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USCHO.com Town Meeting Debuts at Frozen Four

USCHO.com and the NCAA teamed up Friday afternoon for the inaugural Town Meeting, a forum between the fans and representatives of the NCAA Championship Committee held at Albany’s Empire State Convention Center.

Hundreds attended the event, hosted by USCHO.com general manager Jayson Moy and held after the Hobey Baker Memorial Award presentation. The panel consisted of NCAA Director of Championships Tom Jacobs; Bill Wilkinson of Wayne State; Ian McCaw of Northeastern; Jack McDonald of Quinnipiac; and Ron Grahame of Denver.

Members of the Championship Committee (l. to r., Jacobs, Wilkinson, McCaw, McDonald, Grahame)  took part in USCHO.com's Town Meeting Friday in Albany, N.Y.

Members of the Championship Committee (l. to r., Jacobs, Wilkinson, McCaw, McDonald, Grahame) took part in USCHO.com’s Town Meeting Friday in Albany, N.Y.

Jacobs and Wilkinson handled most of the inquiries, limited by design to the Frozen Four.

Among the discussion responses, the committee announced that it is in favor of expansion of the NCAA men’s tournament to 16 teams, and that, should the tournament expand, to go to four regional sites.

Moreover, in light of the continuing expansion of Division I hockey, the championship committee will be expanded from four to six members to give representations to all conferences with automatic bids — hinting that the CHA will receive its automatic berth in a couple of years.

“We’d like to thank the NCAA men’s hockey committee for participating in our town meeting this year,” Moy said. “It shows you how dedicated the committee is to promoting college hockey.”

“I was very pleased with the turnout, and the quality and knowledge that the fans showed in asking their questions,” Moy said. USCHO.com plans to make the Town Meeting an annual event.

The fans were pleased as well.

“This was a great forum and long overdue,” said Greg Mack of Colonie, N.Y., who asked the final question of the panel. “It was nice for the committee to talk one-on-one with the public where they could not give the typical pad-and-stad answer.”

Highlights from the exchange included:

  • McDonald on the expansion of the NCAA tournament:

    “We’d like to have a 16-team tournament and the championship cabinet has approved our request to expand the tournament. At this point, there are five sports in line for it and it needs to be approved by the whole board of governors. We are working hard to meet the criteria of the NCAA, first that we can meet the expenses of expansion, and second that we are giving opportunity equally for women’s sports.

    “We need to make the PAC-10 and the ACC aware of the great success of college hockey. I’m confident that this can happen sometime soon, but in all things there are politics. It’s completely unanimous in college hockey that we need to do this.”

  • Wilkinson on regionals if the tournament expands:

    “As a coach, I’d like to go to four regionals to have regional champions … [so that] if you win your region, you have something to hang your hat on. Now, if you lose you go away with a negative feeling and not until later do you realize what a great season you had.”

  • Jacobs on the selection of Frozen Four sites:

    “There are a lot of factors that go into it and seating is one important factor. We implemented a new capacity requirement of 15,000 because of the ever-improving popularity of this event and we want to accommodate as many fans as possible.

    There are other factors that play into the decision including a strong local organizing committee and certainly the building itself … We want to provide the best possible experience for student-athletes.”

  • Jacobs on television coverage:

    “CBS will have the rights to all our championship events, they may subcontract out events if they don’t want to do it. The regionals don’t fall within that package so hopefully we can work something out to get all of our games on television … As we move past 2002, it’s all a guess right now.”

  • Jacobs on committee expansion:

    “We made a recommendation and it was accepted to expand the championship committee from four to six teams. If any conference has an automatic bid, they need to have representation. Right now there will be five, with one at-large slot with, in the future, the CHA getting one when they are eligible in a couple of years.”

  • Jacobs on Frozen Four ticket allocation:

    “The ticket allocation to participating schools has been increased, actually. It used to be 400 and it has been increased to 500. We’re trying to get as much opportunity for the general public as possible, but there are many people that get tickets. The NCAA takes 1,500-2,000. We accommodate all Division I athletic directors, conference commissioners, affiliate groups, USA Hockey, and NCAA corporate sponsors.

    “In addition to the 2000 tickets given to the teams, the local organizing committee gets tickets as well as a reward for all the hard work they’ve done. But we want to accommodate as many fans as possible … and that is why the larger facilities help.”

  • Lowell Program Appears Safe After Governor’s Intervention

    The future of the Umass-Lowell hockey program appears safe, thanks to the intervention of Massachusetts governor Paul Cellucci.

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    In recent weeks, there were numerous reports that the state legislature was considering abandoning the Lowell hockey program because of funding and gender equity concerns, and forcing a so-called “merger” with the UMass-Amherst program.

    As recently as Thursday, the future was still in doubt. “There is reason for concern,” said Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna on the USCHO Frozen Four Pre-Game Show.

    But a report in Friday’s Lowell Sun says that Cellucci stepped in and urged UMass president William Bulger and Board of Higher Education Chairman Stephen Tocco to back away from “merger” talk. Cellucci, the new U.S. Ambassador to Canada, is said to be an ardent college hockey fan.

    "If we’re more successful on a more consistent basis, and that generated more support, the chance of that [merger] conversation taking place are non-existent."

    — UMass-Lowell athletic director Dana Skinner

    “The team will remain in Lowell,” said UMass spokesman John Hoey to the Lowell Sun. “The president is very supportive of keeping the team in Lowell and he understands the impact the Tsongas Arena and the River Hawks have on Lowell.”

    Men’s ice hockey is the only Division I program at UMass-Lowell. It is funded through $1.5 million in tuition waivers, used for scholarships, but the funding runs out in June. Some board members wanted to see the money used for women’s programs, and to support just one men’s program in the UMass system.

    “The governor’s a pretty big fan of UMass-Lowell and a particular fan of Lowell and when he saw the report, he got a little concerned about it,” said Cellucci spokesman John Birtwell to the Lowell Sun. “He’s looking for the president’s support to keep the River Hawks in Lowell.”

    Recently, Tocco seemed to shift the onus to each school’s board of trustees on how to handle a reduction in finances. He indicated that having two men’s programs and no women’s programs was unacceptable, but that UMass-Amherst and UMass-Lowell themselves should decide what to do about it. This began the concern of many Lowell supporters.

    UMass-Lowell athletic director Dana Skinner was finding out about the rumors the same way as everyone else.

    “At the FleetCenter [during the Hockey East tournament], I had reporters ask me if I had any comment, and I said it was the first I heard of it,” Skinner said. “People at Lowell are perceiving it as fighting for their lives.”

    Skinner said he wasn’t sure whether there would be a specific demand made to create a women’s hockey program. He said that Lowell has been moving closer to gender equity for years, but that there are ways of achieving it without necessarily adding women’s hockey.

    “Whether that’s a critical component of these [merger] discussions, I don’t know,” Skinner said. “I have no doubt Tocco thinks women’s hockey is an important thing to do. It’s a rising sport.

    “There’s lots of ways to get into compliance, and we’re exploring them all right now. We’ve got a situation, because we don’t own the building … there’s not a lot of time left over. We’re still exploring the possibility of adding women’s hockey. Whether that is the path we choose to achieve [compliance], we’re not sure.”

    Despite the governor’s reassurances, Skinner will continue to take any threats to Lowell’s program seriously, especially the implication that Lowell needs to do more to self-support its men’s hockey program. If that is a concern, Skinner believes he’s addressing it by, among other things, hiring Blaise MacDonald as his new coach.

    “I’m not saying we have to [self-support financially], because I don’t know how serious the [merger] discussions are,” said Skinner. “But I don’t think anyone could argue … if we’re more successful on a more consistent basis, and that generated more support, the chance of that [merger] conversation taking place are non-existent.”

    Skinner named MacDonald, a former Lowell assistant and most recently head coach at Niagara, as the team’s new head coach on Thursday. He replaces Tim Whitehead, who resigned following a contract dispute.

    Notebook: Friday in Albany

    Keep It Loose

    North Dakota’s final practice before the championship game on Friday was exactly the opposite of what Michigan coach Red Berenson earlier this week described as the norm for his team’s day-before runthrough.

    Berenson said he had never seen his team have a good practice the day before a game that carries the magnitude of the Frozen Four.

    "As a coach, you try not to put pressure on the players and tell the players, ‘This is the biggest game of your life.’ They all know that."

    — UND coach Dean Blais

    North Dakota’s practice was light, quick and didn’t include too many drills. Exactly the way the players want it.

    “We’ve always stressed hockey is a game where you want to have fun,” Sioux forward Bryan Lundbohm said. “If you’re not having fun, it doesn’t go too well. If we get all uptight and worry about things too much, we’re not going to be able to play our game and not be able to make the right plays at the right time.

    “We’re going to stay loose. We’re going to be relaxed [Friday] and start thinking about the game [Friday night], and be mentally ready to go [Saturday].”

    Lundbohm beat linemate Jeff Panzer in the final round of the team’s showdown, a round of penalty shots at the end of practice.

    The competition is one way the Sioux keep the practices light.

    “We try not to put a lot of pressure on the players,” Blais said. “We play the same way every game, practice the same way. We don’t try to break routines, we don’t break systems. I think the other coaches agree that you’re going to do what you do well, and that’s play the game and have fun.

    “As a coach, you try not to put pressure on the players and tell the players, ‘This is the biggest game of your life.’ They all know that.”

    How’s the Weather?

    Spiewak

    Spiewak

    From causing the storm to weathering it?

    North Dakota is expecting a big push by Boston College in the first 10 minutes of Saturday’s championship game, one not unlike the Sioux’s charge early against Michigan State on Thursday.

    The Sioux scored two first-period goals, one by Kevin Spiewak 75 seconds in, to take control.

    “They’re going to come out and battle us, and we’re going to have to weather the storm for the first 10 minutes of the game,” said North Dakota defenseman Travis Roche, who said he considers Boston College the favorite in the title game.

    “After that, we just have to keep plugging away and work as hard as we can.”

    Oh, the Pressure

    Who has more pressure: the team that hasn’t won a title since 1949 and has now been to the Frozen Four in four straight years or the one looking to become the first champion to repeat since 1972?

    Panzer said it’s not the latter.

    “I don’t think there’s too much pressure on us,” said Panzer, the nation’s leading scorer. “We’re the type of team that’s just going to go out there and have fun. It’s another game — it’s a one-shot game, but it’s another game. Whatever happens after 60 minutes, or whatever it takes, happens.”

    Last Chance to Dance

    Saturday will be the last chance for the BC seniors to capture their elusive national championship. But Friday was the last practice for the BC seniors, making things a little bit emotional.

    Gionta

    Gionta

    “It’s obviously going to be sentimental,” said BC goaltender Scott Clemmensen. “It will be the same tomorrow night pulling that jersey off for the last time.”

    “That’s the last time that we’ll suit up in a practice uniform for BC,” said captain Brian Gionta. “It’s similar to two days ago at Conte Forum when it was the last time I’ll skate there. I’ll miss all of these guys and I’ll miss the coaching staff. They’ve all done a lot for me, and the school’s been great to me as well.”

    Not lost in the emotion was plenty of fun in the team’s breakaway competition, a staple of practice the day before every game.

    “It’s something that’s a lot of fun to do,” said Gionta. “I think Clemmensen was trying to let a senior win today, but the guys were shooting the puck right at his pads.”

    Clemmensen admitted that he did try to help his classmates capture “the belt,” which is an actual award given to the winner resembling something from the WWF.

    Junior Ales Dolinar won Friday’s competition and thus took home the belt.

    “Dolinar will have the belt all summer and he’ll get to defend it next year,” said Gionta.

    Hobey Wasn’t Gionta Goal in Albany

    Eagles head coach Jerry York spoke with great pride about the fact that Gionta wasn’t the winner of this year’s Hobey Baker Award which was presented to Michigan State’s Ryan Miller on Friday afternoon. He said that the Hobey wasn’t the trophy Brian wanted this year.

    “It was amazing to watch him handle that news,” said York, who told Gionta after Thursday’s game when he found out the news. “Brian said to me, ‘We’re interested in winning championships. We came for one trophy and it wasn’t the Hobey.’

    “As a coach you can listen to that and I can say all you want about being a good teammate. But when you’ve got a guy of Brian’s stature say we came to win one trophy and it wasn’t the Hobey Baker trophy, that says a lot about our club.

    So Who Will BU Root For?

    Even if you don’t live in Boston, it wouldn’t surprise you to know that Boston University, BC’s number-one rival, won’t be rooting for an Eagles victory on Saturday night. Or will they?

    A Boston College loss would take away BU’s fame of being the last team to win back-to-back national championships, a feat accomplished by the Terriers in 1971 and 1972.

    “Hopefully they’ll be making some noise for us,” said rookie Ben Eaves, maybe not yet aware of just how big the BC-BU rivalry is. “But I wouldn’t expect too much out of them. Anything they can give us would be great.”

    Senior Bobby Allen, though, responded to Eaves’ thoughts: “I don’t think we’re going to get any noise out of them. I don’t think it’s in either team’s blood to root for the other guys.”

    “I heard Sasquatch is going to be in the stands and will take his shirt off for us,” joked Gionta, referring to the hairy BU fan who riles the crowd by running topless around the BU student section. “They’re our archrival and you don’t expect any fans of theirs to be rooting for us. But we’ll take any fans we can get. ”

    Eagles Hoping for Divine Intervention

    BC, known to many for its Jesuit tradition, is hoping some intervention can come from up above. The Eagles, as is tradition on game day, will have the team chaplain celebrate Mass for the players Saturday morning.

    Friday night, the team will have dinner at a local restaurant. Saturday, the Eagles will have breakfast and a pregame meal, sandwiching Mass and a possible game-day skate.

    MacDonald Named Coach at UMass-Lowell

    Blaise McDonald, a native of nearby Billerica, Mass., was named head coach at UMass-Lowell late Thursday.

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    With the move, MacDonald leaves Niagara, a program he helped start from scratch in 1995. In his five years there, MacDonald led Niagara to an NCAA tournament appearance in 2000, which included a win over New Hampshire.

    MacDonald, who was an assistant to ex-Lowell coach Billy Riley, Jr., from 1988-1990, replaces Tim Whitehead, who announced his resignation last week after five years as head coach.

    “When I look at UMass Lowell, I look at the great coaches who were there before me: Billy Riley, who was the founding father, Bruce Crowder and Tim Whitehead, who put in an outstanding ten years,” MacDonald said. “They put in place the building blocks for today.”

    MacDonald comes despite questions that have recently arisen regarding the future of Lowell’s program. There has been talk in the Massachussets legislature of abandoning support for a Division I men’s program at Lowell. But that concern was not enough to keep MacDonald away from a job he originally pursued in 1996.

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    “I think there is a terrific commitment from the University,” MacDonald said from his office in Buffalo, N.Y. “The culture of the workplace from the chancellor to the athletic department is outstanding and strives for high performance.

    “The obvious connection with me and UMass-Lowell is the fact that I grew up in Billerica. I grew up a fan of the Lowell Chiefs and players like Craig MacTavish and Dean Jenkins. This is a dream situation for me in that perspective, especially considering the exciting growth of the campus.”

    MacDonald inherits a River Hawk program which posted a 19-16-3 overall record and placed fifth in Hockey East last season. UML returns 21 of 26 veterans from the 2000-01 team.

    “What drives UMass-Lowell’s potential on the ice is the character of the players and belief that they can take themselves to places nobody else thought they could,” MacDonald said. “As I looked at UMass-Lowell as a potential career move, I equated Hockey East with the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) to basketball.

    “I have a great deal of respect for every head coach and assistant coach in the league. That alone provides our staff with exciting challenges every night.”

    MacDonald pursued the opening created by the departure of Crowder in 1996, but had to pull himself out of the running late in the process because Niagara would not allow him out his contract.

    MacDonald leaves a Niagara program which returns 24 veterans from last year’s 14-19-3 team.

    “I will be forever indebted to my coaching staff and our wonderful players at Niagara,” MacDonald said. “Because of them, I have this opportunity. I want to thank Niagara for the best five years of my life and the continued commitment to Niagara hockey. It is a place that is close to my heart and always will be.”

    MacDonald and his wife, Carol, are expecting their third child on Friday. He will address the UML team and media next week.

    “This is a great day for UMass-Lowell,” said school athletic director Dana Skinner. “One can’t help but be impressed by Blaise’s work ethic, commitment and passion. I have little doubt that the level of commitment that Blaise brings to the table will serve to inspire the entire University community.”

    Prior to Niagara, MacDonald served as an assistant coach and later recruiting coordinator and associate head coach at Boston University (1990-96), as well as an assistant at Princeton (1987-88) and Dartmouth (1985-87).

    A 1985 graduate of RIT, MacDonald compiled an all-time record of 91-58-17 in five seasons at Niagara, highlighted by a 30-8-4 overall mark and 15-0-2 finish in College Hockey America (CHA) in 1999-00. During the run, the Purple Eagles posted victories over Boston University, Colorado College and Rensselaer.

    In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Niagara stunned 1998-99 NCAA runner-up New Hampshire (4-1) before falling to eventual national champion North Dakota (4-1). MacDonald was voted runner-up for the Spencer-Penrose Award as National Coach of the Year.

    MacDonald started the Niagara program in 1996 with all freshmen and guided the Purple Eagles to a 16-9-2 record as a member of the Division III ECAC West. He was voted the ECAC West co-Coach of the Year by his peers.

    Before joining CHA, NU spent the 1998-99 season as a Division I independent and posted a 17-12-3 record. The Purple Eagles opened the year with a stunning two-game effort at defending national champion Michigan, losing in overtime in the first meeting, and winning 2-1 a day later.

    As a player, MacDonald was an All-America defenseman in his senior season at RIT and led the Tigers to the NCAA Division III championship in 1983 and 1985. He helped RIT defeat UMass-Lowell, 5-1, in the 1983 Tournament semifinal at Tully Forum. During his career, MacDonald set former RIT records for career assists (106) and points (119) as a defenseman. He was inducted into the RIT Hall of Fame in 1991.

    MSU’s Miller Named Hobey Baker Winner

    Michigan State goaltender Ryan Miller, who backstopped the Spartans into the Frozen Four as the number-one team in the nation, was named the winner of the Hobey Baker Memorial Award Friday.

    Ryan Miller won the Hobey Baker Friday, only the second goaltender to do so.

    Ryan Miller won the Hobey Baker Friday, only the second goaltender to do so.

    Miller shattered the NCAA record for career shutouts in just his second year of college hockey, with 18 overall. The sophomore’s selection makes him just the second goaltender ever to win the Hobey Baker, given annually to college hockey’s most outstanding player. Minnesota netminder Robb Stauber was the first, in 1988.

    To win the award, Miller edged forwards Brian Gionta of Boston College and Jeff Panzer of North Dakota, who tied for second place in the balloting.

    The native of East Lansing, Mich., posted 31 wins with a .950 save percentage and a 1.32 goals against average, leading the nation in all three categories. His 31-5-4 record in 2000-2001 included 10 shutouts to also lead the nation in that statistic.

    Miller, the CCHA Defensive Player of the Week five times during the season, was previously named a First-Team All-American and CCHA Player of the Year, as well as being a member of the all-conference first team. He holds four league and seven school netminding records.

    MSU head coach Ron Mason said, “Anyone who has watched a lot of our games will know that we give up far more quality scoring chances against us than we generate at the other end. Ryan Miller is a major reason why we [have had] such a great season. He has been simply outstanding.”

    A homegrown 20-year-old, Miller’s grandfather, father, uncle and five cousins all played hockey for the Spartans. His cousin, Kip Miller, won the Hobey Baker in 1990.

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    A fifth-round draft pick of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, Ryan is a general business management major with a 3.07 grade point average. Off-ice activities for the All-Academic goalie includes volunteering with the D.A.R.E. drug-resistance program, reading to elementary-school children and giving tours of the dressing room — sometimes during games.

    Finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award are determined by an initial round of balloting by all 60 Division I college coaches; those 10 names are then advanced to the award’s selection committee, a geographically balanced group of 24 members composed of media, NHL scouts, college hockey coaches and supervisors of officials. Additionally, a fan vote hosted by USCHO.com and conducted online at www.hobeybaker.com allows college hockey fans a one-percent vote in each round of balloting.

    Miller will be honored at a banquet on Friday, April 20 at the Radisson Riverfront Ballroom in St. Paul, Minn.

    High Expectations

    They started the year with conflicting expectations.

    North Dakota’s players and coaching staff knew this could be a rough year. They saw a handful of players with vast experience, talent and, perhaps most importantly, size and strength walk out the door.

    Their worst fears started to come true when they started the season winless in three games. At the same time, they started with three ties — something that made the early part of the season more tolerable for the team.

    A defending champion has to have a certain swagger, but at North Dakota, there was a profound fear that this team might not have what it takes to get to college hockey’s final game again.

    The North Dakota faithful, though, wanted it. In fact, they expected it. That’s what happens when you build a program with a track record as good as North Dakota’s in the last few years.

    Panzer

    Panzer

    In the four years leading into this one, the Sioux fought its way into the Frozen Four twice. In the years they didn’t, it came as a shock to many, considering those were probably their best teams in the stretch.

    This year, then, the Sioux were at a bit of a crossroads. Have an average season, and they could be viewed as an example of the on again-off again nature of success in college hockey.

    Fulfilling the fans’ expectations, though, would put them ever closer to the D-word so seldom used in college hockey.

    The fans were right.

    That word is dynasty, and that’s what this North Dakota era can approach with a victory over Boston College in Saturday’s national championship game.

    A win would give them their second national title in a row, and third in five years. That kind of success in the national tournament hasn’t been seen since Lake Superior State won three titles in seven years in the late ’80s and early ’90s and Minnesota won three in six years under Herb Brooks in the ’70s.

    Success like that isn’t often seen in college hockey. And it certainly doesn’t come around often with a team that, by the admission of its coach, doesn’t have the talent of some others.

    “The first couple years I was here we probably had a more skilled team here than in the last couple years. It’s funny how that works,” senior forward Jeff Panzer said. “If you get the right guys together and have everything working together, good things can be accomplished.”

    Talent, though, may be no match for high expectations. Blais attributed much of his team’s success to the hopes of the community, one strongly centered by the school and in particular its hockey program.

    Losses by the Sioux are not handled well.

    “You lose a hockey game, the players hear about it all over campus. They hear about it from their families,” Blais said. “Even ties. My goodness, we tied Michigan, New Hampshire and Maine [at the start of the season], and we’re undefeated in my eyes, and a lot of the people [say], ‘When are you going to win?’

    "I was thinking we have a new team, the kids are playing pretty well, and everyone says, ‘Well, geez, what’s wrong with North Dakota this year?’"

    — Head coach Dean Blais, on the response to UND’s string of high-profile ties early in the year.

    “I was thinking we have a new team, the kids are playing pretty well, and everyone says, ‘Well, geez, what’s wrong with North Dakota this year?’ The expectations are real high. We set that standard, and it’s tough to live up to every year, but I think it’s healthy.”

    Those standards have helped the school build a new hockey arena, set to open in October and seat 12,000 fans.

    Blais, though, doesn’t feign believing that’s just a coincidence. Grand Forks, N.D., is a small town, but not small enough that the fans will show up for just any team.

    “That goes along with winning,” he said. “If we were losing, we probably couldn’t get 6,000 in the [new] building.”

    For the Sioux, winning has come from a combination of skill and character. Blais has never been shy to say this team does not have the talent his other North Dakota teams have.

    In last year’s Frozen Four championship game against BC, the Eagles were probably the more talented team. The same could be said for Saturday’s matchup.

    Blais, though, will put his team up against any other on the basis of character alone.

    “This was a very grinding year because we didn’t have the size,” Blais said. “What we have out on the ice right now is maybe not a lot of size but a lot of heart, a lot of character and a lot of team chemistry.

    “[Boston College coach] Jerry York called this the best team he’s ever had. I might call this the best team I’ve ever had, but the least talented. They play like a team. They come up the ice together, they come back together and they care about each other.”

    The players have held to that all season long, slow start and all.

    Playing for a national championship may have appeared to be just a dream to them at the start of the season, but after six long months, it’s here.

    “We stuck together all year, and anything can happen when you’ve got 20 guys on the ice that like playing with each other and love playing the game,” Sioux defenseman Travis Roche said. “And that’s how every guy in our dressing room feels. Every practice, every game, every time we’re together it’s like a family. And when a family is together, anything’s possible.”

    One Last Save

    Not much got past Ryan Miller this season, including the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. The sophomore from East Lansing, Mich., became just the second goaltender in the 21-year history of the award to capture the Hobey Baker, announced Friday at the Frozen Four.

    “It’s a great honor,” said Miller. “Being mentioned as a finalist would have been good enough for me.”

    Ryan Miller accepts the Hobey Baker Memorial Award Friday at the Frozen Four.

    Ryan Miller accepts the Hobey Baker Memorial Award Friday at the Frozen Four.

    The award caps a brilliant season for Miller, who set the NCAA record for career shutouts with 18, including 10 this season. He leads the nation in goals against average (1.32) and save percentage (.950), both by large margins over his nearest competitors.

    His ability to keep the puck out of the net sparked the Spartans to a 33-5-4 record and a berth the Frozen Four.

    “Ryan kept us in games, and in the initial stages he was the reason we were winning,” said Michigan State head coach Ron Mason. “Anyone who has watched a lot of our games will know that we give up far more quality scoring chances against us than we generate at the other end.

    “The team has worked off of what he has given us — he has been simply outstanding.”

    After Thursday’s 2-0 loss to North Dakota in the semifinals, Michigan State returned home, with Miller and Mason staying for the ceremony in front of a packed house at the Empire State Convention Center.

    “I dedicate this award to my teammates,” said Miller, who also thanked the rest of the MSU coaching and training staffs. “Unfortunately, they couldn’t be with me today.”

    “Half the reason I’m standing here is because they made it such a positive environment to play in,” he said.

    Miller also thanked his family, which has been a part of Michigan State hockey for three generations. His grandfather Butch Miller was the first to don the green and white, followed by sons Dean and Lyle Miller. Dean is Ryan’s dad, and uncle Lyle contributed sons Kelly, Kevin and Kip. All three rank in the top 30 all-time scorers at Michigan State. Throw in two more cousins, Taylor and Curtis Gemmel, and you have a family tree of Spartan hockey.

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    “The unique thing about this is that Kip Miller was the best offensive player in college hockey with 101 points [in 1989-90],” said Mason. “And Ryan is the best defensive hockey play this season with the record that he put together. The Miller family has pretty well covered it from front to back in terms of what college hockey can provide.”

    Cousin Kip won the Hobey in 1990.

    “I watched Kip receive this when I was 10 years old,” Miller said. “I thought he was the greatest player in the world. It’s amazing that I’m here today.”

    His family has also been there to offer support and advice for Miller’s future. The unanimous recommendation to the Buffalo Sabres draft choice: stay in school.

    “Their advice for me is to get an education and stay in school,” Miller said. “Both Kip and Kelly are successful in business and I want to be able to do that when hockey is over.”

    Miller is a business management major, and carries a 3.07 GPA.

    “I want to be a student, to be a kid for a few more years,” he said. “I want to get better and stronger and Michigan State has provided a great environment for that.”

    The award closes out a bittersweet season for Miller and the Spartans, who came into the Frozen Four as the top seed, but failed to advance to the title game. MSU has now been shut out in eight straight appearances in the nationals.

    “All year long we’ve had a good season, and in the end it all came crumbling down,” said Mason. “Something like this can be a bright light.”

    Thanks to Todd D. Milewski for his contributions to this story.

    MSOE Coach Hessenauer Resigns

    Pat Hessenauer has resigned as head coach at Milwaukee School of Engineering, athletic director Dan Harris confirmed Thursday, saying that the school would immediately begin a search for a full-time coach to replace him.

    “We are very committed to ice hockey.” said Harris. “We’re going from a part-time coach to a full-time coach in the athletic department. And we’re increasing the budget significantly for a sport that has a budget that’s four or five times larger than any other sport we have.”

    In his resignation letter, Hessenauer contested Harris’ view of things.

    “Due to a lack of commitment and support from the school and those involved, my efforts would be better spent elsewhere,” said Hessenauer. “The five years that I have spent coaching the MSOE program has been an enjoyable and rewarding experience. I strongly feel the program has grown tremendously under my leadership and I wish them the best of luck in the future.”

    Hessenauer coached MSOE for five seasons, compiling a 51-71-7 record. The Raiders were 3-21-1 this past season after setting a school record with 13 victories in 1999-2000.

    He also served as secretary, treasurer and public relations director of the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association.

    Hessenauer played at Wisconsin-Whitewater, He began coaching youth hockey in his hometown of Janesville, Wis., and eventually moved into the high school ranks.

    At MSOE, he twice earned MCHA coach of the year honors. He is finishing his communications degree at Wisconsin-Milwaukee with plans to pursue a masters in Sports Administration. His other duties at MSOE include director of the Red & White Booster Club and organizing fundraising programs for the athletic programs.

    Attempts to reach Hessenauer for comment were unsuccessful.

    True Believers

    Much has been made of the fact that this year’s Frozen Four is loaded with teams that have been here before. Michigan has made 20 Frozen Four appearances, while BC has now been here 17 times. North Dakota has joined the elite quartet 14 times, while Michigan State has chalked up ten Frozen Four visits.

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    That said, some of the fans in attendance at this year’s semifinals and finals have run up an impressive number of Frozen Four appearances of their own, overcoming the hurdles of distance, age, and — yes, even parenthood–to follow college hockey wherever it is played each season.

    Talking to fans throughout the Knickerbocker Arena — oops, that should be the Pepsi Arena — one definitely comes away with a warm, fuzzy feeling about the zeal and camaraderie of college hockey’s devoted fans.

    Al Pearson exhorts the Sioux faithful at Thursday's semifinal. (Photography by Ed Trefzger)

    Al Pearson exhorts the Sioux faithful at Thursday’s semifinal. (Photography by Ed Trefzger)

    Any Sioux fan worth his salt knows Al Pearson, 63, of Grand Forks, North Dakota, by appearance if not by name. Al sports a big white cowboy hat with the old Sioux Indian logo on the front, and for over 20 years he has exhorted the Sioux faithful by shouting out the spelling of the nickname while forming the letters with his arms.

    “I happen to have a loud voice,” Al says with a shrug.

    Enthusiastic and avuncular, Al roams the aisles to check in with his fellow fans and travelers.

    “This is my eighth national tournament,” Al says. “I’ve put hockey trips together for 27 years. I’m just a hockey fan. No kids played hockey: I just follow the Sioux. We’re just having a wonderful time.”

    As usual, Al organized this year’s trip to the Frozen Four for the Sioux fans who are the true devotees. With Al’s help, 49 Sioux followers flew out to Boston before boarding a chartered bus to Albany.

    Like many fans who habitually make the trip — whether to Albany or Anaheim — Al has high praise for the friendly atmosphere and tradition of life as a Frozen Four junkie.

    “I just met a couple from Maine that I met last year in Providence,” Al said. “They’re coming to North Dakota next year; they said, ‘Hey, you got tickets?’ I said ‘You got tickets. If you can’t find a place to stay, stay at my house.’

    “We’ve met so many people over the years, going to the games, and the same people come back,” Al adds. “It’s just a social event. We have fun with Michigan State and Michigan fans. We’re here to beat you, but we hope you show up: It’s just fun.”

    On the day off between the semifinals and championships game, Al and the group are going to make the most of a rare trip to the East. They will be typical tourists, with the exception of the fact that the average traveler probably doesn’t find it necessary to work a hockey arena into their itinerary.

    “Ninety percent of the people haven’t been to New York City,” Al says. “So we’re going to drive by the Statue of Liberty. We’ll go down to Madison Square Garden, the Empire State Building, Central Park.”

    Then Al makes an interesting verbal slip.

    “We’re just taking a tour of Grand Forks,” he says before catching himself. “Ha! We know Grand Forks!”

    The way North Dakota has been playing hockey over the last two years, an exuberant fan could perhaps be excused for confusing Manhattan with the minor metropolis located on the North Dakota-Minnesota border.

    91-year-old Virginia Kalopek offered shrewd insights on the Sioux squad.

    91-year-old Virginia Kalopek offered shrewd insights on the Sioux squad.

    One of the more interesting fans accompanying Al and company is 91 year-old Virginia Kalopek, who laid it on the line with Al while trip arrangements were being pondered: “This might be my last shot — I’m coming.”

    This is Virginia’s third Frozen Four. Given the acuity of her observations on Sioux hockey, don’t count on it being her last.

    “Well, the one line — the Panzer division — is tremendous,” Virginia says. “We have a couple of good defensemen but our defense corps isn’t as good as last year’s and some of the other years. You have to have real good defense to win, but I think our fast offense has sort of counterbalanced the less than A-1 defense for this year.”

    Whew! If the above assessment as attributed to Coach Dean Blais, no reader would raise an eyebrow. If we ever need another USCHO correspondent for North Dakota, Virginia seems to have the eye of objectivity to match the enthusiasm of the hardcore fan.

    “I just love to watch hockey,” she says. “It’s so fast.”

    Virginia is going to pass on the Big Apple trip for a very good reason.

    “I want to be in on the Hobey Baker Award — I want to be here for that,” she says.

    Of course, Virginia hopes that North Dakota’s playmaking wizard Jeff Panzer beats out BC’s Brian Gionta and others to win the award.

    “Oh God, I hope Jeffy gets it,” she says. “He deserves it. Have you seen him play? Then you have seen him in action and how fast he is for a little guy. He may not get all the goals, but he’s in on all the goals.”

    Speaking of little guys, one of the youngest fans in attendance — Russell Albee — was seated just one section over from Virginia, who certainly had to be one of the most venerable.

    The Albee family has totaled 32 Frozen Four appearances.

    The Albee family has totaled 32 Frozen Four appearances.

    Some have hockey greatness thrust upon them, while others are born into it. Three-month old Russell certainly is an example of the latter. His mom Tanya is the Frozen Four Champ of the household, as this is the 15th year she has come. Russell’s dad Tom is on his 13th trip, while their eldest child, Alyssa, has three under her belt at the age of three.

    That makes a total of 32 Frozen Fours for the Albee household of Brookfield, Wisconsin. No wonder that Russell is decked out with a hockey-related baby outfit, complete with Michigan Tech socks.

    “He actually likes all the action,” Tanya says of her son. “You can tell that he’s following the people moving.”

    Although many parents of young children would be daunted by the challenges of parenting amidst planes and rental cars and flying pucks, the Albees have the undauntable air of the true believer. They even took Alyssa to Boston at the tender age of ten weeks for the 1998 tournament.

    “It’s a little work, but actually when they’re small, they’re not that hard to take care of,” Tom says. “My daughter here, it’s our third tournament. It hasn’t been much of a problem except once when our seats were right in front of the Sioux band. That made it a little more difficult.”

    “It’s a lot of fun; we see people we know every year,” Tanya says. “Actually, our team is Michigan Tech, so we mainly come for the hockey, not for the teams.”

    Tom concurs when asked what keeps him coming, paying tribute to both the sport and its followers.

    “I guess it’s the caliber of hockey,” Tom says. And we’ve met a lot of friends along the way.

    “With the number of games that have gone into overtime and the excitement and enthusiasm and level of play, it’s really unparalleled.”

    The same can be said of college hockey fans. Next stop: St. Paul.

    Frauds Finals: Championship Saturday

    Only two remain in USCHO.com’s Battle of the Prognosticators after WCHA correspondent Todd D. Milewski and CHA correspondent Natasha J. Parker emerged from the wreckage of last week’s picks to reach the finals.

    The results:

    Natasha J. Parker: 4-0
    Todd D. Milewski: 3-1 (won total-goals tiebreaker)
    Dave Hendrickson: 3-1
    Paula C. Weston: 3-1
    Becky Blaeser/Jayson Moy: 1-3

    So this is it. Semifinal picks are listed, followed by picks made on Friday for the championship. Since championship-game picks are made after the semifinals, the teams may not agree with previous selections.

    As before, the object is to pick the winners, straight up.

    Natasha J. Parker

    Michigan State 3, North Dakota 2: The Spartans haven’t played in a championship game since 1987, when they lost to the Sioux. North Dakota came out on top then, but this year will be a different story. MSU advances to the finals to take on Boston College.

    Boston College 4, Michigan 2: In 1998 Michigan and Boston College played an overtime classic in the championship, with Michigan the 3-2 victor. This year, the Eagles won’t have their game stolen away from them. BC is well overdue for a national title, and nothing is going to get in the way this year.

    Championship — Boston College 3, North Dakota 1: And it’s about time.

    Todd D. Milewski

    North Dakota 3, Michigan State 1: With Ryan Miller in net for the Spartans, everyone forgets about the Sioux’s Karl Goehring. He plays big in big games, and this should be no different.

    Boston College 3, Michigan 2: The way I see it, it’ll be Providence all over again. Boston College has just enough to get past the Wolverines, although it could take an overtime or two. It sets up a national championship rematch: North Dakota vs. Boston College.

    Championship — North Dakota 3, Boston College 2: Can you say dynasty?

    Championship Contenders Lead All-Americans

    All 10 Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalists, as well as 10 players competing in this weekend’s Frozen Four in Albany, N.Y., were among the 2000-2001 JOFA/AHCA All-Americans, as named Thursday by the American Hockey Coaches Association.

    The All-Americans, chosen by the AHCA’s membership, include three players each from Michigan, North Dakota and Boston College, and two apiece from Providence and St. Lawrence.

    BC forward Brian Gionta was named for the fourth year, including his third straight First-Team selection. Other repeaters included national scoring leader Jeff Panzer of UND, again a First-Teamer; Wisconsin sophomore Dany Heatley, who signed with the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers earlier in the week; Michigan defenseman Jeff Jillson; New Hampshire netminder Ty Conklin; and Yale forward Jeff Hamilton, making his third appearance.

    Just two of the 13 West All-Americans were seniors, compared to eight of 12 on the East teams. A tie for the last forward position accounted for the extra West spot.

    2000-2001 JOFA/AHCA All-Americans

           East First Team            Pos            West First Team
    Ty Conklin, Sr., New Hampshire     G   Ryan Miller, So., Michigan State
    Bobby Allen, Sr., Boston College   D   Jordan Leopold, Jr., Minnesota
    Kent Huskins, Sr., Clarkson        D   Travis Roche, So., North Dakota
    Erik Anderson, Sr., St. Lawrence   F   Dany Heatley, So., Wisconsin
    Brian Gionta, Sr., Boston College  F   Andy Hilbert, So., Michigan
    Jeff Hamilton, Sr., Yale           F   Jeff Panzer, Sr., North Dakota
    
           East Second Team           Pos            West Second Team
    Nolan Schaefer, So., Providence    G   Scott Meyer, Sr., St. Cloud
    Matt Desrosiers, Sr., St. Lawrence D   Jeff Jillson, Jr., Michigan
    Ron Hainsey, So., UMass-Lowell     D   Greg Zanon, So., Nebraska-Omaha
    Carl Corazzini, Sr. Boston U.      F   Mike Bishai, Jr. Western Michigan
    Krys Kolanos, So., Boston College  F   Mike Cammalleri, So., Michigan
    Devin Rask, So., Providence        F   Mark Cullen, Jr., Colorado Coll.
                                       F   Bryan Lundbohm, Jr, North Dakota
    

    Behind the Headlines

    With Chuck Kobasew scoring twice in Boston College’s 4-2 win over Michigan and Ben Eaves adding another conventional goal along with an empty-netter, the game’s headliners were easy to identify. Just a shade behind the two was goaltender Scott Clemmensen, who stopped 31 of 33 shots to set an all-time Frozen Four career save record. Goaltenders and goalscorers invariably get the headlines.

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    However, the stars who put Kobasew and Eaves in a position to score and also kept the high-powered Wolverines away from Clemmensen are more easily overlooked. Senior defensemen Rob Scuderi and Bobby Allen combined to assist on every Boston College goal other than the open-netter and none of the assists was cheap.

    Halfway into the first period, the Eagles had generated numerous quality opportunities, but failed to cash in on any of them until Scuderi’s outlet pass from the defensive zone sprung Tony Voce and Kobasew on a two-on-one that Kobasew converted.

    On the power play four minutes later, Allen’s shot into traffic was deflected nicely by Ben Eaves into the top of the net.

    After Scuderi absorbed a second-period hit along the boards that put Mike Komisarek in the penalty box for roughing, the defenseman assisted on the power-play goal by putting a perfect pass to Kobasew on the left post, where he put the game-winner past Michigan netminder Josh Blackburn.

    “I tapped my stick down a couple times and gave him a holler and he gave me a great pass right on my tape,” said Kobasew.

    We don’t really want the recognition. It’s pretty easy when you have forwards like we do. We just give them the puck. They’re the ones that create all the chances.

    — BC defenseman Bobby Allen, on the Eagle blueliners’ philosophy of play

    Arguably, the Eagles’ defensemen who quarterback the power play and the blueliners’ collective ability to move the puck out of the defensive zone in an almost forecheck-proof fashion are major, but mostly overlooked, reasons why the Eagles feature an offense whose explosiveness is second to none.

    “They do a great job [on the power play] of keeping the puck in when the opposing team tries to clear it,” said Kobasew. “And they also do a great job of making the great move at the blue line getting the puck down to the net so our forwards can outman them and bang something home.”

    According to Allen, though, it’s all in a day’s work.

    “The team relies on us to do those things,” he said. “We don’t really want the recognition. It’s pretty easy when you have forwards like we do. We just give them the puck. They’re the ones that create all the chances.”

    Allen, for his part, has gotten about as much recognition as a defenseman is likely to get. Namely, not a lot of headlines, but still selections as a First-Team East All-American, First-Team All-Hockey East and Hockey East’s Defensive Defenseman of the Year.

    On the other hand, Scuderi — known to his teammates as Scud — remains one of the sport’s best kept secrets. Other than being an All-Hockey East honorable mention, his statistical claim to fame is that he holds the Boston College record for career games played with 168, going on 169.

    “Bobby Allen is a First-Team All-American who has gotten a lot of accolades and is going to have a terrific career with the Boston Bruins,” said BC coach Jerry York. “He’s been a real catalyst for us.

    “[But] Rob Scuderi has been a real underappreciated player. He’s just gotten better and better and is playing as well as any defenseman I’ve coached. He’s very, very strong on his feet and makes good plays.

    “He’ll be a good addition to Pittsburgh’s lineup next year. He’s an NHL-caliber player.”

    Allen shares the view that Scuderi is a far better player than his short list of press clippings would indicate.

    “He’s the most underrated player — or one of the most — in the country,” says Allen. “He’s played like an all-star the entire season but it seems that he doesn’t get credit for it because he plays such a simple game. I wish people would realize the value he adds to our team.

    “Every game in and game out, he’s always there. He’s a tremendous leader on our team.”

    Scuderi arrived on the BC campus with little fanfare compared to Mike Mottau the year before him and Allen in his own class. Quietly, though, he has emerged as a defenseman of significant stature.

    “I came in without too many expectations, but they gave me a chance to play and I hope to have made the best of it,” he said. “Maybe this year I’ve added a little more offense and improved in some areas. No one plays a perfect game, so there are always some things to work on and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

    As for his own impressive, although largely unheralded, game on this evening, Scuderi passed the praise back to his teammates, putting it right on their tape just as he did with the puck to Kobasew in the second period.

    “I just happened to get the breaks tonight,” he said. “Chuck is great at getting open. He usually lets you know when he’s open, too. I’m pretty sure that everyone in the building heard his stick bang. I fed the puck to him and he did what he does best, and that’s bury the puck.”

    Scuderi is happy just to do his job, help BC win and let others get noticed. Recognition is no big deal.

    “It would be different if the top guys who did get recognized were a bunch of prima donnas, but they are just such great team guys that there’s nothing to be jealous of,” he said. “Gionta and Allen and all the people that get a lot of recognition are just such great team guys that it’s tough to be mad at anybody. We have a great team chemistry and no one falls into the trap of being a prima donna.”

    Least of all Scuderi, the quietest star behind the headlines, who now cares only about a win for Boston College on Saturday.

    Notebook: Press Conference

    Which Wolverines Came to Albany?

    Michigan coach Red Berenson, regardless of the tradition associated with his hockey program, was the first to admit that his team is very different from the other three in the tournament field.

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    “I’m never quite sure which team will show up,” said Berenson. “I think our team finally realized that they need to do to play well. But in our last 10 games, I think we’re barely .500.

    I can’t tell you from game to game with this team what kind of game we’re going to get. We’re feeling pretty ourselves, but if we feel too good about ourselves, then it will be a short weekend.”

    Fond Memories

    As the coaches sat around the table at Wednesday’s press conference, plenty of smiles and laughs were shared when each was asked to share experiences.

    Berenson remembered back to 1962 when his Michigan team played in the NCAA tournament in Utica, N.Y., and the fact that though his team traveled there by train, Berenson himself never made it back.

    “The day after the tournament, I turned professional and I signed with Montreal,” Berenson reminisced. “Montreal was actually at the tournament and drove me to Boston where I signed a pro contract that night.

    “That was a great thrill for me, because they used to tell the players back then that if you go to college, then you’ll never be a pro.”

    Michigan State coach Ron Mason immediately asked Berenson what his signing bonus was. Red’s response?

    “I told them I wanted $20,000 over two years, any way they wanted to pay me. And they said, ‘That’s ridiculous. We’ve never paid anybody that much.

    “I told them that’s what I wanted and then they gave it to me. I thought, ‘I’ve pulled a good one here.'”

    BC’s Jerry York couldn’t help joking in return.

    “Did you have to split much of that with your agent,” York said to a room full of laughing media .

    Enjoying the Growth

    Reminiscing certainly didn’t end with Berenson. All four coaches talked about their own tournament experience, but more importantly, where the tournament has come since its inception in 1948.

    York talked about 1965’s tournament, held at Brown University.

    “The seating capacity [at Brown] was under 3,000, and we were all so excited that [the tournament] was sold out,” said York. “Now they say 15,000 is the [minimum] seating capacity, so that tells us all a lot about where the tournament has gone.

    “We’re lucky to have ESPN televise all of these [Frozen Four] games. It would be nice to have them pick up a game of the month next year.”

    North Dakota’s Dean Blais likened his experience to that of basketball.

    “We’d like to have the same exposure as the tournament does in basketball. I think it’s getting there. But the coaching body, in general is patient with the coverage. It was good last year in Providence [where North Dakota won the national championship] and it’s good this year in Albany.”

    Mason talked of his days playing at St. Lawrence, noting back then, the new experiences that players found were a lot different from today.

    “I got on an airplane here in Albany to fly to Denver in 1961 and we were flying on a prop plane,” said Mason. “It was the first time I’d ever flown, so that’s how far back I go.”

    Attracting a (Small) Crowd

    The practice sessions at the Frozen Four are nowhere near as glamorous as the ones enjoyed by the men’s basketball Final Four.

    In basketball, thousands of fans pack the arena for a look at the teams. Bands are invited to play. It’s almost like a game atmosphere.

    In hockey, though, it’s just a practice. Plain and simple.

    Boston College took the ice for its 60-minute session just before 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, and roughly 50 people were in the 17,500-seat arena. That’s a generous figure considering a number of them were staff members doing final preparations.

    No band, no frills; just the ice time.

    Well, a band was there. Part of one, at least.

    A handful of members of the North Dakota band sat at the end of the lower level and watched BC practice.

    “We were walking through the downtown and we thought we’d stop in and check them out, see what they’re looking like today,” said Tammy Mulske, an alto sax player decked out in a black Sioux jersey.

    Some scouting, maybe?

    “No, just for ourselves,” she said.

    Berenson said he’s always a bit leery about the practice the day before a Frozen Four game.

    “We’ve been in this event a number of times and I can’t remember us having a good practice the day before the game,” Berenson said. “It scares you because you don’t know what you’re going to get the next day, whether they’re nervous or too relaxed.

    “I think there will be a lot of nerves out there, especially early in the games. Hopefully it doesn’t cost anybody.”

    The Usual Questions

    It’s a question Boston College coach Jerry York said he gets a lot.

    Three straight years at the Frozen Four and he’s 0-for-3 in that time in getting a national championship. Is there any more pressure the fourth time to win the school’s first NCAA hockey title since 1949?

    “I guess the alternative is to stay home and not get here,” York quipped.

    Repeat Redux

    Blais has a vivid memory of the last time a team repeated as NCAA hockey champion. He was on the short end of one of Boston University’s back-to-back titles in 1971 and 1972.

    Blais was an all-tournament selection in 1971, when his Minnesota team lost to BU in the championship game.

    A team looking for back-to-back titles has become a theme at the Frozen Four. North Dakota knocked off then-defending champ Maine last season, and Michigan State has the chance to unseat the title-holder this year.

    Room to Roam

    An odd quirk about Albany’s Pepsi Arena, site of the Frozen Four, is the depth of the player benches and penalty boxes.

    At most arenas, those areas go roughly 6 to 8 feet deep. In Albany, though, the space is noticeably larger, probably 10 to 12 feet. It’s another approximately 6 feet from the back of the bench to the start of the seats, elevated above the players.

    What exactly, you may be asking, are the coaches planning to do with that space?

    Well, spread out a little.

    “Too often the hockey benches are too darn small,” Mason said. “This is perfect.”

    Mason also noted the area behind the bench is elevated, so the coaches have an easier time seeing past standing players.

    “The benches that are tough are the ones in which you’re down at the same level as the players,” he said.

    Rate the Ice

    The Pepsi Arena ice surface, only a few days old and therefore brimming with fresh lines and crisp logos, didn’t seem like new ice, the coaches said.

    Any wear and tear noticeable at the end of Wednesday’s practice session can be chalked up to plenty of use in a short time, Mason said.

    “When you get four teams skating back to back like that, obviously the third and fourth teams are probably going to experience tougher ice,” he said. “It didn’t seem like brand new ice.”

    About That Band

    The UND band came to Albany on the school’s charter, but they had to do some legwork to pull it off.

    Mulske said the band needed to raise $16,500 to send the group to the Frozen Four. Through radio donations, the group raised $18,000.

    But, no, there will be no $1,500 party on the Sioux band. It still has to pay off trips to the WCHA Final Five and NCAA East Regional and buy some new uniforms.

    Another Frustrating End

    It’s been Miller Time all season at Michigan State. The sophomore All-Everything goaltender has deservedly captured the limelight, leading the Spartans to the number-one ranking that they’ve held since Thanksgiving.

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    Keeping the puck out of the net goes a long way in establishing a 33-4-4 record, but you have to score goals as well, and the often-overlooked MSU offense came into the first national semifinal Thursday ranked a decent 20th in the nation, contributing to the Spartans having the widest scoring margin in Division I.

    “They talk about us being a defensive team; we’re a little better offensively than people give us credit for,” said head coach Ron Mason on Wednesday.

    Thursday, however, offense was nowhere to be found in the first period of Michigan State’s semifinal against North Dakota. Shots on goal were 15-3 Sioux at one point in the first stanza, and ended 17-7 with the Spartans on the short end of a 2-0 score after one.

    Mason

    Mason

    “We could never really get it going,” said Michigan State head coach Ron Mason. “Playing from behind is hard against a good team, and North Dakota has an excellent defense.”

    The Sioux defense, led by sophomore Travis Roche, made that early cushion stand up, and netminder Karl Goehring stopped all 30 shots he faced for his second straight 2-0 NCAA semifinal win.

    Mason was more pragmatic about his team’s scoring ability after the loss than he had been on Wednesday.

    “Our offense has been questionable all year,” he said. “We have to score on the good chances that we get, and we didn’t do that.”

    For the Spartans, seeded first in this year’s field, it was another frustrating trip to the NCAA tournament, which they have failed to win in their last 12 tries. This was MSU’s eighth straight trip to the nationals, and in each case it hasn’t managed to reach the championship game.

    The key, according to Mason and his players, was the early hole they dug for themselves, combined with the team’s inability to get the one goal that might have turned things around.

    “Our kids were nervous in the first period,” Mason said. “There was less pressure on North Dakota. They’ve been here, they’ve won the title, they know how to play.”

    A reason for the slow start might have been MSU’s recent inactivity. The Spartans had played only one game — a 4-1 win over Wisconsin on March 25 — since the CCHA championship game back on March 17.

    “We haven’t played a game in two weeks, so I thought our defense would move the puck better after the first period, and we did when we got it going,” said Mason.

    But the damage had already been done.

    “One game [recently] against a team that didn’t challenge us very much in our own zone hurt us.”

    One goal, especially an early answer to the pair scored by the Sioux might have made a difference in how the second and third period played out.

    We played terrible in the first period … the worst we’ve played all season.

    — MSU forward Rustyn Dolyny, on the 2-0 loss to North Dakota

    “I think that if we had gotten a goal, maybe it would have been a different game, but that didn’t happen,” said senior captain Rustyn Dolyny. “I would have liked to see us get one past them to maybe put them on their heels.”

    “We would have liked to see what a goal would have done for us,” echoed Mason.

    But the first period seemed to set the tone for the rest of game, and the Spartans never could crawl back into it.

    “We played terrible in the first period,” said Dolyny. “The worst we’ve played all season.”

    “We had a game like this against Northern Michigan [a 3-2 loss on February 2] where we couldn’t get anything going, and we lost that one too,” Mason said.

    So for the sixth straight time, the high seed in the tournament failed to bring home title. Mason and his players tried to make the best of it.

    “It’s tough to end with a loss, but nothing can take away from what this team accomplished. This group overachieved on a consistent basis,” said Mason.

    Dolyny echoed his coach’s comments.

    “Like Coach said, it’s tough to end with a loss,” he said. Time will help with what has happened. It’s been a great four years.”

    Mancini Denies Interest in Lowell Coaching Job

    Bob Mancini, recently mentioned as a candidate for the UMass-Lowell coaching position vacated by Tim Whitehead, denied interest in the job Thursday.

    “I was asked to call the [athletic director] … and I did,” said Mancini. “We talked about it. He asked me if I was interested to send a resume. I didn’t.

    “I’m not interested, and I’ve never been a candidate.”

    Mancini, currently a scout with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, coached at Michigan Tech and with the U.S. Developmental Program.

    The Other Goaltender

    The goalie at one end of the ice had earned just about every possible accolade this year: CCHA Player of the Year, CCHA best goaltender, CCHA Tournament Most Valuable Player, All-CCHA Tournament Team, All-CCHA first team and Hobey Baker Award finalist.

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    As just a sophomore, he’d set an NCAA career shutout mark with 18, 10 coming this season. And if all those achievements weren’t enough for Michigan State’s Ryan Miller, he was named a first team West All-American earlier in the day.

    Goehring

    Goehring

    At the other end of the ice, North Dakota’s Karl Goehring could count his honors this season on two fingers. The WCHA named him Student-Athlete of the Year and also selected him to the All-Academic team. The marketing major, a former high school valedictorian, could certainly match neurons with anyone.

    And arguably, that’s college athletics at its finest. But when you reach the Frozen Four, you might care more about purely athletic performance and trade a classroom wizard for a cementhead who takes Basketweaving I and II just to stay academically eligible. Just as long as the cementhead wows you on the ice.

    Unfortunately, Goehring didn’t wow observers sufficiently this year to earn a single purely athletic honor after posting many in past seasons.

    As a freshman in 1997-98, he’d been named a Second-Team All-American, All-WCHA First Team, WCHA Rookie of the Year and WCHA Goaltending titleholder. As a sophomore, he was on the All-WCHA second team. Last year, he took honors as a first-team West All-American, All-WCHA first team, WCHA goaltending titleholder and a member of the Frozen Four All-Tournament team while leading the Fighting Sioux to the national championship.

    This year, however, the awards dried up. For the first time in his career, he failed to earn a spot on one of the WCHA’s three all-star teams. His goals against average rose to 2.46, the highest figure of his North Dakota tenure. After a save percentage of .927 in 1999-2000, he fell to .915 this year. Andy Kollar, with whom he shared time between the pipes, posted a superior record, 13-2-3, to Goehring’s 15-5-6.

    Of course, as “off years” go, those statistics were hardly reason for Goehring to hang his head in shame. But it still wasn’t up to his usual standards.

    “It’s tough to go to school and do what he’s done for four years and expect him to be an All-American each year at that position,” said North Dakota coach Dean Blais. “He didn’t have the banner year.”

    It got to the point where after the first month and a half of the season, Goehring, one of the team’s captains, took the C off his jersey.

    “He thought he was putting too much pressure on himself by trying to be a captain and a leader,” said Blais. “He wasn’t having a great year so he said, ‘Hey, I’ll take the C off and see if it helps.’

    “He’s still our captain. He just doesn’t wear the emblem.”

    It didn’t help that the Sioux weren’t playing consistently great defense either, putting Goehring and Kollar on the spot by allowing too many odd-man rushes.

    “The last month and a half we felt that we had to tighten up the defense a little bit and try to not give up anything offensively,” said Blais. “It’s playoff time. It’s time to tighten it up.”

    Which is exactly what the Sioux did against Colorado College in the East Regional to get to the Frozen Four and exactly what they did to Michigan State to advance to Saturday’s national championship game. North Dakota dominated a first period in which it owned a 15-3 shot advantage and a 2-0 lead by the time the game was 15:32 old.

    Goehring hadn’t had to do a whole lot at that point. The defense, led by All-American Travis Roche, had been near-flawless. The forwards, who collectively are on-ice examples of the slogan “Speed Kills,” outraced the Spartans to one loose puck after another, making defense easy by keeping the puck in the Michigan State end for long stretches while also backchecking with authority.

    "He didn’t want to get into a goaltending battle with Ryan Miller … but in the back of his mind, Karl is a real competitor."

    — UND coach Dean Blais

    However, those games are often fraught with danger for goaltenders who lose their sharpness while the action is all in the other end.

    “What makes Karl good is he’s focusing wherever the puck is on the ice,” said Blais. “A lot of goaltenders focus in the defensive zone. They’ll set up [there], but if you watch [Karl], even when the puck is in the offensive zone, he’ll be out on his angles. He’s always squared up. That’s what makes him good, his focus and his concentration.”

    That stood Goehring in good stead when Michigan State went on the power play near the end of the first. A goal here would not only put the Spartans within striking range after a disastrous period, but would provide a huge change in momentum.

    With 0.3 seconds left on the clock, Goehring stoned Troy Ferguson at the doorstep to keep North Dakota firmly in charge.

    Goehring continued to come up big when challenged, especially in the third period, when Michigan State generated its best chances. A save at the 11:40 mark off a scramble in front got the Sioux faithful to their feet chanting the goaltender’s name. When he made a sprawling save 0.7 seconds left away from his 15th career shutout, the chant began again.

    It was a sweet moment for the senior, one that banished any aftertaste of a merely ordinary regular season. What was the difference?

    “It’s the playoffs,” said Blais with a knowing grin.

    As for the personal duel with Miller, the All-Everything goaltender this season, Goehring downplayed its importance.

    “I took the standpoint of trying to contribute what I could to my team and not worry about a personal battle with Ryan Miller,” said Goehring. “He played a great game and kept his team in it. I was focused on our team.”

    His coach, however, isn’t so sure that the matchup wasn’t a factor at all.

    “He didn’t want to get into a goaltending battle with Ryan Miller,” said Blais, “but in the back of his mind, Karl is a real competitor. We’ve seen that in the last month especially. He didn’t have the All-American or Hobey Baker type year, but he’s broken almost every record at North Dakota for goaltending.”

    And as much as this year’s goaltending picture has been Miller Time, Saturday night just might be Goehring Time. He led North Dakota to a national title last year, shutting out Maine in a remarkably similar semifinal game, and will almost certainly be a force when the Sioux look to win the first back-to-back national titles since Boston University in 1971-72.

    “I’m just thrilled to death to be going back to the championship,” said Goehring.

    North Dakota’s opponent, whether it’s Michigan or Boston College, may not be quite so happy to see him.

    The Tradition

    The 2000-2001 hockey season for the University of Michigan can’t be classified as being too bad. A 27-12-5 record and a number-three seed in the NCAA tournament would make the average coach quite happy.

    Listen Live - pre-game show

    But understand something here — we’re talking about Michigan.

    The Wolverines are a college hockey power, which could still be the understatement of the night. So nothing short of success from the day the puck drops with September practices will make these players happy.

    Berenson

    Berenson

    “Our team had a lot of goals this year,” said Michigan coach Red Berenson. “We wanted to win the [Great Lakes Invitational], our league and the playoff championship.”

    The Wolverines, unfortunately for them, won none of those.

    But the second season wasn’t lost, and Berenson took note. Victories over Mercyhurst and St. Cloud in the West Regional gave Michigan a visit to the NCAA Frozen Four for the 19th time in school history, their first since capturing the title in 1998.

    “I think our team really refocused in the playoffs and made the most of the end of the season,” Berenson said. “That’s the part of the year where people remember you the most, and I think our team gave it absolutely everything they had.”

    Sadly, though, again for Michigan — everything just wasn’t enough. A 4-2 loss on Thursday to Boston College, the team that Michigan beat in 1998 to win the national title, ended the Wolverines’ impressive run in a game that was a microcosm of the season.

    Michigan, according to Berenson, was a bit inconsistent all year, and that certainly was the case Thursday. A slow start put the Wolverines in a 3-0 hole against the potent Eagles — and although Michigan battled back to 3-2 on goals by sophomores John Shouneyia and Mike Cammalleri — much like the season, Michigan fell just short.

    “The team was ready to play and had done all the right things [to get ready],” said Berenson. “We weren’t just happy to be here. We were really intent on upsetting Boston College and getting into that championship game.

    “We knew BC would be off to a fast start. We had a poor first shift and that kind of translated into a couple of shifts and eventually a goal against our first line, and then two power-play goals.

    “But the emotion was great. It wasn’t the same team that played two months ago when we were struggling. We had a lot of life and jump, and there was no quit, obviously. We needed good goaltending and we had that goaltending. We needed to put our chances in and it didn’t happen.”

    Berenson showed his appreciation for his club’s character — that was clear. But for the players, especially the senior class, it wasn’t about happiness.

    No, sir, it was about pride.

    Langfeld

    Langfeld

    “I’m proud to be a part of this [senior] class,” said Josh Langfeld, fighting back tears. “We worked really hard. Everyone had counted us out earlier in the year and a lot of people counted us out along the way.

    “But we handled the adversity great. I think we showed up in the last part of the season to lead this group of guys. I hope they’ve learned from it and [the seniors] have earned a lot of respect.”

    “We got behind the eight ball a little bit, giving up three goals,” said Langfeld’s classmate Geoff Koch. “We tried to get back in the game, but that’s the way sports are sometimes.”

    Six seniors skated Thursday for the Wolverines; all will be lost next season. Those six players accounted for 183 points this year, and include two career 100-point scorers in Langfeld and Mark Kosick.

    “Our seniors are a big factor in our team, and they could have been a big factor tonight,” said Berenson. “They had the puck … and had some quality chances.

    “It will be a big turnover year for our team, losing eight seniors.”

    But losing seniors won’t be the only concern for Berenson.

    “There’s always the possibility of losing another one of your top underclassmen [to the pros]. We lost Mike Comrie last year. He was our leading scorer, and probably would have been again this year, too.

    “But we’ve got a big freshman class coming in and that will be fun for the coaches. It’ll change the team a lot, but we’ve got some solid players coming back.”

    The departing seniors were instrumental to the program, but Langfeld showed that something left behind will make this team continue to set high goals.

    “Tonight’s game showed a lot about the character on our team,” said Langfeld, who proved how difficult it will be to remove the Michigan jersey from his back, wearing it to the press conference more than 30 minutes after the game’s end. “It showed a lot about the friendships we’ve made. There isn’t a guy who wouldn’t go through the wall for another guy. It’s the most closely-knit group of guys I’ve ever played with.

    “Tonight our team battled back and we showed a lot of character. But that’s part of being a Michigan Wolverine. I’m proud to be sitting here wearing this jersey.”

    2001 Frozen Four Preview

    The possibilities are limitless.

    No, let’s try that again. The possibilities are very, very limited.

    Only four teams remain in a race which began with almost 60 — four teams still with a shot at the NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey championship, to be decided April 5 and 7 in Albany, N.Y. The suspects include:

  • The winningest team in the nation, No. 1 in the polls for virtually the entire year.
  • A four-time returnee to the Frozen Four, looking to end a half-century championship drought.
  • The most decorated program in NCAA history, gunning to extend its own record to 10 titles.
  • And — oh yeah — the defending national champions.
  • In case you’ve been living in a cave all season long, those teams are Michigan State, Boston College, Michigan and North Dakota, respectively. All four come stocked with some of the nation’s premier talent, including Hobey Baker finalists in MSU’s Ryan Miller, UND’s Jeff Panzer, BC’s Brian Gionta and Michigan’s Andy Hilbert. Each coach has been to the summit before, and each team’s fans expect a celebration this time around.

    To quote legendary boxing referee Mills Lane, “Let’s get it on.”

    Listen to live pre-game shows

    East No. 2 North Dakota (28-7-9) vs. West No. 1 Michigan State (33-4-4)
    Thursday, April 5, 1:30 p.m. ET, Albany, N.Y.

    (USCHO pre-game show coverage at Noon ET)

    Michigan State

    Entering this year’s Frozen Four with the best record in men’s Division I ice hockey, the Spartans remain an enigma.

    To many observers, goaltender and Hobey Baker finalist Ryan Miller (.950 SV%, 1.31 GAA) is the only trick in this one-pony show. People who say that Miller is the only reason for Michigan State’s success this year — in lieu of standout frontmen such as a Mike York or a Shawn Horcoff — see only one aspect of the Spartan game.

    Then there are those who say that Miller doesn’t deserve all the credit for his goaltending numbers, arguing that the team in front of him makes his job easier, implying that the guy has to make little effort between the pipes.

    It’s like the old Hindu fable about the elephant and the five blind men. Each man touches a part of the elephant, and each comes away with a drastically different description of the beast.

    American poet John Godfrey Saxe summed it all up like this:

    And so these men of Indostan
    Disputed loud and long,
    Each in his own opinion
    Exceeding stiff and strong,
    Though each was partly in the right,
    And all were in the wrong!

    Yes, Michigan State has an amazing goaltender who makes his own job look easy. And, yes, the Spartans play well as a team in front of Miller. As Wisconsin head coach Jeff Sauer said, “They don’t have the best players — but they have the best team.”

    "They don’t have the best players — but they have the best team."

    — Wisconsin head coach Jeff Sauer, on Michigan State

    “Our team this year was the most consistent team in many a year,” says Ron Mason, MSU head coach. “We’ve had some great teams here at Michigan State University, but this one set the record for [fewest] losses in school history.”

    And other than Miller, can the casual college hockey fan name another standout Spartan? Difficult to do, now that Horcoff, York, Sean Berens, Mike Weaver, and their like have departed.

    As Mason has been fond of saying all season, this Spartan team does everything except play the net by committee.

    No one player has put up stunning offensive numbers for MSU this season. Rustyn Dolyny (13-26–39) leads the team in scoring, followed by Brian Maloney (15-22–37), Adam Hall (18-12–30), and John Nail (20-8–28).

    Miller and freshman center Tim Hearon are the only Spartans who have played in 30 games who have not tallied a point.

    Defensively, the Spartans have some emerging superstars. Brad Fast (4-24–28, +21), John-Michael Liles (7-18–25, +18), and Andrew Hutchinson (5-19–24, +18) are three of the best non-household names in the business.

    It can be argued, in fact, that their excellence works against the Spartans. After guiding his team through a season that saw just four losses, Ron Mason wasn’t even considered for the league’s Coach of the Year award, and therefore not considered for the Penrose. Many people dismiss Miller’s Hobey Baker chances because of the squad in front of him, and other players on the team have been overlooked in glaring ways.

    Hutchinson was named the CCHA’s Best Defensive Defenseman for the 2000-2001 season, yet didn’t make the league’s First Team. An even bigger slight was thrown John Nail’s way. The senior was named the league’s Best Defensive Forward, but wasn’t even an honorable mention for All-League Team honors.

    Mason says that his team this season has “been able to focus on the moment better than any team I’ve had in years.” Maybe that’s the reason why even Miller has been able to dismiss the hype and simply play the game.

    “He’s pretty level-headed,” says Mason of Miller, who has fielded instant celebrity with the grace befitting one much older than his 20 years. “He’s gone through a lot this year, especially the one week when he tied the all-time shutout record.”

    Mason attributes Miller’s poise to the sophomore’s background. “He comes from a hockey family that goes all the way back to his grandpa.”

    As for the attributing all of Miller’s success to the team in front of the netminder, Mason says, “This year, there’s no question about it; we’ve left Miller out to dry on several occasions.”

    Unlike years past, when Michigan State was defense and only defense, says Mason, “We play a much more balanced attack. He kept us in it many times early in the season. If he was on any team he’d be putting up those numbers.”

    Getting to the Frozen Four isn’t easy for any team, but the Spartans made it look like a cakewalk. Michigan State won both the CCHA regular-season title and the playoff championship, becoming the first team to do so since — themselves, in 1998.

    After dispensing with their own league, the Spartans rested a day in Grand Rapids before beating Wisconsin 5-1 to advance to Albany.

    In spite of the Michigan State’s businesslike efficiency and consistent results, the Spartans are not taking North Dakota lightly.

    “We know how good the Panzer line is,” says Mason. “I’m not sure we can expect to stop them, but maybe try to control them.”

    Control is the name of the game for Michigan State, a team that has outscored opponents 134-55 this season, dispelling the myth that the Spartans can only defend. Sure, MSU wins close games, but Michigan State also won 16 games by three or more goals.

    What it boils down to, says Mason, is a combination of teamwork and talent, and a squad of unpretentious players. Mason’s take on the Spartans’ game against the Sioux says it all:

    “I think it’s going to be a fun game for us, because we haven’t played each other in a while.”

    North Dakota

    Yes, the coach of the defending national champion can honestly say he’s surprised his team is back to try to defend the title.

    Most others aren’t.

    North Dakota didn’t exactly coast into the Frozen Four. The WCHA playoffs were full of pitfalls for the Sioux, but they were always a threat to be one of the last four teams standing.

    Panzer

    Panzer

    Now that they’re back in the Frozen Four, they’re not expecting to be surprised by much. When you’ve been in college hockey’s biggest spotlight three of the last five years, you know what’s ahead.

    “There’s something to be said about returning to the Frozen Four,” North Dakota coach Dean Blais said. “Our guys aren’t going to be intimidated. Everyone’s physically prepared at this time of the year; I think we’ll be mentally prepared. I don’t think we’re going to be intimidated by playing Michigan, Michigan State or Boston College.”

    Jeff Panzer, the center of the highly touted Sioux top line and the nation’s leader in points with 81, said knowing what’s ahead is a big advantage over players who may not.

    “Last year, everything was kind of new and we didn’t really know what to expect when we got down there,” he said. “This year, the guys kind of know what’s going to be expected and what’s going to go on. There’s going to be no hidden stuff because a lot of us walked in there wondering what’s going to happen.

    “It makes you concentrate on the game and not so much all of the other stuff that goes with it.”

    This season, much like the last, hasn’t always been stellar for the Sioux. They won only two of their first seven games, but still rebounded to claim the MacNaughton Cup, symbol of the WCHA regular-season title, for the fourth time in five years.

    A year ago, North Dakota saw Wisconsin claim that prize, and it sparked the Sioux’s national title run. They could be using a pair of playoff losses this season as another motivator.

    Minnesota-Duluth stunned them by winning the first game in a best-of-three, WCHA first-round series in Grand Forks, N.D. The Sioux won the next two games to advance to the Final Five, only to go down 5-2 to St. Cloud State late in the championship game.

    The Sioux pulled off an incredible comeback, scoring three times in the last six minutes of the third period to tie the game, but lost in overtime.

    It’s a North Dakota trademark to be sparked by a loss. It worked enough to get the Sioux to the Frozen Four. They beat Colorado College 4-1 in Worcester, Mass., to advance to Albany.

    Panzer assisted on all four of his team’s goals — two by linemate Ryan Bayda and two by linemate Bryan Lundbohm — in the quarterfinal. Like it has been for every Sioux opponent, Michigan State’s challenge in the national semifinal on Thursday afternoon will be to keep the Panzer line off the scoreboard.

    It would then be up to the rest of the Sioux’s forwards to make things happen.

    “They have to think about how they’re going to shut down Jeff Panzer’s line,” Blais said, “which might free up some other line to do well.” Against Michigan State’s vaunted defense, North Dakota will have to play its transition game to perfection to get its chances.

    It’s no secret the best UND chances are created in the neutral zone, and against a solid defense, the Sioux will have to make the most of anything they can create in transition.

    “That’s what we’ve set ourselves on doing: the transition game, moving the puck and moving our feet,” Panzer said. “Obviously, that’s going to play a huge part of it if we’re going to be successful. If we let them shut us down and play their type of game, it’s probably not going to be the best for us.”

    Panzer also warned against trying to change styles to combat Michigan State goaltender Ryan Miller. In the battle between the nation’s highest-scoring forward and its stingiest netminder, Panzer said he and his teammates will have to stick with what got them here.

    “One thing you can’t do is worry about them too much,” Panzer said. “You have to stick to your game and worry about your game. Obviously, we’re not going to change our game plan around or do anything different because that wouldn’t be us. We have to play our game, which is a speed game, and get shots on net.”

    Blais said his hope is that his team will get 30 shots on net.

    And if Miller stops them all?

    “If he can stop all 30, he deserves it,” Blais said. “Our thing is we’re going to be a team of patience and not panic. We’re going to still try to continue to generate offense. Even when there’s nothing there, we’ll try to have enough creative players to sometimes make an offensive play out of nothing.”

    The key is that North Dakota has the players who can turn a harmless rush into a scoring chance. Its talent level may not be as high as some years when the team didn’t even reach the Frozen Four, but the Sioux have taken the talent they have and used it to the maximum.

    Even last season, when the Sioux defeated Maine and Boston College in the Frozen Four, Scott Sandelin, then a Sioux assistant and now the Minnesota-Duluth coach, knew they talent stockpile was elsewhere.

    “We weren’t the most talented team; Boston College was,” Sandelin said. “But at the time we were playing pretty well as a team. Sometimes those things carry a lot farther than having the talent.”

    West No. 3 Michigan (27-12-5) vs. East No. 1 Boston College (31-8-2)
    Thursday, April 5, 7:30 p.m. ET, Albany, N.Y.

    (USCHO pre-game show coverage at 6 p.m. ET)

    Boston College

    The Boston College Eagles return to the Frozen Four for the fourth straight season, hoping that this is the year they bring home the title. In an interesting twist, they may get a chance to avenge their losses in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

    In 1998, they lost to Michigan in the championship game, 3-2 in overtime. The Eagles face the Wolverines on Thursday night. In 1999, BC lost in the semifinal game to eventual winner Maine, 2-1, again in overtime. Boston College defeated the Black Bears, 3-1, in the East Regional to advance to the Frozen Four. Last year, BC lost to North Dakota in the title game, 4-2.

    Clemmensen

    Clemmensen

    If those two teams win in the semifinals on Thursday, it will give the Eagles an opportunity to win the title in a most satisfying fashion. None of which matters a whole lot to BC coach Jerry York.

    “I don’t think that redemption or payback really figure in the present,” he says. We’ve got to be involved with this year’s team.”

    Without question, it isn’t going to be any easier for Boston College to win it this time than it has the last three years.

    “When you look at the field we have going into Albany, it’s probably the strongest field that I’ve been involved with in the four years at BC,” says York. “One of my assistants mentioned that if you took the won-loss record in the last four years of all the teams in the country, we might have the top four going into Albany. It’s certainly a marquee field.”

    Coincidentally, three of the four teams met in a Frozen Four Prequel, the Great Lakes Invitational, between Christmas and New Year’s Day. BC lost to Michigan State, 4-1, but defeated Michigan, 8-5. None of the coaches are putting a whole lot of stock in those results, however, given their timing right after the holiday layoff and the fact that BC’s J.D. Forrest and Michigan’s Mike Komisarek, Andy Hilbert and Mike Cammalleri were all away at the World Junior Tournament.

    “It was a funny game,” says York of the win over the Wolverines. Not only were the four players missing from the lineup, but “it wasn’t for a championship. It was a consolation game.”

    The matchup with the Wolverines is an interesting one. While the other bracket features a game of contrasts — North Dakota’s high-powered offense vs. Michigan State’s suffocating defense — Boston College and Michigan are two like-minded teams. Both led their leagues in scoring while still ranking second in keeping the puck out of their own net.

    “To be successful in college hockey, you have to have a good offense and also a good defense,” says York. “There needs to be a balance among them. I think we both pay attention to both areas of the game.

    “[Michigan coach Red Berenson’s] team skates very well. That’s always been our goal, to recruit skaters who can get up and down the ice very quickly. There are a lot of similarities, but with a lot of these teams, when you get out of your league and advance past the regional, the similarity means you’ve got good players on your team.”

    Berenson, for his part, notes some key differences, despite those similarities.

    “I think Jerry’s top scorers are more experienced than ours,” says Berenson. “When you look at a player like [Brian] Gionta, for example, he’s a senior and one of the top players in the country. Our top scorers are sophomores.

    “His defense is a little more experienced than our defense and his goalie is a little more experienced than our goalie.

    “I like the depth that their team has. [When] we played during the Christmas break and we had a few players missing, you could see that their team was deeper at just about every position.”

    Arguably, that depth is the one often-overlooked ingredient that distinguishes this year’s BC team from previous editions. In the title game against North Dakota last season, the Eagles led 2-1 going into the third period, but had leaned heavily on the top lines and defensemen. The Fighting Sioux’s stronger depth, by contrast, allowed them to seize control of the third period and win in impressive fashion.

    However, that depth advantage may tip in BC’s favor this year. Going into the postseason, that X-factor prompted York to note, “Our depth has been very good for us. That’s helped us an awful lot. We play six defensemen on a fairly regular basis. Our fourth line plays more than it’s ever played.”

    While one could argue that of the two strong offenses, BC’s is the more explosive, the deciding advantage could be the experience factor that Berenson mentioned. Even though the Eagles have gotten enormous contributions from their freshman class and such stellar sophomores as Krys Kolanos, it’s still the seniors who lead this team: Gionta and Mike Lephart up front, Bobby Allen and Rob Scuderi on defense and goaltender Scott Clemmensen.

    “Our players generally have the benefit of that [experience and poise],” says York. “In ’98 at the [Frozen Four], Brian Gionta and Scott Clemmensen were freshmen and were kind of awed by the whole thing. As we’ve continued on our [four-year] run here, they’ve gotten more experience and more poise. The more you’re in big games, the easier it is to really look at what is the most important thing and that’s to stay focused and stay on track.”

    It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Clemmensen, in particular, step to the fore. He was instrumental in keeping the BC-Maine game scoreless through two periods. He is much improved from the goaltender that Michigan beat in 1998.

    “I hope he does become the Marty Turco of ’98,” says York with a laugh, in response to a question about the Michigan netminder who was the difference that year. “He’s a big strong kid. He’s a competitive kid and I think he’s come miles from his freshman year when he was asked to play almost every one of our games. … We’re all hoping to rally around him.”

    One thing seems certain. The BC-Michigan contest won’t be played close-to-the-vest with both teams in a chess match subtly probing for weaknesses. It should be an up-tempo fan’s delight.

    “At this stage, we’re trying to go after things and not sit back and wait for other [teams’] mistakes,” says York. “We’re going to try to win a hockey game. Skating is our game. We’ll go after it, whether we have the puck or not. You have to skate to play defense, too.”

    Berenson agrees.

    “When we played in ’98, both teams played to win that game right through the overtime,” he says. “I think you’ll see a lot of scoring chances at both ends. No matter how much defense you play, there’s enough offensive skill on the ice and there’s enough pressure in that game, that I think you’ll see both teams going all out and trying to score.

    “That’s what you saw in ’98 and you’ll see it again [this year]. Jerry York’s teams play to win and we do, too. I think you’ll see a great game.”

    Picks: BC 4-2 over Michigan. Michigan State 2-1 over North Dakota. BC 2-1 over Michigan State.

    Thanks to Eugene G. Bernardo II for his assistance.

    Michigan

    Examine the improbable journey of Michigan’s senior class. Sure, this is the fifth time in the past seven years that the Wolverines have participated in the Frozen Four, so on the surface the accomplishment seems like business as usual.

    But it’s those two years during which Michigan didn’t advance to the Promised Land that make this year’s Wolverine story so interesting. Those two years were the sophomore and junior seasons of this team’s senior class, a class that (with a little help from a good supporting cast) won the 1998 national championship as freshmen.

    What a long, strange trip it’s been.

    Cammalleri

    Cammalleri

    In 1998, the last year the Wolverines won the title, they were underdogs in their own building during the West Regional. After beating Princeton 2-1, Michigan had the daunting task of facing North Dakota, the defending national champion. The Wolverines trailed the entire game until Bobby Hayes put them ahead in the third.

    Then in Boston, they blanked the New Hampshire Wildcats 4-0 before beating the heavily favored Eagles of Boston College 3-2 in overtime for the national title. Freshman Mark Kosick had two goals in the win, and classmate Josh Langfeld had the game-winner.

    The following two years, Michigan managed just one inspired performance in NCAA postseason play, in the 1999 East Regionals. After watching Denver beat the snot out of his Wolverines for 27:44 in a first-round game, Michigan head coach Red Berenson called time out, and the Maize and Blue returned to the ice a team possessed. Trailing 3-0 in the middle of the third, the Wolverines posted five unanswered goals to beat Denver and advance to a quarterfinal match against New Hampshire.

    Darren Haydar ended Michigan’s 1999 season the following day, when he took a pass from Jason Krog 3:16 into overtime, giving the Wildcats a 2-1 win.

    Last year, the Wolverines beat Colgate in overtime in East Regional play on Mar. 25 before losing badly to Maine the next day, a 5-2 decision in which Michigan allowed four unanswered third-period goals.

    So after 1998, what happened? According to one senior, Scott Matzka, success may have been a little too easy back than.

    “Given our freshman year, we kind of took it for granted, didn’t realize how hard it is to get back,” said Matzka, who said that beating St. Cloud to advance to this year’s Frozen Four was “one of the best feelings I’ve had in my four years here.”

    Berenson doesn’t shy away from the truth regarding this senior class. “Our senior class, they’ve had their moments this season,” said Berenson after the St. Cloud win, adding, “but you can see why they won in ’98.”

    And at the West Regional in Grand Rapids, Mich., you could see why they won in 1998. After having to work especially hard to beat a tenacious Mercyhurst team in their first game, the Wolverine bench cleared as players celebrated the win — really celebrated, smiling as though it were Christmas morning.

    Then after getting by St. Cloud, the Wolverines reacted as though they won the Stanley Cup, piling on top of goaltender Josh Blackburn and betraying an emotion their fans haven’t seen in a long time.

    Apparently, winning is no longer treated as business as usual by Michigan, a true step forward for this team. And these Wolverines earn bonus points for remembering how to feel.

    “I think emotionally, they’ve made more of an investment in the team in the last week than they had earlier in the season,” said Berenson after the regional.

    In other words, they’re playing like a team for the first time this season, and that’s dangerous for anyone at the other end of the ice.

    “People have questioned us throughout the season,” Matzka told USCHO.com WCHA correspondent Todd D. Milewski after the St. Cloud win, “and it’s a great feeling to get back to the final four.”

    Of course, getting back to the Frozen Four creates a near-mythic matchup for Michigan, a meeting with Boston College, the team Michigan beat 3-2 in overtime for the national championship in 1998, and a squad that punished the then-lackluster Wolverines in this year’s Great Lakes Invitational consolation game by the score of 8-5.

    Berenson is 3-3-0 against Boston College, 1-1-0 with current coach Jerry York at their helm.

    On paper, everything points to a Boston College win. BC holds the edge in goals per game (4.10 to Michigan’s 3.75), goals allowed (2.29 to 2.41), power-play percentage (.215 to .208), penalty-kill efficiency (.902 to .835) — and of course BC spends fewer minutes in the box (17.44 to 21.68) than the Wolverines, but who doesn’t?

    Then there are wins and losses to consider. The Wolverines (27-12-5, 16-9-3 CCHA) registered more losses this season than in each of the three previous, while the Eagles have dropped just eight games all season.

    “We’re probably the one school who should really appreciate being here,” says Berenson, “since we were the one school who upset a bye team.”

    Consider, too, that this is Boston College’s fourth straight trip to the Frozen Four, and these BC seniors may be especially motivated to vanquish the team that kept them from realizing a dream of their own in 1998.

    On paper and in fact, the Wolverines have a very tough task ahead of them, but after displaying genuine emotion and team unity in Grand Rapids, perhaps they realize this for the first time since 1998. If the same Michigan team shows up in Albany, watch for seniors Mark Kosick (14-17–31), Josh Langfeld (16-11–27), Matzka (9-18–27), Geoff Koch (10-16–26), Bill Trainor (3-9–12), and Dave Huntzicker (0-4–4) to give it absolutely, positively — and maybe finally — everything they’ve got.

    MacDonald Interviews with Lowell

    Niagara’s Blaise MacDonald visited UMass-Lowell on Monday to interview for the head coaching position opened by the departure last month of Tim Whitehead.

    MacDonald

    MacDonald

    Speaking to reporters Monday evening at Buffalo Niagara International Airport upon his return, MacDonald said his interest in the Lowell job is heightened by Niagara’s status as a member of College Hockey America.

    “Getting into a major conference … we [Niagara] just need a break and I don’t know if that’s going to come, and that’s a concern of mine,” said MacDonald. “But other than that, I think Niagara’s done a terrific job at showing a lot of class, integrity, and vision.”

    Last fall Niagara, along with Canisius, explored the possibility of moving to the ECAC.

    MacDonald said the high profile of the program, highlighted by last year’s upset of New Hampshire in the NCAAs, has led to other opportunities for him, “not so much as for my coaching ability as because I’m part of a first-class organization.”

    MacDonald is scheduled to meet with Niagara officials today.

    Prior to his five seasons as head coach at Niagara, MacDonald was an assistant at Lowell, Princeton, Dartmouth, and Boston University.

    MacDonald was a finalist for the Lowell position in 1996 before Whitehead was named to replace Bruce Crowder. Niagara refused to allow MacDonald, who had just been hired to start the Purple Eagles’ program, out of his contract.

    Lowell would be a homecoming for MacDonald, who grew up in nearby Billerica, Mass.

    Heatley Leaves for NHL, Signs with Atlanta

    Wisconsin sophomore forward Dany Heatley, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, has signed a three-year deal with the Atlanta Thrashers. The signing was announced today at Turner Field to coincide with the Atlanta Braves’ baseball home opener against the New York Mets. The Braves and Thrashers are each owned by AOL Time Warner.

    Today’s announcement confirmed college hockey’s worst-kept secret. Since the beginning of the season, across-the-board speculation assumed that this would be Heatley’s last year at Wisconsin.

    Heatley

    Heatley

    Heatley, 20, was reportedly set to sign with Atlanta a couple of weeks ago, which would have given him a chance to get some games under his belt, but squabbling over bonus money — which is not capped by the NHL’s rookie limit — stalled the negotiations.

    The rookie salary cap allows a maximum of $1.075 million annually for a 2000 first-round pick. But, Calgary radio station CHQR, citing sources close to Heatley’s family, says he could earn up to $11 million with bonuses.

    Heatley, a Hobey Baker Award finalist, led the Badgers with 57 points in 39 games this season, nearly doubling his next-highest teammate. Heatley was named WCHA Rookie of the Year and Second Team All-American when he led Wisconsin with 28 goals in just 38 games last season.

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    Atlanta general manager Don Waddell, a former player at Northern Michigan, was quoted in Atlanta newspapers saying that Heatley would not dress for the remaining three Thrashers games. Had he signed earlier, he said, they would have wanted Heatley to get acclimated with some NHL games. Instead, he will just meet the team, and perhaps travel to the team’s two remaining road games.

    The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Heatley was a part of history at the 2000 Draft, when he and Boston University goalie Ricky DiPietro were taken 1-2, marking the first time collegiate players were selected with the top two picks. He is one of three Badgers to be a first-round NHL Draft pick, joining Patrick Flatley (1982, New York Islanders) and David Tanabe (1999, Carolina).

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