March
21, 2004
NCAA Tournament
Midwest Regional Capsules | Grand Rapids, Mich.
Van
Andel Arena
Saturday, March 27
Noon EST:
No. 1 Minnesota vs. No. 4 Notre Dame
3:30 p.m.
EST: No. 2 Minnesota Duluth vs. No. 3 Michigan State
Sunday,
March 28
1 p.m. EST:
Regional Final
NO.
1 SEED MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS
Location:
Minneapolis, Minn.
Record: 26-13-3 (15-12-1 WCHA, fifth)
Qualified: WCHA Champion
NCAA Championships: Five (1974, 1976, 1979, 2002,
2003)
NCAA Appearance: 28th (most recent, 2003)
Head Coach: Don Lucia
Key Players: Keith Ballard, D, Jr. (11-24—35);
Thomas Vanek, F, So. (24-24—48); Troy Riddle, F, Sr. (23-25—48)
What You Need to Know: The two-time defending
champions stumbled out of the gate and finished fifth in the WCHA.
Everyone expected more from the Gophers, and they're starting
to show why expectations were so high. Their six-game winning
streak is one game shy of the longest in the nation (Harvard and
Maine, 7).
How They'll Advance: This veteran group knows
what it takes to have success in the NCAAs. Four lines can provide
offense, and goals are always difficult to come by at this time
of the year.
What Might Trip Them Up: If the Gophers are able
to get past Notre Dame, they'll face either Minnesota Duluth or
Michigan State. Duluth won four of five games against Minnesota
this year. The Spartans have some familiarity with the Gophers
from their annual College Hockey Showcase meetings.
| Most
Recent Minnesota Line Chart |
| Left
Wing |
Center |
Right
Wing |
Notes |
| G.
Potulny |
G.
Guyer |
D.
Irmen |
The
line of R. Potulny, Hirsch, and Tallackson is the
Gophers best defensive trio. |
| T.
Vanek |
M.
Koalska |
T.
Riddle |
| T.
Hirsch |
R.
Potulny |
B.
Tallackson |
| J.
Waibel |
J.
Fleming |
A.
Sertich |
| Defense |
Defense |
Goalies |
| K.
Ballard |
C.
Harrington |
K.
Briggs |
Surprisingly,
Briggs was named the MVP of the WCHA Final Five. |
| J.
Taylor |
J.
Stevens |
J.
Johnson |
| P.
Kennedy |
M.
Vannelli |
|
NO.
2 SEED MINNESOTA DULUTH BULLDOGS
Location:
Duluth, Minn.
Record: 26-12-4 (19-7-2 WCHA, second)
Qualified: At-large bid
NCAA Championships: None
NCAA Appearance: 5th (most recent, 1993)
Head Coach: Scott Sandelin
Key Players: Junior Lessard, F, Sr. (28-31—59);
Evan Schwabe, F, Jr. (17-34—51); Issac Reichmuth, G, So.
(21-8-4, .907, 2.72)
What You Need to Know: The Bulldogs were the
hottest team in the nation a month ago, going a school-record
14 games without a loss in January and February. Since the streak
was snapped on Feb. 27, they are 4-4-1.
How They'll Advance: Minnesota Duluth is possibly
the deepest offensive team in the nation, with three lines of
consistent scorers. The Bulldogs just missed the field of 16 last
season, just missed the WCHA regular season title this season,
and stumbled last weekend in the WCHA Final Five, just missing
a top seed in the NCAAs. To say this team is out to prove a point
in Grand Rapids is an understatement.
What Might Trip Them Up: Health concerns are
suddenly the buzz in the Twin Ports, as four of the Bulldogs’
top players missed all or part of the last game with a variety
of ailments. Also, Reichmuth has looked vulnerable in the playoffs,
allowing 17 goals in four starts.
| Most
Recent Minnesota Duluth Line Chart |
| Left
Wing |
Center |
Right
Wing |
Notes |
| J.
Williams |
E.
Schwabe |
J.
Lessard |
Tim
Stapleton, the team’s third-leading scorer, will be
back in the lineup versus Michigan State. |
| B.
Hammond |
B.
McGregor |
L.
Stauffacher |
| J.
Unklesbay |
T.J.
Caig |
N.
Anderson |
| M.
Peluso |
J.
McFarland |
J.
Miskovich |
| Defense |
Defense |
Goalies |
| R.
Swanson |
S.
Czech |
I.
Reichmuth |
Defensive
stalwart Tim Hambly may be healthy and playing by Saturday. |
| N.
Petruic |
T.
Smith |
J.
Johnson |
| J.
Hardwick |
B.
Geisler |
M.
Klein |
NO.
3 SEED MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS
Location:
East Lansing, Mich.
Record: 23-16-2 (17-9-2 CCHA, third)
Qualified: At-large
NCAA Championships: Two (1966, 1986)
NCAA Appearance: 23rd (most recent, 2002)
Head Coach: Rick Comley
Key Players: Jim Slater, F, Jr. (19-29—48),
Mike Lalonde, F, Jr. (22-18—40), A.J. Thelen, D, Fr. (11-18—29)
What You Need to Know: Michigan State’s
late charge – the Spartans are 8-2-1 since Feb. 1 –
allowed the team to narrowly escape missing the NCAA Tournament
in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1981, Ron Mason’s
second season as the head coach in East Lansing.
How They'll Advance: If the Mike Lalonde-Jim
Slater-Tom Goebel line generates – and finishes –
scoring opportunities, the Spartans are in great shape. The trio
sets the tone for the rest of the team whether they’re scoring
or delivering big hits. Freshman Dominic Vicari has had a fine
rookie campaign in goal for MSU, but he’s prone to the occasional
clunker. Spartan fans hope his loss to Northern Michigan in the
CCHA quarterfinal at Joe Louis Arena last week was his last for
the season.
What Might Trip Them Up: Shut down the Spartans’
top line and this team struggles mightily to score. MSU’s
defensive corps is talented, but they’re also capable of
making huge mistakes at inopportune times. Their collective decision-making
skills are suspect. Comley routinely calls out his team publicly
for a lack of effort, most recently following the 2-1 loss to
Northern Michigan in Detroit Thursday. Will the Spartans respond
with a sense of urgency this weekend when they couldn’t
do so last week?
| Most
Recent Michigan State Line Chart |
| Left
Wing |
Center |
Right
Wing |
Notes |
| M.
Lalonde |
J.
Slater |
T.
Goebel |
MSU’s
top line is responsible for 33% of the team’s points
and 41% of its goals. |
| B.
Radunske |
A.
Goldie |
D.
Booth |
| D.
Miller |
L.
Falardeau |
A.
Nightingale |
| K.
Estrada |
C.
Fretter |
T.
Howells |
| Defense |
Defense |
Goalies |
| E.
Graham |
C.
Potter |
D.
Vicari |
Thelen
celebrated his 18th birthday March 11. He’s the youngest
player in the Division I ranks. |
| A.J.
Thelen |
J.
Nightingale |
M.
Migliaccio |
| J.
Markusen |
C.
Snavely |
R.
Tocco |
NO.
4 SEED NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH
Location:
Notre Dame, Ind.
Record: 20-13-4 (14-11-3 CCHA, fifth)
Qualified: At-large
NCAA Championships: None
NCAA Appearance: First
Head Coach: Dave Poulin
Key Players: Rob Globke, F, Sr. (19-20—39),
Aaron Gill, F, Sr. (16-20—36), Brett Lebda, D, Sr. (6-18—24)
What You Need to Know: Coach Dave Poulin and
Minnesota coach Don Lucia were teammates at Notre Dame from 1978-81.
Poulin scored 196 career points for the Fighting Irish to Lucia’s
30. Lucia leads in NCAA championship rings, however, 2-0.
How They'll Advance: By winning an Eastern Conference-style
playoff game Poulin became familiar with as captain of the Philadelphia
Flyers. Notre Dame’s strengths are a veteran defensive corps
led by senior standouts Tom Galvin, Neil Komadoski and Brett Lebda,
a first-rate penalty kill, a classic power forward in senior Rob
Globke and a pair of goalies (freshman David Brown and junior
Morgan Cey) who are capable of stealing a game.
What Might Trip Them Up: The Fighting Irish want
no part of a shootout like last week’s 6-5 overtime affair
against Ohio State in the CCHA Super Six quarterfinals. They’re
a big, rugged team that is best suited to grind it out as opposed
to gassing up the firewagon. If Minnesota turns the opening-round
game into a free-wheeling affair, it could be a long night for
Notre Dame.
| Most
Recent Notre Dame Line Chart |
| Left
Wing |
Center |
Right
Wing |
Notes |
| M.
Walsh |
A.
Gill |
C.
McLean |
Nine
of Notre Dame’s top 12 forwards stand taller than 6-0,
and eight tip the scales at 188 pounds or more. |
| J.
Sciba |
J.
Paige |
R.
Globke |
| M.
Bartlett |
M.
Amado |
T.J.
Jindra |
| T.
Wallace |
B.
Wanchulak |
N.
Babin |
| Defense |
Defense |
Goalies |
| W.
O'Neill |
B.
Lebda |
D.
Brown |
Komadoski’s
dad played eight NHL seasons as a defenseman with Los Angeles
and St. Louis. |
| N.
Komadoski |
T.
Galvin |
M.
Cey |
| J.
Zurenko |
C.
Trick |
R.
Walsh |
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