Feature stories
Letting bygones be bygones. That’s Robbie Bina’s approach this weekend, as he roots on his teammates in the NCAA Frozen Four. The North Dakota sophomore defenseman saw his season come to an end last month when he was hit from behind by Denver freshman Geoff Paukovich during the WCHA Final Five semifinals. Robbie Bina watches … Read more
It’s not just four WCHA teams in the Frozen Four: it’s a pair of rivalry games in the semifinals Thursday.
It’s been more than two decades coming, but the Frozen Four finally has gone back to school. This weekend’s tournament will be the first since 1983 to be played on a college campus, as Ohio State hosts the annual event at Value City Arena. Don’t, though, go blaming your local college or university for not … Read more
At first glance, Columbus, Ohio, doesn’t appear to be the 15th largest city in the United States. Well, at second glance, it doesn’t either — unless you know where to look. In the 15 years that I have lived here, Columbus has become a very livable city, a mix of small-town and cosmopolitan, where you … Read more
A very different team produced a familiar result for Denver, which has a shot at a second straight NCAA title this weekend.
There’s an intriguing backstory accompanying each of the teams in this season’s historic Frozen Four. One team certainly wasn’t expected to get here. North Dakota, a team coming off extensive losses on offense, had to fight its way past Boston University and top overall seed Boston College in games played just a couple of hours … Read more
When the chips were down in the regional final, Mark Stuart led Colorado College out of the wilderness.
The Fighting Sioux are in the Frozen Four thanks in large part to their goaltending. Patrick C. Miller takes a look at the goaltending team that has led North Dakota to Columbus.
Barry Tallackson has shouldered the weight of expectations for four years at Minnesota. Will he repeat his regional heroics at the Frozen Four?
Never underestimate the power of inspiration. That’s what Robbie Bina’s Fighting Sioux teammates got from him just before they left for the NCAA East Regional playoffs in Worcester, Mass., last weekend. Five days after suffering a broken neck during the WCHA Final Five in St. Paul and two days after surgery to repair a shattered … Read more
When Colorado College completed a comeback from a three-goal deficit to win the Midwest Regional Saturday evening, a WCHA representative remarked that at least the league was guaranteed of having one team in the Frozen Four. Twenty-four hours later, the WCHA had taken the other three spots, too. Denver, North Dakota and Minnesota will join … Read more
In a game such as this, where it’s a one and done, a hot goaltender could make the difference. Bemidji State netminder Matt Clime had a great start in his team’s first-round NCAA tournament game against Denver last Saturday, the program’s first in Division I. Climie made several point-blank saves against the vaunted Denver arsenal. … Read more
Minnesota’s season began auspiciously. Despite the loss of several of its top players, including the early departures of Thomas Vanek and Keith Ballard to the pro ranks, the Gophers cruised through the first half of the season, racking up a 15-4-0 record and the nation’s No. 1 ranking at the Christmas break. Not bad for … Read more
There wasn’t much doubt that at least one of them would be going to Columbus, Ohio. The only questions were how many and which ones? Several Hockey East coaches expressed the hope that the four league teams selected to the NCAA tournament — Boston College, New Hampshire, Boston University and Maine — would be placed … Read more
Colorado College players wanted to celebrate early. Scott Owens waited until he heard the horn. After the Tigers sent the puck out of the zone one last time to seal a 4-3 victory over Michigan Saturday and a trip to the Frozen Four, the CC players started jumping up and down on the bench. Some … Read more
When North Dakota forwards Brandon Bochenski and Zach Parise went pro early after last season, fans of the Sioux had to wonder if the team’s offensive punch would leave town with them. After all, the two scored 50 of the team’s 182 goals last season. Throw in graduating senior David Lundbohm, who added 15 lamplighters, … Read more
Settling It On The Ice, Part II When Minnesota was awarded the fourth No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament last Sunday, it didn’t sit well with some, including Cornell supporters who questioned why the 14-loss Gophers should have that spot ahead of the Big Red, who lost just four games all season entering the … Read more
Moving Up The Ladder With Gabe Gauthier’s hat trick Sunday, he moved up to 111 points in his career, good for No. 59 in the Denver scoring list, leaving behind Anders Bjork, Paul Josephson, Marc Rousseau, Njorn Engstrom, Kelly Popadynetz, Cliff Koroll, Rich Preston, Mike Busniuk, Ken Williamson and Brian Konowalchuk at 109. Gauthier now … Read more
It’s a coach’s worst nightmare. You execute your game plan perfectly. You dominate your opponent at the game’s opening. And what do you have to show for it? Nada. Zilch. Zip. After a sluggish start Saturday for defending national champion Denver that resulted in the Pioneers needing overtime to get past underdog Bemidji State, the … Read more
If it’s your first day at a new job, you don’t want the boss walking into your office while you’re playing video games. If it’s your first night out with a dream date, you don’t want a sudden attack of gastric distress. And if you’re Boston College in the NCAA tournament, you don’t want to … Read more