March 29, 2006
NCAA Tournament
Frozen Four Capsules | Second Semifinal
Thurs., April 6 • Milwaukee, Wis. • 8 p.m. ET • ESPN2

First Semifinal Capsules

MAINE BLACK BEARS | East Regional Champion

Location: Orono, Maine
Record: 28-11-2 (17-8-2 Hockey East, second)
Qualified: At-large
NCAA Championships: Two (1993, 1999)
NCAA Appearance: 16th (most recent, 2005)
Frozen Four Appearance: 10th (most recent, 2004)
Head Coach: Tim Whitehead
Key Players: Greg Moore, Sr., F (41 GP, 28-16—44); Josh Soares, Jr., F (41 GP, 15-25—40); Michel Léveillé, Sr., F (36 GP, 15-24—39); Ben Bishop, Fr., G (21-7-2, 2.22 GAA, .908)

What You Need to Know: When you look at the big picture, it’s less puzzling that Maine is in the Frozen Four and more puzzling that they were seeded as low as they were. The Black Bears went into last weekend’s East Regional with a better overall record than Michigan State and were among the top five teams nationally in penalty-killing (first), scoring defense (third), and power play (fifth). They only lost back-to-back games twice on the season and enter the Frozen Four on a 14-2-2 run.

Gamebreaker: Hobey Baker finalist Greg Moore has a gamebreaker’s numbers – his 28 goals are second only to Chris Collins (31) among players making the trip to Milwaukee. But what sets him apart is his overall game. Moore was the runner-up for Hockey East’s Best Defensive Forward award, and he’d make a perfect checking-line winger, if only he weren’t so doggone skilled. He’s a big reason for Maine’s success with a player in the penalty box on either side.

Achilles Heel: For a team that is as complete as Maine, it's hard to find a weakness. We'll give credit to freshman goaltender Ben Bishop for being one of the best in the nation, and he's spent all year dispelling those who said Maine's weakness was in goal with the loss of Jimmy Howard to the pros. Still, a freshman goalie at the Frozen Four is at least a bit of an unknown. Bishop is also prone to giving up a soft goal. His whiff on a shot by Michigan State's Jim McKenzie late in the second period on Sunday gave the Spartans life.

Overachiever: Senior John Hopson left a three-year career at Alaska Anchorage to transfer to Maine for the opportunity to play with his younger brother Keenan. John is what you would expect from a third-liner. He brings a strong work ethic and chips in a point every two games. Those qualities made him an assistant captain for the Seawolves. He played more like a Hobey Baker finalist in the NCAA Regionals, scoring three goals in two games.

Secret Weapon: Maine’s strength in recent seasons has been goaltending, behind Howard, which makes it natural to discount its offense beyond Moore’s gaudy numbers. But depth up front has been critical all season, as Hopson demonstrated last weekend. Nine players have 18 or more points, and eight have at least seven goals. Junior Josh Soares and seniors Derek Damon and Jon Jankus are three dangerous forwards to watch.

Speed: Maine’s lineup is filled, top to bottom, with good skaters. While the defensemen are quick on their feet, it’s the forwards who seem to never stop moving, whether forechecking, backchecking or working in the offensive and defensive zones. Moore is probably the best of the speed-burners, a big reason why his overall game is so strong.

Skill: A crafty forward who collected his 100th career point (in three seasons) in the first round of the Hockey East playoffs, Michel Léveillé centers Maine’s first line between Soares and Moore and is the Black Bears’ most skilled player. Second only to Soares in assists (24), Léveillé, the distributor on the power play, is a better passer than a shooter, although he’s got 15 goals as well. It’s no coincidence that Maine lost two of the five games he missed this season.

Grit: To steal a favorite word of coaches, Maine “competes” all over the ice. In fact, one of the most compelling factors in this semifinal figures to be the battles along the boards, since both Maine and Wisconsin thrive in those situations. Maine gets the bulk of its physical presence from players like forward Rob Bellamy and defesemen Matt Duffy, Travis Wight and Travis Ramsey, but everyone in the lineup has the strength to take the puck out of the corners.

Most Recent Maine Line Chart
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing	Notes
18-J. Soares	11-M. Léveillé	15-G. Moore	Maine will roll four lines throughout, with the fourth line providing the biggest physical presence.
14-B. Ryan	28-D. Damon	12-K. Johnson
22-M. Hamilton	13-K. Hopson	17-J. Hopson
29-B. Shepheard	23-J. Jankus	16-R. Bellamy
Defense	Defense	Goalies
2-Mike Lundin	5-T. Wright	30-B. Bishop	Duffy, an all-regional pick, has shown his offensive skill in the postseason.
4-S. Mullin	21-M. Duffy	31-Matt Lundin
44-B. Tyler	27-T. Ramsey	40. R. Shelley

WISCONSIN BADGERS | Midwest Regional Champion

Location: Madison, Wis.
Record: 28-10-3 (17-8-3 WCHA, tied for second)
Qualified: At-large bid
NCAA Championships: Five (1973, 1977, 1981, 1983, 1990)
NCAA Appearance: 21st (most recent, 2005)
Head Coach: Mike Eaves
Key Players: Joe Pavelski, F, So. (41 GP, 23-30—53); Robbie Earl, F, Jr. (40 GP, 21-25—46); Brian Elliott, G, Jr. (25-5-3, 1.55, .938); Tom Gilbert, D, Sr. (41 GP, 11-19—30)

What You Need to Know: Goaltender Brian Elliott, who has five shutouts in eight March starts and a total of eight this year, needs one more whitewash to join former Cornell backstop Dave LeNeveu in a tie for fourth place on the NCAA's list of shutouts in a single season. His goaltending has keyed the Badgers' run and, combined with their near-home ice advantage in Milwaukee, makes them at least a slight favorite in the Frozen Four.

Gamebreaker: Every time Robbie Earl gets the puck on the wing with speed and a little bit of room, a buzz circulates through the crowd. Although Earl has highlight-reel skills, his linemate, Joe Pavelski, is the straw that stirs the Badgers' drink. He's equal parts gritty and pretty – in Saturday's Midwest Regional first-round match, he fended off a Bemidji State defender to swat a bouncing rebound past goalie Layne Sedevie for the Badgers' first goal and gave Bucky a 2-0 edge on a sublime solo face-off play. His work on the Wisconsin penalty kill is also exemplary.

Achilles Heel: The one area the Badgers are at a decided disadvantage is experience. The juniors and seniors on the Boston College and Maine rosters made a trip to the Frozen Four in 2004, while North Dakota advanced to the title game in Columbus, Ohio, last year. Granted, Wisconsin has played in some big WCHA games, but they’ve never been involved in anything of this magnitude. Add the pressure of playing under the microscope as the tourney favorite in front of the home-state fans in Milwaukee, and the probability of the Badgers squeezing the sticks even tighter increases.

Overachiever: Junior forward Ross Carlson has amassed 67 points in 98 career games, quite a showing for someone whose route to Wisconsin was a circuitous one. A standout at East H.S. in Duluth, Minn., Carlson then spent three seasons in the USHL, playing 162 games in the junior ranks before joining the Badgers midway through the 2003-04 campaign. In 23 games as a freshman, he scored 19 points and added 29 points in 37 games last season. Carlson comes into the Frozen Four with 10 goals and 11 assists in 37 games.

Secret Weapon: It’s no secret that defenseman Tom Gilbert is a terrific player who’s had an All American-caliber season. But until you see the smooth-skating senior play in person, it’s difficult to grasp how skilled he is and every facet of the game. His offensive skills are well documented; he’s a calm presence at the point with a heavy shot and a knack for knowing when to pinch and when to stay back. His defensive skills are underappreciated, however. Gilbert uses his 6-foot-3 frame to pry opponents off the puck or staple them to the wall, and his long reach makes him an excellent poke-checker and allows him to spirit stray rebounds out of harm’s way.

Speed: Ask any pro scout about winger Robbie Earl and I’ll bet you dinner at the Prime Quarter in Madison that one of the first dozen words out of his mouth is “explosive.” The Los Angeles product has NHL wheels he’ll use to blast past a lumbering defenseman before cutting to the net for a scoring chance, and he’s always a threat to score a highlight-reel goal. The best way to slow him down is to play the body and ride him wide, a strategy Cornell used successfully in its Midwest Regional final loss to the Badgers in Green Bay.

Skill: Or should that read “Skille?” Pavelski may be the Badgers' top offensive threat, but freshman forward Jack Skille has the highest ceiling of anyone on the Wisconsin roster. The Madison native and Chicago Blackhawks' first-round pick in last year's NHL Entry Draft comes into the Frozen Four with 13 goals and 20 points in 39 games – not terrible numbers, but the 6-foot-1, 205-pound winger has the ability to score twice as many goals at the college level. A good skater with a great frame (see him in street clothes and he looks like he could easily add another 10-15 pounds), Skille has quick hands and a nose for the net.

Grit: One of the most enjoyable aspects of Wisconsin’s triple overtime win over Cornell in the Midwest Regional final in Green Bay was the play of the Badgers’ fourth line of Andy Brandt, A.J. Degenhardt and Nick Licari. Not only were they effective in keeping the puck in the Cornell end during their shifts, but they sparked their teammates and the Resch Center crowd by delivering big hits on Big Red skaters who outweighed them by 40 pounds. When the Wisconsin attack stagnates, this trio can pump the energy back into the Badgers with 45 seconds of blue-collar work ethic.

Most Recent Wisconsin Line Chart
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing	Notes
10-R. Earl	8-J. Pavelski	16-A. Burish	Don't be shocked to see as many as six different forwards log PK time. Joudrey plays point on the first power play unit.
11-J. Dowell	24-A. Joudrey	19-R. MacMurchy
27-R. Carlson	22-B. Street	12-J. Skille
31-N. Licari	21-A. Brandt	25-A.J. Degenhardt
Defense	Defense	Goalies
5-J. Likens	20-K. Klubertanz	1-B. Elliott	This defense may block more shots than anyone in the nation, and they're skilled at clearing rebounds.
6-J. Engel	14-T. Gilbert	35-S. Connelly
4-D. Drewiske	3-M. Olinger