They just finished up with the Hobey and Humanitarian presentations to a pair of worthy winners in Ryan Duncan and Kristin Savard. But as someone who has been to these things since the early 90s, I’m not sure that the new and improved way of presenting the awards is better.

Let’s start with the Hobey. In the “good old days” the award was presented in a large room (banquet hall, convention hall, etc.). Only the winner was there, and was brought out once the announcement was made. The main appeal to this process was that it was free to the public, and more intimate than the current method, which is to give it out in the middle of an 18,000 seat area that’s a quarter full with people who pay $10 to see it (as well as the Skills Competition).

I think the idea of the Hobey Hat Trick is a great one, and recognizes three players rather than one. It also maintains the suspense, since under the old method the winner, his coach, his SID, etc. were notified ahead of time to make sure that he was there. Word often leaked out.

So I would advocate keeping that element and frankly dumping the rest. For example, the TV broadcast of the event is available exclusively on ESPNU, which reaches only a fraction of the audience that ESPN does. One of the funniest lines of the night came from David Brown’s mom, who, on camera said that the rest of the family was frantically trying to find a sports bar that would carry the event since, “We don’t get this channel where we live.”

But I wouldn’t care as much if the show had a different format. There was too much banter with the player’s parents, girlfriends, etc. and the humor was forced and made some of the participants look almost uncomfortable. This used to be a fairly serious event, geared more for the people in attendance than a casual TV audience. Let’s keep it that way.

The Humanitarian Award used to be presented before the Hobey Baker in the same setting. Now it is presented after, to make sure it doesn’t run long and delay the Hobey’s TV slot. And there is no suspense with this one – USCHO.com got the press release on the winner five hours before the ceremony. The winner used to be kept a secret until minutes before the presentation. Why did this change? It’s an important, national award and needs to be treated that way.

OK. I’m done complaining. The Skills Competition is a great addition, and the players and fans are having a blast. Nice job, NCAA.

OK, I’m an Atlantic Hockey guy – I cover the league for USCHO.com and do radio for RIT – but even if I wasn’t, I’d be rooting for Eric Ehn to win the Hobey Baker Award.

Not that I don’t think the other two finalists don’t deserve to win, on the contrary I can make a strong case for each. And here I go:

• Why David Brown will win: He’s the lone senior of the group, and was his team’s MVP, leading the Irish to their first ever CCHA regular season and playoff titles. Named CCHA player of the year, Brown finished with amazing numbers: a 1.58 GAA and a .931 save percentage. He is also active in the community, doing charity work with children in the South Bend area.
• Why Ryan Duncan will win: He led the nation in power play goals ans was fourth overall in scoring with 57 points. Named WCHA player of the year, he was also named to the WCHA All-Academic team.

Ehn’s intangibles are what many think give him the strongest chance – his commitment to the military and his leadership abilities. But the Hobey Baker award is usually about what happens on the ice, and there is where I will make my case.

Ehn plays in Atlantic Hockey, not a major conference. Some say that inflates his point production (64 points including 24 goals). I say look at what Ehn’s done against some “major” teams.

• 10/6/06: Scored the Falcons’ only goal in a 2-1 loss at Colorado College
• 10/14/06: Figured in three of Air Force’s four goals with two goals and an assist in an 8-4 loss at Alaska
• 11/24/06: Scored the Falcons’ only goal in a 2-1 loss at Denver

Minnesota held him scoreless, but according to Air Force coach Frank Serratore, Ehn was heavily shadowed and still made contributions by winning faceoffs (63% on the season) and killing penalties.

Much has been made of the parallel between Ehn, and Hobey Baker, a military pilot. But even if you just looked at the numbers, Ehn would not be a surprising choice.

And I will be pulling for him.

Last night during the second semifinal, the press was notified of the death of the mother-in-law of Maine coach Tim Whitehead. She passed away suddenly prior to the Black Bears’ loss to Michigan State. We were asked to respect the privacy of Coach Whitehead and his family and we are of course honoring that and publishing no further details. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Whitehead family.

I’m still in the pressbox at an empty Scottrade Center, watching the press conferences on closed-circuit TV (the rest of the USCHO gang is there in person, asking questions). North Dakota is up first, and Chris Porter, the Sioux captain said it all. “We never gave up,” he said. “We fought hard ’till the end.”

Now it’s BC’s turn in front of the microphones. “North Dakota was the best team we played all year,” said BC head coach Jerry York. “It was a terrific game to watch.”

Indeed.

And we’re about to get underway. Reload often for updates.

0:00: The Eagles’ Brock Bradford took a holding penalty at the buzzer at the end of the second period, so North Dakota starts the period with a man advantage.

2:00: Penalty over.

5:10: This period has been evenly played so far. The Toews-Duncan-Oshie line has had some great shifts.

8:05: Yet another TV timeout. They just announced that the first 2,500 fans through the door on Saturday receive a commemorative NCAA Frozen Four scarf. Next year – pantyhose.

12:45: It’s been all North Dakota for the past three minutes, and the Sioux fans are on their feet in appreciation.

13:00: BC takes the lead. Gerbe finds Smith with a nifty pass and the freshman beats Lamoureux glove side. Lamoureau got a piece of it, but not enough.

13:49: Porter with the hat trick…for penalties. He goes off for a charge.

15:22: And we’re tied. Oshie steals the puck behind the BC net and roofs a backhander past Schneider. Shorthanded goal.

15:54: And just like that, it’s 4-3 BC. Gerbe wrist shot right of what looked like a set face-off play. Essentially a 5-on-3 goal as North Dakota hadn’t been able to get another skater into the play after the first penalty expired.

16:50: Crunch time. I’m thinking about BC and North Dakota last year…and in Albany in 2001.

17:19: BC’s Brent Motherwell is off for holding. Here we go!

15:47: Another penalty to North Dakota. Finley with a blow to the head.

17:57: BC benefits from a quick whistle. Time out North Dakota.

18:29: Goalie out. 6 on 4.

19:10: BC scores. Joe Rooney beats Brian Lee to the puck on a long clear and puts it in the empty net. Did Lee think it was icing, or was he just out of gas? Timeout BC, now up by a pair.

19:22: Another BC penalty. Sioux net again empty.

19:44: Oh, my. The Sioux make this a one goal game with a power play tally. Porter with a deflection. Sioux net still empty.

19:55: Gerbe intercepts a pass and gets the empty netter. What a wild third period. Six goals in the last seven minutes. 6-4 with five ticks left.
20:00: And an amazing game comes to an end. BC defeats North Dakota in the semifinals for the second straight year. Final shots were 45-29 in favor of the Eagles, who will face Michigan State on Saturday for all the marbles.

0:00 : BC starts the period on the power play, and Brian Boyle is a force down low, but the Eagles fail to score.

2:20: One too many Eagles means a power play for the Sioux.

3:15: North Dakota gets the lead back with a power play goal. Oshie’s shot from a tight angle rebounds off the back boards and to the near post, where Toews swats it across the goal line. After a video review, it’s a goal. Everyone in the house already knew that. 2-1 Sioux.

3:27: BC gets another man advantage as Porter goes off for interference.

5:27: Lamoureux makes some dandy saves and clears his crease. Penalty over.

13:00: Boston College’s Joe Rooney clangs one off the post glove side.

13:27: Penalty North Dakota. Fabian for hooking.

15:21: Lamoureux comes up big time and time again, but the Eagles finally get one past him. Bertram gets his second of the game, putting in a rebound. We’re tied at two.

16:28: TV timeout. Shots unofficially 18-5 in favor of BC this period.

16:58: BC’s Mike Brennan heads to the box for interference. Great save by Schneider right off the bat.

20:00: Penalty over and then period over. Shots on goal are 34-19 in favor of BC for the game, 20-7 for the period.

Stay tuned for the third period in a separate blog post.

We’re about to get underway in Game 2. Here are your linecharts:

North Dakota Forwards:
Duncan-Toews-Oshie
Watkins-VAndeVelde-Porter
Fabian-Kalp-Kozek
Radke-Zajac-Miller

North Dakota Defense:
Chorney-Lee
Finley-Bina
Jones-Genoway

North Dakota Goal:
Lamoureux

Boston College Forwards:
Gerbe-Smith-Bradford
Rooney-Bertram-Ferriero
Price-Greene-Gannon
Kucharski-Lombardi-Orpik

Boston College Defense
Boyle-Brennan
Filangieri-Motherwell
O’Hanley-Sneep

Boston College Goal:
Schneider

0:00: Definitely more Sioux fans in the house. Either that or they’re a lot louder.

0:00: Just looked at our front page. USCHO is on pace to have over 20 stories and features on just the games alone. We’ll hit 30 total by the end of the weekend. We love to college hockey and we love to write about it!

4:43: BC better watch out. The Sioux are 6-0 this season when wearing their Nike Swift Hockey Jerseys, which, according to a press release I was handed, “reduces overall uniform weight, adds mobility and comfort while making the jersey the most advanced in the world.” This accomplished through something called “thermoregulation”. But frankly, I think it’s more about North Dakota being a very good team than the jerseys. After all, eight other teams wore them this season at various times, and none of them are in the Frozen Four.

7:03: A great shift by the Sioux’s fourth line results in several good chances, but Cory Schneider comes up big for the Eagles.

7:20: BC’s Ben Smith goes off for tripping. The sound guy plays the theme from the HBO prison series “Oz”. Nice touch.

8:22: Another BC penalty – Bertram with a hold. Golden opportunity for the Sioux.

9:46: BC gets one guy back. The Eagles have had the best scoring chance so far as Brian Boyle and Nathan Gerbe work a 2-on-1 the other way.

10:28: Big kill for the Eagles, but a few seconds later, Chris Porter picks up a loose puck in the slot and beats Schneider through a crowd. 1-0 North Dakota.

10:46: TV timeout. That was a big goal the Sioux just scored. Last year these two teams met in the semifinals and BC opened a 3-0 first period lead, en route to a 6-5 win.

11:54: ND’s Robbie Bina goes off, giving the Eagles their first power play of the game.

13:54: The Sioux dodge a bullet. Porter nails Dan Bertram from behind into the boards, but it’s only a charging minor according to referee Matt Shegos. Another PP for the Eagles.

15:01: Gerbe hits the crossbar and then the near post.

15:41: The Eagles tie it up. Brian O’Hanley’ds shot from the point was deflected by Ben Smith. The puck hit a body out front, and Bertram was there to put the rebound home. Power play goal for BC.

17:34: Lamoureaux makes his best save so far to keep things 1-1.

19:12: Boston College going back on the Power Play. It’s a high-sticking call on Chris VanderVelde.

20:00: North Dakota plays a nice game of keepaway in the closing seconds. Shots on goal for the period were 14-12 in favor of BC.

Stay tuned for second period action in a separate post.

Postgame thoughts:

Maine came out a few minutes after the game and saluted their fans. A tough end to a great season that saw the Black Bears come up short again. Maine has made an impressive nine straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including six Frozen Four appearances over that span.

Nothing flashy from the Spartans, just a brand of good, solid hockey that’s gotten them this far. “They fought bhard,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead after the game. “They battled every shift.”

Michigan State returns to the title game for the first time since 1987. Coach Rick Comley has been here since, making the championship game and winning at at the helm of Northern Michigan in 1991.

I wandered the main concourse between games and saw many familiar faces – fans that come year in and year out no matter the venue or the participants. Not much time in between games this year – the USCHO crew is busy at work recapping Game 1, with Game 2 about to begin.

0:00: And we’re underway. The joint is about 60% full.

2:34: State’s Graham goes off for tripping, and Maine has a golden opportunity right off the bat. With Lerg down and out, Leveille’s shot at an open net hits a body in front and then caroms off the crossbar.

4:34: Penalty over. Maine 0-2 on the power play.

5:11: The Spartans take the lead. A scramble in front of the Maine net allows Nick Sucharski to scoop up a loose puck and roof it over a sprawled Bishop. 3-2 State.

9:46: Could be a backbreaker. The Spartans Jim McKenzie knocks a rebound out of the air and beats Bishop glove side. 4-2 Michigan State.

9:46: After each goal, rather than immediately putting the replay on the big screen, the crowd is treated to various “celebration” clips, including dancing penguins, Family Guy hilarity and a scene from “Little Miss Sunshine”. Just show us the damn goal.

12:48: The announced attendance is 18,857, the second largest in NCAA history. Not that many fannies in the seats, however.

14:50: Time is running out on the Black Bears, who unofficially have three shots on goal so far this period.

19:35: Time out Black Bears. The Maine net is empty.

20:00: Sparty wins and will play Saturday. Tough game for the Black Bears as they get two goals in the first 3:24 and never score again. Final shots were 33-31 Michigan State

We’re in between the first and second periods of Game 1. Thanks to the wireless going up and down like a yo-yo and nonstop action in the first period, I haven’t had a chance to post the line combinations. Here they are:

Maine Forwards:
Soares-Leveille-Johnson
Ryan-Hamilton-Purcell
Shepheard-deKastrozza-Bellamy
Hahn-Clark-Laise

Maine Defense:
Lundin-Duffy
Tyler-Ramsey
Hopson-Danis-Pepin

Maine Goal:
Bishop

Michigan State Forwards:
Kennedy-Abdelkader-Crowder
Lerg-Mueller-McKenzie
Schepke-Sucharski-Sprague
Lawrence-McClellan

Michigan State Defense:
Graham-Dunne
Gentile-Snavely
Howells-Vukovic
Ratchuk (The Spartans going with seven defenseman and 11 forwards)

Michigan State Goal:
Lerg

Reload for second period updates!

1:22:Underway and back to full strength.

4:33: Lerg makes a great save on Bret Tyler from a tight angle.

9:56: Midway through the contest and things have settled down since the wild start. Both goalies playing well.

12:56: Bishop gets a big pad on a wrister from Crowder to keep the Black Bears in front.

14:57: Maine creates some havoc in front of the Spartan net, but to no avail.

16:22: The Spartans have tied it. A nice backhand pass from Justin Abdelkader to Chris Snavely, who one-times it past Bishop stick side.

20:00: And we’ve got two periods in the books, tied at two. SOG 23-22 Maine so far.

Third period to begin in a new blog post.