Ever drive 80 miles an hour on dangerously icy roads because you were worried that you’d miss the first drop of the puck in the Great Lakes Invitational? Ever risk losing your job to attend an NCAA Regional? How about attending the Beanpot on the same day as your wife’s grandmother’s funeral? Did you propose … Read more
As usual, interesting stories abound at the NCAA championship. First off, at the regionals, Hockey East backed up its claim as the nation’s toughest conference this year, placing three teams at the newly-nicknamed Frozen Four. Tourney champion Boston College, regular-season champion New Hampshire and returning power Maine make up the HEA contingent, joined by CCHA … Read more
It’s impossible to think of Mike York as someone who would intentionally hurt another person. The Michigan State senior forward — the CCHA’s Player of the Year and Best Defensive Forward, and a Hobey Baker finalist — is really just a soft-spoken guy from Waterford, Mich. “He’s kind of quiet and shy,” says Bob York, … Read more
Not that anyone asked, but here are a few things that put a smile on my face, along with some random ruminations. • For starters, how about Jill Martin singing the national anthem? The seventh-grader took her knock-’em-dead renditions from Merrimack to the FleetCenter for the Hockey East championships and won over the crowd in … Read more
St. Lawrence’s magical run to the NCAAs crumbled in a span of 42 seconds in Madison on Saturday. But when the smoke cleared, Joe Marsh knew he could speak of a year in which a reinvigorated program could look ahead to making its appearance a more regular occurrence. One that relies not upon magic, but … Read more
If you asked coaches what it takes to win a championship, many would tell you good goaltending, great special teams, and plenty of experience. For the University of Maine Black Bears, goaltending and special teams are part of their year-in and year-out plan. But this year’s club possesses only one player with NCAA tournament experience … Read more
If this year’s East Regional is the place for streaking teams — Clarkson, Denver, Michigan et al. — the West Regional might be deemed the home of the recently-disappointed. The top two seeds, North Dakota and Michigan State, won their conference regular seasons but lost playoff tournaments. Michigan State bowed out in the CCHA semifinals, … Read more
Did you know that when the Spartans beat the Wildcats last weekend, they made a little bit of NCAA history? Wait a minute, you say — wasn’t it the Wildcats who beat the Spartans 5-3 in the CCHA semifinals? Yes, but there were two sets of Spartans and Wildcats playing that weekend: one on ice, … Read more
The NCAA championship tournament opens up in Worcester, Mass., this year. The Centrum Centre hosts the East Regional, which features several intriguing matchups — as well as the intriguing nonappearance of one Eastern power. Boston College fans made their discontentment known on the Internet and elsewhere last weekend, as the Eagles were shipped West despite … Read more
Teams that reach the NCAA tournament almost always have their game-breaking stars: the top scorers, the all-league selections, perhaps even All-Americans. But sometimes in the march to a national title, the game-breakers get stymied and the unsung players get their chances to be heroes. While Maine’s stars were hardly stymied in its 4-2 win over … Read more
At its meetings in Chicago last week, the NCAA Championships Cabinet rejected a proposal to expand the NCAA men’s Division I championships from 12 teams to 16. The proposal, brought by the newly-formed MAAC, would have taken effect either next season or possibly for the 2000-01 tournament, and would probably have required a move to … Read more
U.S. College Hockey Online has learned that a forthcoming proposal from Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference sources will suggest expanding the NCAA men’s Division I championship tournament from its current 12 teams to 16. The NCAA Championship Cabinet is expected to take up the proposal in two weeks. If approved, a 16-team tournament featuring four regional … Read more
“I think we can win it.” Win what? Hockey East? Further than that? “Further than that.” — Brian Gionta, Oct. 17, 1997 On the face of it, Gionta’s prediction, made with a grin and a sparkle in the eye after the first game of the season, appeared so outlandish as to be laughable. Win it? … Read more
After losing to Michigan in their NCAA semifinal game, New Hampshire’s Mark Mowers said that Michigan had one of the toughest defensive teams his team had faced this season. He also mentioned Miami as a tough, grinding hockey club. But he and coach Dick Umile were quick to say that there’s little difference between East … Read more
On Saturday, the winningest goaltender in NCAA tournament history was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 1998 tournament at the FleetCenter in Boston. Michigan senior Marty Turco turned in a 28-save performance in a 3-2 overtime win over Boston College in the title game after making 19 saves to earn a shutout against New … Read more
In downtown Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall, in front of an adoring home crowd, Boston University senior center Chris Drury was named the 1998 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner. With 28 goals and 27 assists in his final collegiate year, the native of Trumbull, Conn., is the 18th recipient of the award given annually to college … Read more
Steward Raygor’s eyes welled with tears. Raygor, with four family members at his side, had just watched his son Erik accept the 1998 Hockey Humanitarian Award, presented to college hockey’s finest citizen, and the emotions hit him like a tidal wave. “This is, I believe, every father’s goal,” said Raygor, whose son recently finished his … Read more
If, a fortnight ago, you had asked a hundred fans which four teams would meet this weekend at the FleetCenter for college hockey’s glittering prize, about two might have gotten the list right — if even that many. The Eagles of Boston College stormed through the Hockey East playoffs to earn a bye, then collectively … Read more
For the edification and (equally likely) amusement of college hockey fans everywhere, the USCHO staff predicts the outcome of this year’s championship. Mike Machnik, Staff Analyst The Wolverines and Wildcats are on emotional highs after big wins last week, and both clubs have good special teams. The edge goes to UNH with four of the … Read more
The Wolverines are in Boston this year, which shouldn’t surprise anyone, given that Michigan has made a college hockey Final Four appearance seven of the last eight seasons. But this year, Michigan has advanced without The Michigan Nine, the phenomenal class led by 1997 Hobey Baker winner, Brendan Morrison. Gone are Morrison, Botterill, Madden, Luhning … Read more