Inside College Hockey | CCHA Quarterfinal Playoff Capsules

March 12, 2010

By James V. Dowd

No. 8 Ohio State at No. 1 Miami
Ohio State: 14-16-6 (10-12-6, 4 SOW CCHA)
Miami: 24-5-7 (21-2-5, 2 SOW CCHA)
Season Series: Miami won 3-0-1, Ohio State won shootout
Buckeyes Fact: Ohio State’s Zac Dalpe (20), Sergio Somma (14) and Hunter Bishop (12) have accounted for 45 percent of the team’s 102 goals this year.
RedHawks Fact: The RedHawks’ first-place finish is its third in program history, and each of the first two CCHA tournaments they played in as the top seed ended with a championship game loss.
How Ohio State Wins: Ohio State needs to rely on strong goaltending and find ways to try to take Miami out of games early. Strong starts and consistent team defense should allow the Buckeyes to compete with the high-flying RedHawks.
How Miami Wins: More than any other team in the country, Miami just needs to keep doing what they’ve been doing all year long. If the RedHawks keep their focus on playing solid defense and keep putting home the chances they get there is little doubt that Miami will be skating in Detroit next week.

No. 7 Michigan at No. 2 Michigan State
Michigan: 21-17-1(14-13-1, 0 SOW CCHA)
Michigan State: 19-11-6 (14-8-6, 2 SOW CCHA)
Season Series: Michigan State won 3-1
Wolverines Fact: The Wolverines have made the CCHA semifinals every season since 1990, and they haven;t been on the road other than games at Joe Louis Arena since being swept by Western Michigan in 1988.
Spartans Fact: It has been a long time since these two fierce rivals met in the quarterfinal round, but the Spartans swept Michigan in 1986 and 1987 — the only two times they’ve met at this stage of the playoffs.
How Michigan Wins: Michigan needs to continue its strong performance from last weekend, riding the play of top forwards like Louie Caporusso and David Wohlberg to create scoring chances and working together in its own zone to make up for the possibility of a weekend without Bryan Hogan or Chris Summers.
How Michigan State Wins: Michigan State can focus on playing the game that made it successful throughout this year, and by being a recipient of strong goaltending from Drew Palmisano. If Palmisano gives his team a chance to win, that should be all the Spartans need.

No. 6 Nebraska-Omaha at No. 3 Ferris State
Nebraska-Omaha: 20-14-6 (13-12-3, 2 SOW CCHA)
Ferris State: 19-11-6 (13-9-6, 4 SOW CCHA)
Season Series: Ferris State won 2-0-0
Mavericks Fact: Nine Nebraska-Omaha skaters have registered 20 or more points this season, more than any other team in the league this year.
Bulldogs Fact: A pair of wins against Nebraska-Omaha would give the Bulldogs the second highest home win total in program history with 15.
How Nebraska-Omaha Wins: The Mavericks need to stick to their balanced approach in order to win on the road at Ferris State. If Ed Del Grosso can continue to distribute the puck effectively and they take an undoubtedly rabid crowd out of the mix, Nebraska-Omaha will have a chance to leave the CCHA in style — from Joe Louis Arena.
How Ferris State Wins: Ferris State needs to stay within itself and play the physical, playmaking hockey that helped them be so successful all year long. The Bulldogs should feed off the home crowd and need to avoid taking bad penalties.

No. 5 Alaska and No. 4 Northern Michigan
Alaska: 18-9-9 (11-9-8, 4 SOW CCHA)
Northern Michigan: 17-11-8 (13-9-6, 3 SOW CCHA)
Season Series: Northern Michigan won 1-0-3, Alaska won 2 shootouts, Northern Michigan won 1
Nanooks Fact: Andy Taranto’s 41 points have him tied for the Nanooks’ freshman record, which was set during the 1986-87 season.
Wildcats Fact: The recently released list of finalists for CCHA awards speaks to the effect Erik Gustafsson has on his team. The junior is amongst the final three candidates for RBC Player of the Year, Offensive Defenseman of the Year — an honor he took home last year — and Defensive Defenseman of the year.
How Alaska Wins: Scott Greenham needs to have a string of solid performances in the always-intimidating Berry Events Center and the Nanooks need Andy Taranto, Dion Knelsen and the forwards to find the back of the net.
How Northern Michigan Wins: Northern Michigan will continue to ride Mark Olver, Greger Hansen and a dynamic group of forwards to victory while Erik Gustafsson, T.J. Miller and goaltender Brian Stewart hold down the Wildcats’ own zone.