USCHO’s coverage from the Men’s Frozen Four.
TAMPA, Fla. — Here are the line charts for Thursday’s first national semifinal between Union and Ferris State: UNION (26-7-7) 15 Matt Hatch-19 Kelly Zajac-21 Wayne Simpson 9 Daniel Carr-27 Jeremy Welsh-7 Josh Jooris 16 Kevin Sullivan-12 Kyle Bodie-17 Daniel Ciampini 23 Cole Ikkala-18 Max Novak-11 Sam Coatta 22 Mat Bodie-28 Shawn Stuart 2 Nolan … Read more
TAMPA, Fla. — “Unless you’re Boston College, you don’t get here every year.” Minnesota coach Don Lucia was talking about his team’s joy at advancing to the Frozen Four and was stressing the importance of taking advantage of the opportunity when he paid his upcoming opponent the biggest of compliments. “Unless you’re Boston College,” he … Read more
TAMPA, Fla. — Union coach Rick Bennett talks about Jeremy Welsh and more after the team’s practice Wednesday at Tampa Bay Times Forum. [youtube_sc url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEPPxGUgLXM width=500]
TAMPA, Fla. — Plenty of ink has been spilled discussing Boston College’s 17-game winning streak. And deservedly so. It’s an impressive achievement. Arguably, though, winning streaks are the stuff of regular seasons; the playoffs are a different animal. “If one win streak ends in the regular season, then you can start another,” BC captain Tommy … Read more
TAMPA, Fla. — For starters, there are the uniforms: maroon and gold. The similarities, however, go much deeper. Boston College and Minnesota enjoy two of the richest traditions in college hockey, dating almost all the way to the Hobey Baker years. BC hockey began in 1917, Minnesota in 1921. Since then, the two teams have … Read more
TAMPA, Fla. — Video of opening remarks by Minnesota’s Don Lucia and Taylor Matson on Wednesday: [youtube_sc url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbf5LSUQRMU width=500]
TAMPA, Fla. — It’s currently almost 90 degrees outside the Tampa Bay Times Forum, a strange atmosphere to settle college hockey’s champion. But Minnesota coach Don Lucia thinks the change does the sport good. “It’s more of an event [now],” said Lucia. “I think it’s an event that cities want to bid on. So I … Read more
TAMPA, Fla. — Minnesota’s upcoming clash with Boston College features a pair of teams with 64 NCAA appearances between them. When asked if there was a rivalry between two of college hockey’s premier programs, Gophers coach Don Lucia replied: “I don’t know if there’s a rivalry but more respect. They have a style where they … Read more
TAMPA, Fla. — After missing the NCAA tournament for three seasons thanks to finishes of fifth, seventh and fifth in the WCHA, the pressure was certainly on coach Don Lucia and his team this season. Despite some calls for a coaching change, Lucia was granted a three-year contract extension over the summer. His team responded … Read more
TAMPA, Fla. — It’s fairly common practice for hockey players to quit shaving once they get to the playoffs. Ferris State players began growing theirs when they clinched the regular season CCHA title. They had nearly two weeks to let their whiskers bloom before playing Bowling Green in the second round of the league playoffs … Read more
TAMPA, Fla. — All four teams in this year’s Frozen Four have top-10 defenses. Union and Boston College are Nos. 1 and 2, Ferris State is tied for fifth and Minnesota is ninth. Three of the Frozen Four teams also have offenses among the top 10: No. 1 Minnesota (3.67 goals per game), No. 4 … Read more
[youtube_sc url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp7BhGwF9fU width=500] [youtube_sc url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds-m4I010Dc width=500] [youtube_sc url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIkfuUbQFhw width=500] [youtube_sc url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orpZh01vIas width=500]
TAMPA, Fla. — Some folks in the press are playing up the David-and-Goliath angle of the Ferris State-Union semifinal versus the Boston College-Minnesota game, even referring to the former as “junior varsity” as opposed to the alleged varsity game — the real game — between the Eagles and Golden Gophers. “I think that’s silly,” said … Read more
TAMPA, Fla. — Supporters and skeptics alike look at the Union Dutchmen as a great success … so far. Winning a widely marginalized league and playing largely local opponents will create that perception, it must be said. Such an image begs the question from all corners: How will Union fare … not if, but when … Read more
TAMPA, Fla. — Union had a great season last year: The Schenectady, N.Y., program won its first regular season title and advanced to its first NCAA tournament, to boot. But the truth finally came out a month ago, from junior Jeremy Welsh. “We can say it now, but it was huge,” Welsh said about making … Read more
One quick note on ticket sales for the Frozen Four: It stands to reason that purchases made on the secondary market have ties to the local area and the places that the competing teams come from, and it’s no different this year. According to statistics provided by StubHub.com, the most tickets sold for the Frozen … Read more
The NCAA just announced that tickets for the Thursday (two games) and Saturday (one game) sessions at the Frozen Four in Tampa, Fla., are on sale. Tickets cost $110 per day and can be purchased at www.ncaa.com/tickets, by calling 800-745-3000 or by visiting the ticket office at Tampa Bay Times Forum. On ticket resale website … Read more
Our Frozen Four coverage started as soon as the final horn sounded in Worcester, Mass., last Sunday, but it’s really going to ramp up starting on Monday. Here’s a sampling of what to expect from USCHO during Frozen Four week 2012: Team previews On Monday, we’ll roll out previews of the four teams in Tampa … Read more
North Dakota’s Brock Nelson, who left Thursday’s semifinal loss to Michigan on a stretcher after going into the boards back-first, has a fracture in his tail bone and an inguinal sprain, the Grand Forks Herald reported. That injury requires six to eight weeks of recovery time, the newspaper reported. Read more on the injury on … Read more
Here are videos with reaction from players to Minnesota-Duluth’s 3-2 overtime victory over Michigan in the national championship game. Minnesota-Duluth’s Kyle Schmidt: httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTv7_FFD4RI Minnesota-Duluth’s Justin Faulk: httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9tB1JrHl50 Minnesota-Duluth’s Jack Connolly: httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIaMgcAW_64 Michigan’s Greg Pateryn: httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyFs3zIyYbc Minnesota-Duluth players hold the trophy: httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJW57jjX9lU