power play. In front of the home crowd, BC takes this one, but it’ll go down to the wire. BC 3-2.

Northeast Regional Final: Boston College vs. Miami (OH). These two teams met last season in the Northeast Regional championship, and BC blanked Miami 4-0. It’ll be closer this time around, but Jerry York will find a way to contain the Redhawks offense, and Gerbe will score enough to land in the Hobey Hat Trick and send his team to the Frozen Four. BC 4-2.

Thank you for reading. I welcome your comments and suggestions. Check back throughout the weekend for more previews, predictions, analysis, and reaction from the NCAA tournament.