Chris Lerch

We’re 30 minutes away from dropping the puck in Denver. Here are your lines for the final game of the 2007-2008 college hockey season: Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Visiting Team) Forwards: Thang–Ryan–Rankin Kissel–Deeth–Van Guilder (starting) Regan–Hanson–Minella Ridderwall–White–Guentzel Defense: Cole–Lawson Sheahan–Ruth (starting) Blatchford–VeNard Goal: Pearce Boston College Eagles (Home Team) Forwards: Gerbe–Gibbons–Smith Price–Bertram–Gannon (starting) Whitney–Greene–Ferriero Kucharski–Lombardi–Orpik … Read more

Everybody’s got an opinion about which players here in Denver will forego the remainder of their college careers and turn pro. I’ve been doing an informal survey of my fellow journalists and some coaches, as well as throwing in my own opinion. Here’s what I came up with: Gone: TJ Oshie (North Dakota) Andrew Kozek … Read more

The skills competition still needs some work, but it’s getting there. I wish there were more emphasis on the players themselves and less on trying to make sure the audience was having “fun”. People I talked to were there for the competition and not the promotions and comments from the various people with mics. My … Read more

No surprise that Keven Porter won the Hobey – he’s been the top choice for most of the season. But it would have been hard to fault the pick of the other two finalists. I can make a case for either Gerbe or Jones, as can most college hockey fans. The choice of Will Bruce … Read more

Friday was its usual mishmash of practices, events and awards. Some random observations: A nice turnout as usual at the team practices. Both teams looked loose. The question on most people’s minds was why every player on the Fighting Irish wears a “7” on the back of their practice jersey. Junior Luke Lucyk wore Number … Read more

Any time you pick an NCAA field, there’ll be complaining from teams and fans who disagree with the selections or the seedings. This year was no exception, as Wisconsin and Notre Dame, a couple of teams that struggled down the stretch, got invites based on the objective system used by the NCAA Ice Hockey Committee. … Read more

Notre Dame continues it magical ride with a 5-4 overtime win over favored Michigan. At 5:44 of overtime, Dan Venard’s shot was stopped by Hogan, but he left a big rebound for Calle Ridderwall, who beat the Michigan goaltender low-stick. The fourth line and third set of “D” come through for the Irish, who will … Read more

We’re going to overtime between Michigan and Notre Dame, tied 4-4. Shots on goal in regulation: 29-21 in favor of the Wolverines. Next goal wins.

After being held to just seven shots on goal over a period and a half, Notre Dame broke through with a nifty goal by Kevin Deeth, who took a neat feed from Dan Kissel and came in all alone on Hogan, beating him stick side. That made it 4-3 Irish. But with 5:21 to play, … Read more

Men on the ice for Note Dame resulted in a power play for the Wolverines, and Chad Kolarik batted a bouncing puck out of midair past Pearce to complete the comeback. We’re tied at three each.