March 23, 2008
NCAA Tournament
Northeast Regional Capsules | Worcester, Mass.

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DCU Center
Saturday, March 29

4 p.m. ET: No. 1 Miami vs. No. 4 Air Force

7:30 p.m. ET: No. 2 Boston College vs. No. 3 Minnesota

Sunday, March 30

4:30 p.m. ET: Regional Final

NO. 1 SEED MIAMI REDHAWKS

Location: Oxford, Ohio
Record: 32-7-1 (21-6-1 CCHA, second)
Qualified: At-large bid
NCAA Championships: None
NCAA Appearance: Sixth (most recent, 2007)
Head Coach: Enrico Blasi
Key Players: Ryan Jones, F, Sr. (40 GP, 30-17—37); Nathan Davis, F, Sr. (20 GP, 8-9—17); Jeff Zatkoff, G, Jr. (26-7-1, 1.67, .934); Alec Martinez, D, Jr. (40 GP, 9-21—30)
What You Need to Know: The RedHawks are the only team in the nation averaging better than four goals per game (4.08 gpg) and one of three teams in the country allowing fewer than two goals per game. Miami, which is giving up an average of 1.80 goals per game, is second to North Dakota in that category. The RedHawks also boast the nation's top penalty kill with an 89.6% success rate.
How They'll Advance: Despite the paltry number of goals allowed and a well-deserved reputation as one of the best team defenses anywhere, the RedHawks are at their best when they generate a ton of scoring chances, get an early lead, and keep opponents on their heels. They'll try to get traffic in front of the net, using forwards Ryan Jones and junior Brian Kaufman (both are 6-foot-2 or taller and 200-plus pounds) to act as screens for point shots. Miami is also dangerous in transition where pivots Nathan Davis and Carter Camper can utilize their speed and play-making skills in open space. On the blue line, the RedHawks, led by junior Alec Martinez, may have the best sextet in the nation. Whether or not they're scoring, goaltender Jeff Zatkoff gives Miami a chance to win every night.
What Might Trip Them Up: Could it be too much defense? The RedHawks are 6-6-0 this season when scoring two or fewer goals and 26-1-1 when they pot three or more pucks. If there's one flaw with this team, it's that there are times when they're a little too conservative. Sure, there's no question coach Enrico Blasi's systems work, but Miami is most dangerous when they jump out to an early lead and then put the opponents on lockdown, forcing mistakes, and turning them into odd-man rushes or prime scoring opportunities. The RedHawks can score in any situation, but not allowing them to create in transition certainly limits their explosiveness. And as good as Zatkoff is, there are occasions when he appears to be overly amped – the RedHawks' 4-2 loss to Michigan in February, when the senior allowed four first-period tallies, is a prime example.

Most Recent Miami Line Chart
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing	Notes
26-R. Jones	20-P. Cannone	15-B. Kaufman	Andy Miele, a freshman who joined the team midway through the season, has 14 points in 16 games.
7-A. Miele	17-N. Davis	19-J. Palmer
27-J. Vaive	22-N. Musitelli	28-B. Loupee
16-J. Mercier	11-C. Camper	9-T. Wingels
Defense	Defense	Goalies
25-M. Ganzak	14-V. LoVerde	37-J. Zatkoff	Mitch Ganzak is the only d-man in the tourney with 100-plus career points.
21-A. Martinez	24-K. Roeder	1-C. Effinger
18-R. Eichenlaub	4-B. Robbins

NO. 2 SEED BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES

Location: Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Record: 21-11-8 (11-9-7 Hockey East, fourth)
Qualified: Hockey East tournament champions
NCAA Championships: Two (1949, 2001)
NCAA Appearance: 28th (most recent, 2007)
Head Coach: Jerry York
Key Players: Nathan Gerbe, F, Jr. (39 GP, 28-29—57); Benn Ferriero, F, Jr. (40 GP, 16-22—38); Jon Muse, G, Fr. (21-11-8, 2.26, .919); Ben Smith, F, So. (40 GP, 21-22—43).
What You Need to Know: Junior forward Nathan Gerbe was the most valuable player in Hockey East, if not the country, and the Eagles rebounded from a five-game winless stretch late in the regular season to make another Hockey East tournament run.
How They’ll Advance: Gerbe needs to be involved on the score sheet. In BC's 11 losses, Gerbe managed to score a combined three points (one goal, two assists). He's the biggest game-changer in the country, and he can turn nothing into a scoring opportunity in the bat of an eye. Also, freshman goalie John Muse needs to remain as sharp as he was in the latter half of the semifinal win over UNH.
What Might Trip Them Up: Adding on the previous note, the Eagles only go as Gerbe goes. If he's shut down, they have trouble generating offense. Plus, Muse has been very susceptible high glove side, and every team in the tournament will know that. The BC defense needs to make sure he's got plenty of help.

Most Recent Boston College Line Chart
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing	Notes
25-M. Price	22-D. Bertram	13-P. Gannon	Whitney's 39 assists are 10 more than any other freshman in the nation has recorded.
9-N. Gerbe	17-B. Gibbons	12-B. Smith
15-J. Whitney	14-M. Greene	21-B. Ferriero
18-K. Kucharski	27-A. Orpik	24-M. Lombardi
Defense	Defense	Goalies
26-N. Petrecki	7-C. Sneep	1-J. Muse	Mike Brennan has never missed a game in his BC career.
2-A. Aiello	4-M. Brennan	30-A. Margolin
5-T. Filangeri	6-T. Kunes

NO. 3 SEED MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS

Location: Minneapolis, Minn.
Record: 19-16-9 (9-12-7 WCHA, seventh)
Qualified: At-large bid
NCAA Championships: Five (1974, 1976, 1979, 2002, 2003)
NCAA Appearance: 32nd (most recent, 2007)
Head Coach: Don Lucia
Key Players: Blake Wheeler, F, Jr. (43 GP, 15-19—34); Ben Gordon, F, Sr. (44 GP, 14-14—28); Derek Peltier, D, Sr. (44 GP, 4-16—20); Alex Kangas, G, Fr. (12-9-9, 1.92, .932)
What You Need to Know: The Worcester regional is one RIT appearance shy of repeating the Dodge Holiday Classic from earlier this season. In December, the Golden Gophers hosted Air Force and Boston College in Minneapolis, with the Eagles beating RIT for the tournament title. Minnesota beat BC in the title game of that tournament in 2002 – the only previous meeting between those teams in this decade.
How They'll Advance: Minnesota's Don Lucia is in solid possession of two qualities every coach wants at this time of year – inspiration and momentum. The inspiration comes from playing for injured forward Tom Pohl, who may accompany the team to Worcester just days after emergency surgery for a severe head injury suffered in the WCHA playoffs. And despite a one-goal loss to Denver in the WCHA Final Five title game, there's momentum to build on, as Minnesota enters the NCAAs on a 7-3-2 run.
What Might Trip Them Up: Minnesota has struggled all season to find consistent sources of offense. Blake Wheeler is the team's offensive leader and possesses size and skills that will make him a wealthy pro hockey player someday soon. But his ability to make eye-popping plays is balanced by the fact that he sometimes stumbles on the routine nuances of the game. Rookie goalie Alex Kangas has had an amazing playoff run, backstopping three overtime wins in the postseason, and deservedly winning Final Five MVP honors. Whether he has enough left in the tank to out-duel another pretty good rookie goalie from BC is a question.

Most Recent Minnesota Line Chart
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing	Notes
11-M. Hoeffel	16-M. Carman	26-J. Barriball	Tony Lucia is a San Jose draft property, whose AHL affiliate plays in Worcester.
13-B. Gordon	17-B. Wheeler	7-P. White
12-T. Lucia	19-E. Kaufmann	22-R. Flynn
24-M. Howe	25-D. Fisher	14-J. Bostrom
Defense	Defense	Goalies
5-D. Peltier	20-D. Fischer	33-A. Kangas	Peltier is the only senior on the Gopher blue line.
28-C. Fairchild	4-S. Bickel	1-J. Frazee
2-K. Wehrs	6-R.J. Anderson	35-B. Solei

NO. 4 SEED AIR FORCE FALCONS

Location: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Record: 21-11-6 (14-9-5 Atlantic Hockey, third)
Qualified: Atlantic Hockey tournament champions
NCAA Championships: None
NCAA Appearance: Second (most recent, 2007)
Head Coach: Frank Serratore
Key Players: Brent Olson, F, Jr. (38 GP, 18-20—38); Jeff Hajner, F, So. (38 GP, 15-22—37); Greg Flynn, D, Jr. (38 GP, 8-23—31); Andrew Volkening, G, Jr. (38 GP, 21-10-6, 2.08 GAA)
What You Need To Know: The Falcons joined Atlantic Hockey in 2006-07 and have won both playoff titles, first as a No. 4 seed and then as a No. 3. Air Force is solid on both ends of the ice, leading the league in scoring (3.37 per game) and ranking second on defense (2.32). The Falcons are one of the hottest teams in college hockey, winning their last five and going unbeaten (8-0-1) in the last nine.
How They’ll Advance: Andrew Volkening has proven himself as a good, but not great playoff goaltender. He did give up four goals to Mercyhurst in the Atlantic final, and four in last year’s NCAA loss to Minnesota. He also has posted four shutouts in the past five weeks. Air Force has found its way offensively since losing 2007 Hobey Baker finalist Eric Ehn to a broken fibula in mid-January, and is spreading the scoring throughout the lineup. Ehn has resumed skating and his status is still questionable. While his return is welcomed by the Falcons, the two big questions are: How will he perform after two months off, and how will that affect the lines that have been restructured?
What Might Trip Them Up: In its first visit to the NCAAs last year, Air Force rolled out to a 3-1 lead on Minnesota, only to allow the Gophers to post three goals in the final eight minutes for a 4-3 triumph. The Falcons may be fueled by last year’s collapse but have yet to prove themselves on the big stage.

Most Recent Air Force Line Chart
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing	Notes
12-M. Fairchild	26-J. Hajner	17-D. Burnett	2007 Hobey Hat Trick finalist Eric Ehn has missed the last two months due to injury, but could return.
11-M. Frider	8-S. Kozlak	13-B.Olson
15-S. Bertsch	28-J. Schaffer	19-M. Phillipich
20-J. Print	27-O. Kelly	22-B. Page
Defense	Defense	Goalies
4-G. Flynn	3-B. Sellers	1-A. Volkening	Three Air Force defenseman have 18 points or more.
7-F. Schiavone	21-M. Charbonneau	27-I. Harper
29-B. Nylander	14-M. Mayra	30-T. Krystosek