Feature stories
Once Wisconsin qualified for the Frozen Four, the home-ice advantage was obvious. The Badgers would play for their fourth national championship in their home state. But some things have to be heard to be believed. Thursday evening, the crowd reverberated every time a Wisconsin player touched the puck. The compact Bradley Center shook when Brian … Read more
Thanks to a hat trick from senior Chris Collins and a pair of tallies from rookie defensemen, Boston College holds a 5-2 lead over North Dakota through two periods of play in the opening semifinal of the 2006 Frozen Four. Boston College pulled in front, 3-0, in the opening period despite being outshot, 12-5, in … Read more
Two second period goals, one coming on the power play and one on the shorthand, currently stand as the difference as Wisconsin leads Maine, 3-1, through 40 minutes of play in Thursday’s second semifinal of the 2006 Frozen Four. The opening period saw each team feel one another out for most of the frame, with … Read more
Chess matches happen all the time in hockey. Bench bosses Jerry York of Boston College and Dave Hakstol of North Dakota waged one during their NCAA semifinal on Thursday at the Bradley Center. In the end, BC won 6-5. Two pawns in this match were 6′-5″, 220-pound defenseman Matt Smaby of NoDak, and 6′-7″ 240-pound … Read more
It was a question for the Fighting Sioux all year: Could a team with such a young defense survive the season? Everyone in Milwaukee knew the answer to that question by the 18:08 mark of the first period in the first semifinal between Boston College and North Dakota. It was at that point that the … Read more
Although the Hobey Baker Memorial Award voting is already a done deal, Boston College’s Chris Collins staked himself to the “Hat Trick” with a semifinal hat trick of his own. Chris Collins shakes hands with Jordan Parise after Thursday’s semifinal. (photo: Melissa Wade) The announcement of the three final contestants for the Hobey raised eyebrows … Read more
All year long, the refrain about Boston College has been its ability to survive its four freshman defensemen. Conventional hockey wisdom says that blueliners have the toughest time making the transition to the next level; an abundance of rookies at the position is a recipe for disaster. For Boston College, its youth on the blue … Read more
Hockey is alive and well in the state of Maine. Despite the loss by the Black Bears to Wisconsin, the state of Maine is on the upswing. You can thank Derek Damon and Greg Moore for that. These two Maine natives have raised the bar for hockey in the state by their play in Orono. … Read more
Jordan Parise would probably like to forget the 2006 Frozen Four. After a stellar season, Parise had one of those games straight out of a goaltender’s nightmare on the largest stage in the sport. It wasn’t Jordan Parise’s day Thursday against Boston College (photo: Melissa Wade). The numbers spell disaster pretty quickly: three goals on … Read more
The postseason is a time for stars to shine, heroes to emerge and, unfortunately for some, careers to come to a close. When Wisconsin squares off against Maine Thursday in the Frozen Four, each team will boast a special senior class, one of which will see their collegiate careers stopped short of a national championship … Read more
It’s typical that the day before the Frozen Four starts, most of the players and coaches are still pretty loose, pretty relaxed, having a lot of fun. Mike Eaves oversees the Badgers’ Wednesday skate at the Bradley Center (photo: Melissa Wade). According to Wisconsin captain Adam Burish, that enjoyment is something that was part of … Read more
No one in the Maine camp is unaware of the task that lies ahead as the Black Bears face off against Wisconsin on what will feel like enemy ice. Maine, though, is no stranger to playing big games as a “road” team on allegedly “neutral” ice. In fact, this is the fifth year in a … Read more
Appearances Can Be Misleading North Dakota is a team of seeming paradoxes. With more freshmen than any other team in the Frozen Four, the Sioux are the only team making a return appearance to try for the national title. And while there are 13 rookies on the Sioux squad, North Dakota faces the youngest team … Read more
On the eve of their NCAA semifinal contest with North Dakota, the Boston College Eagles are looking to the time-honored trio of goaltending, special teams and intangibles to get them past North Dakota and into the championship game. Key Factor No. 1: Goaltending “You’re never here unless you have a hot goaltender,” BC coach Jerry … Read more
Last year when the Fighting Sioux returned to North Dakota after losing the NCAA championship game, assistant coach Cary Eades remarked, “We didn’t win a championship, but we won a lot of respect.” For the second straight year, the Sioux are back in the Frozen Four with their sights set firmly on winning an eighth … Read more
The big, punishing, veteran defensemen who carried North Dakota to the Frozen Four in 2005 are long gone. According to some, the group replacing them is less physical, more finesse-oriented and too inexperienced to replace what UND lost last season. So if that’s the case, why is this year’s Sioux team giving up the exact … Read more
Wisconsin vs. Maine Thursday, 7 p.m. CT, Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wis. For one team in the second semifinal Thursday in Milwaukee, it’s a chance to reclaim past glories. For the other, it’s a familiar experience. Wisconsin’s season can be parsed neatly into three pieces: an incredible run to the top of the polls, followed by … Read more
Boston College vs. North Dakota Thursday, 2 p.m. CT, Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wis. If the participants in the first semifinal Thursday in Milwaukee seem familiar, there’s a good reason. Boston College and North Dakota face off for the fifth time in eight years at the Bradley Center, and their contest will be a rematch of … Read more
CHA seniors are getting in on the pro act this season, with several signing minor-league deals. NHL-bound or not, Matt Mackinder says pro teams are taking notice.
Wisconsin is on its way to the Frozen Four after surviving three overtimes against Cornell. Matt Lewis sees how the instant classic brought out a different kind of game.