April 5, 2005
The Dean's List by Jeff Sauer

As an alum, a former player and a coach at Colorado College, of course I'm excited for this week's Frozen Four. As a coach in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for 31 years, I take great pride in the fact the conference is the first ever to have four participants in the semifinals of the national championship tournament.

But as a guy who saw each team in the top 10 this year and an observer at the two NCAA Regionals in Massachusetts, I can tell you there were many good teams in college hockey this season. Boston College, Boston University, New Hampshire and Michigan all had good hockey clubs – good enough to be in Columbus, Ohio, this weekend.

But this year, Minnesota used the advantage of playing at home to beat two good teams and Denver, North Dakota and CC are playing their best hockey of the year right now, so the cycle of college hockey says the four best teams are from the WCHA.

It wasn't easy. CC had to come from behind in a Michigan rink to beat the Wolverines, one of the top programs in the country the last 15 years; Denver and North Dakota had to go East to beat good New Hampshire and Boston teams in their backyards; and Minnesota had to beat a traditional power in Maine and a fine team from Cornell. Each of these teams have earned their tickets to Columbus.

It makes for a great tournament.

Certainly the teams know each other well. I'm sure the coaches didn't have to watch much tape in preparation.

Here are some things to watch:

Even though there are four WCHA teams in Columbus, there are no WCHA referees. Watch how the game is called. That could be a big key since special teams are so important at this time of the year. The teams that can adjust to a different official, take advantage of an officials' style, convert on special teams or benefit from the bounce of puck will likely win.

This is a bit of a cliché, but I truly think you can make a case that any of these four teams can win the championship.

Denver is the defending champion with balance, good size and speed. They can play up-tempo. They can shut you down. They are smart and savvy. George Gwozdecky has coached in this situation before.

Colorado College has the great top-end guys, like Marty Sertich or Brett Sterling, who may hear their names called Friday as the Hobey Baker winner, and defenseman Mark Stuart.

North Dakota is playing its best hockey now. The Sioux are healthy and I
really like way they are playing. Their defense is big and tough and goalie Jordan Parise is at the top of his game.

Minnesota has a lot of guys who played on this stage before and that should help.

When DU and CC, the WCHA regular season co-champs, play Thursday afternoon in Columbus, it will be the third time in five weeks they have played with a lot on the line. Each time it has been the home team, so George has had the last change against Scott Owens and could get the line matchups he wanted. But because he has been in this situation before, Scotty, a former player and assistant coach of mine who has developed into a very good head coach, should be able to anticipate which players will be on the ice against his big guns and may well make an adjustment.

North Dakota will be in the same spot against Minnesota. Gophers head coach Don Lucia had the last change in the WCHA third-place game. It didn't help in a 4-2 loss to the Sioux. That game should give North Dakota's Dave Hakstol an idea what's coming.

I'm sure Minnesota and CC will want to play up-tempo games. Because of the smaller ice sheet, I don't think they will be able to execute and North Dakota and Denver should close them down.

Expect low scoring games and here's a scoop: whoever gets good goaltending will win.

I hesitate making a prediction, but being a CC guy, I think it might finally be their turn.

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