December
23, 2003
Great Lakes Invitational
Joe
Louis Arena • Detroit, Mich.
THE
FIELD
Saturday,
December 27
Boston
College vs. Michigan, 2:35 p.m. ET
Michigan State vs. Michigan Tech, 6:05 p.m. ET
Sunday,
December 28
Third-Place Game, 12:35 p.m. ET
Championship, 4:05 p.m. ET
LAST
YEAR
Boston University scored three third-period goals and withstood a furious Michigan rally to earn a 5-4 championship game victory. The Terrier triumph marked the first time in GLI history that two non-Michigan teams won titles in consecutive seasons. North Dakota claimed the 2001 GLI championship.
INTERESTING
HISTORICAL FACT
Michigan, Michigan Tech and Michigan State – the three cornerstones of the Great Lakes Invitational – agreed to a five-year extension with Olympia Entertainment, which owns and operates Joe Louis Arena, ensuring their participation in the event through 2008. The three schools have combined to win 29 of 38 GLI titles.
WHO
TO WATCH
Hockey fans in the Mitten State don’t know how lucky they are. They had an opportunity to take in Boston College when the Eagles opened the season at the Ice Breaker Tournament in East Lansing, and now Jerry York’s bunch returns to the GLI after a brief three-year absence. Two-thirds of the nation’s most dynamic scoring line will be on the ice for BC – Ben Eaves and Tony Voce will be without Patrick Eaves, who’s spending the holidays with the U.S. team at the World Junior Championship in Finland. But you already know Ben Eaves is good. Keep an eye on Ryan Shannon, who Voce says has been the team’s best player thus far, and gigantic freshman Brian Boyle, off to a terrific start.
 |
| Chris
Conner and linemate Colin Murphy are tied for third in the nation in goals per game (0.81). |
Speaking of dynamic scoring lines, Michigan Tech rolls out the Run DMC line of Taggart Desmet, Colin Murphy and Chris Conner. They started strong out of the gate, but their production has tailed off during the last 4-6 weeks as opponents began to concentrate on stopping them. They get a break – sort of – in their opening-round game as the Huskies take on a Michigan State team missing its top defenseman (Corey Potter) and goaltender (Dominic Vicari), both of which are attending the WJC. Still, fans will be in for a treat if Rick Comley decides to counter the Run DMC trio with his power line of Jim Slater, Mike Lalonde and Tom Goebel.
Michigan, which hasn’t won a GLI title since 1996, faces a tough challenge not only because they draw Boston College in the first round, but the underachieving Wolverines will be without the services of goaltender Alvaro Montoya and defenseman Matt Hunwick – both members of the U.S. team – and forward Jeff Tambellini, who earned a spot on Canada’s entry in the WJC. Can a member of the team’s sizable junior class – specifically Eric Nystrom or Jason Ryznar – exhibit the leadership that U-M has sorely lacked so far this season?
HOW
WE SEE IT
It’s hard to envision a scenario in which Boston College doesn’t win this tournament. The Eagles have great depth up front, boast a solid defensive corps led by J.D. Forrest and the underrated Andrew Alberts and their special teams play is top notch. Their Achilles heel, if they have one, would be goaltender Matti Kaltiainen, who owns a sparkling 1.90 GAA and a shaky .895 save percentage.
That being said, goaltending isn’t exactly the strong suit of the other three teams in the tournament. MSU netminder Matt Migliaccio is experienced but has developed the tendency lately to give up soft goals. Michigan, meanwhile, must fill the void left by Montoya, who’s started every game for the Wolverines since he arrived on campus in the fall of 2002. Noah Ruden, he of the 21 minutes of action this season, gets the nod. Then there’s Tech’s duo of Cam Ellsworth and Bryce Luker, who rank 69th and 72nd, respectively, in goals-against average among NCAA goalies who’ve played enough minutes to qualify for the national statistical rankings. Don’t blame the defense – the two rank 68th and 73rd in save percentage. BC is the heavy favorite in the GLI unless Kaltiainen completely breaks down ... and even that may not be enough.
