All times EDT

Friday: Union vs. Michigan State, 3 p.m. ET (TV: ESPNU)
Friday: Miami vs. UMass Lowell, 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: ESPNU)
Saturday: Regional Final, 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: ESPNU)

All games available live via www.watchespn.com.

The answer each team needs to find in order to advance to the Frozen Four

Union: This team’s national profile has steadily increased for three straight years, can it put an exclamation point on its growth on the nation’s biggest stage?

Miami: How much does experience mean to the “old guys” in this regional with three straight tournament appearances including two Frozen Fours?

UMass Lowell: Strong goaltending and balanced scoring carried the River Hawks through a great regular season, but how will Lowell stand up to the added pressures of NCAA Tournament play?

Michigan State: The Spartans sprinkled some big wins into their season, but most of the time fell short in games against elite teams. Can they put back-to-back solid efforts together against some of the nation’s best?

Not necessarily the best player on each team, but his contributions will go a long way toward determining his team’s fortunes.

Union: D Mat Bodie
Miami: F Trent Vogelhuber
UMass Lowell: F David Vallorani
Michigan State: D A.J. Sturges

INCH writers weigh in with their prediction for the East Regional with comments on their picks.

Mike Eidelbes, managing editor: Union over Miami

So Union plays in ECAC Hockey. Big deal. The Dutchmen have been as consistent as any team in college hockey from Day One and, more importantly, are the deepest team in this region. Miami’s experience will be a factor against Union—it’ll be enough to get them past UMass Lowell—but the Dutch have been building for this moment and prevail. The Troy Grosenick-Connor Knapp goaltending duel will be a huge key.

Joe Gladziszewski, editor and ECAC Hockey senior writer: Union over Miami

I’m a believer in recent tournament experience meaning something, and Union proved last week in the ECAC Hockey championship weekend that it learned from its postseason losses of 2011. This team has the right ingredients – strong goaltending, a dominant top line, and a killer power play. The fact that Michigan State and Lowell haven’t been there recently will hurt them in first-round games when things get tight.

James V. Dowd, CCHA senior writer: Miami over Union

Union has been remarkably consistent from the get-go this season and Miami has had an up-and-down kind of year, but the Redhawks’ physicality could present real problems for an undersized Union team. Miami’s veteran defense and goaltending will bounce back from a semifinal lapse in Detroit to propel the senior class to its third Frozen Four.

Ken McMillan, Atlantic Hockey senior writer: Union over Miami

There’s something to be said for showing improvement three years running, and Union is primed to get over the top and reach the Frozen Four. Miami’s experience in the NCAA tourney will go a long way in knocking off UMass Lowell in the semis. Expect a low-scoring final in a matchup of the nation’s top two defenses with the edge going to the Dutchmen.

Kevin Zeise, Hockey East senior writer: Miami over Union

Miami feels to me like the more battle-tested team after going 4-3 against teams in the NCAA field over the past two months. Union, by contrast, had a loss and a tie against Cornell, the only opponent over the past two months to make the field of 16. Factor in a first-year coach against one with two Frozen Four appearances in the last four years, and the RedHawks get the edge here.

All times EDT

Friday: Ferris State vs. Denver, 5:30 p.m. ET (TV: Altitude; ESPNU tape delay at 11:30 p.m. ET)
Friday: Cornell vs. Michigan; 9 p.m. ET (TV: ESPNU)
Saturday: Regional Final, 9 p.m. ET (TV: ESPNU)

All games available live via www.watchespn.com.

The answer each team needs to find in order to advance to the Frozen Four.

Michigan: Goalie Shawn Hunwick can’t be spot on every night, can he? Can the Wolverines survive if he’s merely average?

Ferris State: How fragile is the psyche of a Bulldog team that, when faced with the prospect of clinching the CCHA regular-season, couldn’t do so without help, then was upset in the league tournament quarterfinals?

Denver: It’s the same questions we’ve been asking about the Pioneers for months: Who’s the starting goalie? And who’s healthy?

Cornell: Can the anonymous and steady Big Red lineup use its sound, basic game to knock off a more dynamic and highly favored Michigan team?

Not necessarily the best player on each team, but one whose contributions will go a long way toward determining his team’s fortunes.

Michigan: F A.J. Treais
Ferris State: D Scott Czarnowczan
Denver: G Sam Brittain
Cornell: F John Esposito

INCH writers weigh in with their prediction for the Midwest Regional with comments on their picks.

Mike Eidelbes, managing editor: Denver over Michigan

The logic here is: If all four teams bring their A games, who wins? That’s Denver, even with the injuries and lack of rest. Give me a team that’s played a lot over a rusty group like Ferris State (three games in the last month) any day. Michigan is the safe pick, but they’re not the same team away from Yost and letting both Bowling Green and Western Michigan jump out to multi-goal leads in last weekend’s CCHA Tournament is a concern.

Joe Gladziszewski, editor and ECAC Hockey senior writer: Michigan over Ferris State

For starters I like Ferris State to edge Denver in the first round because I think the CCHA series loss to Bowling Green motivated the Bulldogs and allowed them to regroup while Denver was grinding through a tough WCHA playoff run. It won’t matter the second day. Michigan has the horses and Frozen Four experience, and Shawn Hunwick leads this team—he finds a way to win

James V. Dowd, CCHA senior writer: Denver over Michigan

The Pioneers boast four skaters with more points than Michigan’s leading scorer and talent on all four lines. That kind of depth and ability will make it difficult, particularly with Michigan’s often shaky third defensive pairing, for Shawn Hunwick to save the day even with a superhuman effort.

Ken McMillan, Atlantic Hockey senior writer: Michigan over Ferris State

The Wolverines are worthy of a trip to Tampa, winning 17 times since the start of December and losing a handful in the narrowest of margins, all on the road. Ferris State faces a banged-up Denver team that has to piece together a lineup after playing two rough-and-tumble three-game weekends. Michigan’s got eight wins against the field and gets another big one Saturday night.

Kevin Zeise, Hockey East senior writer: Denver over Michigan

This is a really difficult call, perhaps the toughest of the four regions. Despite the mess of injuries that the Pioneers have had to deal with, they still have the most talent of all of the teams in this region. Denver’s also played a ton of hockey lately, and while head coach George Gwozdecky might have preferred another day of rest, they’re the most battle-ready of the teams in Green Bay.

All times EDT

Saturday: North Dakota vs. Western Michigan, 1:30 p.m. (TV: FSN North Plus; ESPNU tape delay at 12:30 p.m. Sunday)
Saturday: Minnesota vs. Boston University, 5 p.m. (TV: FSN North Plus, NESN; ESPNU tape delay at 3 p.m. Sunday)
Sunday: Regional Final, 5:30 p.m. (ESPNU)

All games available live via www.watchespn.com.

The answer each team needs to find in order to advance to the Frozen Four.

North Dakota: Can the Mark MacMillan-Carter Rowney-Michael Parks trio continue to put up points and keep the pressure off the top line of Brock Nelson-Corban Knight-Danny Kristo?

Minnesota: How will the Gophers respond in their first game after last weekend’s humiliating collapse against North Dakota in the WCHA playoff semifinals at the Xcel Energy Center, and will the real Nick Bjugstad show up?

Boston University: There’s addition by subtraction, but the Terriers have subtracted a whole lot of talent during the course of the season. Is there enough left to match the likes of Minnesota?

Western Michigan: Winning the CCHA playoff title—the school’s first since 1986—was an emotional moment for the Broncos. Was that championship their peak?

Not necessarily the best player on each team, but one whose contributions will go a long way toward determining his team’s fortunes.

North Dakota: F Carter Rowney
Minnesota: F Nick Bjugstad
Boston University: D Garrett Noonan
Western Michigan: F Dane Walters

INCH writers weigh in with their prediction for the West Regional with comments on their picks.

Mike Eidelbes, managing editor: Western Michigan over Minnesota

Every year there’s at least one upset, so why not the Broncos? From a distance, Western reminds me of the 2004 Denver championship team—solid goaltending, strong defense, talent and grit up front, and, most important, a great deal of poise and resolve. They match up very well with North Dakota, and have the pieces to frustrate Minnesota, who should outlast Boston University in what will probably be a high-scoring game.

Joe Gladziszewski, editor and ECAC Hockey senior writer: North Dakota over Minnesota

When these teams get together it just means more, and what could be more meaningful than earning a trip to the Frozen Four? North Dakota spent some of the season figuring out what its lineup would look like, then moved on to figuring out how to win with that lineup. It doesn’t stop here, two more wins and a trip to Tampa.

James V. Dowd, CCHA senior writer: Minnesota over Western Michigan

Western Michigan overcame more talented opponents in Miami and Michigan in the playoffs with a high-speed, high-energy type of game, but Minnesota is more suited to play that way that the Broncos’ previous opponents. Add in the lack of travel and the support of hometown fans, and it looks like too much for Western Michigan to overcome.

Ken McMillan, Atlantic Hockey senior writer: North Dakota over Minnesota

The famous logo has been placed in the closet for NCAA play, but the fighting spirit lives on with North Dakota. Aaron Dell has been solid in the nets of late for NoDak. Special teams will likely be the undoing of Boston University when it faces Minnesota’s effective power play. North Dakota is playing great at the right time of the season.

Kevin Zeise, Hockey East senior writer: Minnesota over North Dakota

The Gophers had last week’s WCHA semifinal wrapped up after two periods against North Dakota, only to surrender five third period goals. North Dakota should have a much tougher time with Western Michigan than Minnesota should against Boston University, and the chance for payback against North Dakota should be enough to see the Gophers through to Tampa.

We often say that playoff hockey is the best time of the year. That said, even the greatest things in life have flaws. In the case of the NCAA Tournament, even with 16 teams participating, scores of fantastic players have played their last college games of the year – and perhaps their career. Second, no team is perfect – everybody has areas where they could improve. Here at Inside College Hockey, we set out to solve both those problems. The result? Our own one-of-a-kind NCAA Tournament Wish List Draft. We took the tourney teams and selected players from teams that didn’t make the field. The Wish List Draft will feature two rounds of picks, with the first pick of each round belonging to the 16th seed.

For a visual supplement (beware of spoilers), all of the picks are available at the Wish List Draft page.

INCH Podcast – 2012 Wish List Draft (.mp3)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (18.2MB)

The annual Selection Sunday edition of the INCH Podcast breaks down the 16-team NCAA Tournament field from region-to-region and team-to-team. We wrap the podcast with predictions of the Frozen Four participants as well as the teams we have the least confidence in advancing.

INCH Podcast – Selection Sunday 2012 (.mp3)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (15.7MB)

DELL NAMED MVP AS SIOUX SHUT OUT DENVER FOR FINAL FIVE THREE-PEAT
North Dakota 4, Denver 0 | Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn. – As all the world has learned in recent days, Grand Forks, North Dakota, is home to some great Italian food. And alongside those culinary delights, it’s looking like the Broadmoor Trophy is taking up something akin to permanent residency on the west bank of the Red River of the North.

In Saturday night’s WCHA Final Five finale, the Fighting Sioux became the first team in league history to win this tournament three years in a row. Playing its third game in three nights versus a Denver squad playing for the sixth time in nine nights, North Dakota jumped out to an early lead on goals by Brock Nelson and Carter Rowney, and rarely gave the Pioneers a sniff of hope, en route to a 4-0 win.

“Third game in three days, energy levels aren’t necessarily going to be at the top end, but I thought our energy was actually pretty good,” said Sioux coach Dave Hakstol. “I thought we won the game through small details.”

Goalie Aaron Dell stopped all 22 shots he faced for his third shutout of the season, earning tournament MVP honors.

For Denver there was another runner-up finish and, finally, a chance to rest for a few days.

“We’re not going to blame it on being tired,” said Pioneers wing Dustin Jackson. “They played three games this weekend as well. They just came out and were ready to play tonight and they beat us. Hats off to them.”

North Dakota’s puck possession game worked once again, as Dell was rarely tested, while Denver goalies Juho Olkinuora and Adam Murray (who played the last 11:43) had their hands full. The Sioux famously trailed 3-0 in Friday’s semifinal with Minnesota, before scoring 10 unanswered goals to win both games.

“They made them all pretty easy for me in this one,” said Dell, talking goal support, and recalling just one point-blank shot in the first period that gave him trouble.

SEEN AND HEARD AT THE X

• There was a homecoming of sorts earlier in the day during the Minnesota Wild’s come-from-ahead loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. While the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs had gone home, former Bulldog Justin Faulk, now manning the blue line in Carolina, made his first visit to St. Paul since last season’s NCAA title game.

“You’re excited and a little bit nervous at the same time, with family and friends,” Faulk said, after the Hurricanes rallied from 3-1 down to win 5-3. “Hopefully there are other chances we can come back here as a team, so hopefully it’s not the last time.”

• Not only was Denver playing its sixth game in nine days, but the injury bug decided to visit the Pioneers’ bench as well. Playing with just five defensemen to start the game, they went down to a quartet in the first period when rookie Josiah Didier suffered a lower body injury. Star forward Jason Zucker limped off in the third period with Denver down 3-0 due to an unknown injury, and they went down to three defensemen late in the third when John Lee was tossed for checking from behind.

• Nice work by the city of St. Paul on Saturday managing what could have been a logistical disaster, with the Irish-heavy city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, the Wild game, and the WCHA game all happening within a few hours of each other. It was busy, but not unbearable, and the closure of a few blocks of West Seventh Street near the arena (as was done during the Frozen Four last April) makes for a fun kind of pedestrian mall atmosphere leading up to games. It’s not a surprise on St. Paddy’s Day, with NoDak in the title game, but green was the dominant color.

• After Minnesota Duluth rallied from three goals down to force overtime on Friday, and North Dakota rallied from three goals down to win versus Minnesota, Gwozdecky joked that they might have been perfectly positioned on Saturday when the Sioux took a 3-0 lead. “After they scored three, I was thinking that was a pretty good strategy.”

• As opposed to Thursday’s overtime opener and Friday’s great drama, the title game was admittedly a bit of a snoozer. “There were parts of the game where the building was kind of quiet because the game was kind of boring,” Gwozdecky said. “We weren’t able to do anything, they were checking us and frustrating us, and it just wasn’t a very entertaining game.”

PLUS-MINUS

Nice on-ice ceremony before the game hosted by long-time Denver and Colorado Avalanche radio man Norm Jones, honoring the WCHA’s postseason award winners. Michigan Tech coach Mel Pearson (coach of the year) and Wisconsin defenseman Justin Schultz (defensive player of the year) were on hand along with North Dakota goalie Brad Eidsness (student-athlete of the year) and Denver defenseman Joey LaLeggia (rookie of the year). Goaltending champion Kent Patterson from Minnesota and player of the year Jack Connolly from Minnesota Duluth got nice ovations when their names were called, but neither player was in attendance.

Kudos to North Dakota for scrapping the silly (and unsuccessful) idea that you don’t touch the Broadmoor Trophy. After a hands-off policy last season, Sioux captain Mario Lamoureux grabbed the prize and passed it around. “I don’t think it was even discussed and I think Mario put that to rest real quick tonight,” Hakstol said. “I’m glad he did. He deserved to hoist that.”

We’d like to offer heart-felt congratulations to the couple from North Dakota that pledged their lives to each other on Saturday night with the touching and clichéd big screen in-arena marriage proposal. To other men out there considering popping the question that way in the future, this idea has gotten painfully old. Come up with some new material, please.

There’s a top-secret selection committee that picks the all-tournament teams and MVP, and generally he (she, they?) does a great job. But there was plenty of media buzz that despite the title game shutout, Dell was clearly not the most important player for North Dakota this weekend.

INCH’s THREE STARS OF THE NIGHT

3. Carter Rowney, North Dakota: A goal and an assist for another of those unheralded Sioux forwards that has stepped up and played an important role amid all of the injuries.

2. Aaron Dell, North Dakota: Allowed four goals in three nights, and never gave Denver so much as a sniff of hope.

1. Brock Nelson, North Dakota: Four goals in three games, including the game-winner in the title match, and almost a fifth one (it was waved off).

WHAT’S NEXT

Four WCHA teams are in the NCAA tournament. North Dakota, Denver, Minnesota Duluth and Minnesota will be playing next weekend, looking to win two games and earn an all-expenses-paid trip to Florida.

Gwozdecky said he only concern about where they go is that it involves playing their first game on Saturday, as opposed to Friday.

“We need some days off. Whatever regional we’re in, that’s great,” Gwozdecky said. “One of our assistant coaches just looked online and said that we’re projected to go to the Green Bay regional, but I would love to play in a regional that starts Saturday, as opposed to Friday.”

BIG-TIME PLAYERS STEP FORWARD IN TITLE GAME
Union 3, Harvard 1 | Box Score

The biggest games in hockey bring out the best from the game’s biggest players, and it was no different in the third period of the ECAC Hockey championship game Saturday night in Atlantic City. After Harvard and Union tussled through a scoreless tie over two periods, the most prominent forwards on each team came to the fore and sparked a lively closing 13 minutes that resulted in Union defeating Harvard 3-1.

Harvard senior Alex Killorn scored his 23rd goal of the season at the 4:52 mark of the third period to give the Crimson a brief 1-0 lead. It was brief because Union junior center Jeremy Welsh carried the puck past three Harvard players and fired home the game-tying goal, his 25th of the season, just 37 seconds later.

There are only 20 players in the country with 20 or more goals, and these two big-time performers stepped forward for their teams. It’s no surprise then that the game-winner came from Union’s Daniel Carr, who potted his 19th of the year with 10:26 remaining in the third period. Carr had 20 goals last year as a freshman.

Though Welsh is a junior and Carr is just a sophomore, this is an experienced team that has built a successful foundation over the last three years. In 2010, Union advanced to the league’s championship game in Albany and lost to Cornell. A regular-season title and first NCAA Tournament appearance at the Division I level followed in 2011, but playoff success was fleeting. This year, those lessons and growth paid off as the Dutchmen won the first ECAC Hockey tournament title in program history.

For Union coach Rick Bennett, associate head coach of Union at the time, it sparked memory of an event during that 2010 title game that showed what kind of player and what kind of motivation Jeremy Welsh has.

“Sometimes you have to lose to win, and I think these guys realize that,” Bennett said. “I talked to Jeremy this morning about an event that happened in that game in Albany. He stood up on the bench, about halfway during the game, as a freshman and it kind of went through the whole group and we realized how bad he wanted it and he was going to carry that team as a freshman. And the guys followed. It was something really special and I think the guys saw it tonight, and in this tournament, how special he is.”

There are other leaders on the team that contribute to Union’s success. Defenseman Nolan Julseth-White is the captain and was credited for helping the team keep an even keel in times of unease. Kelly Zajac is a senior centerman who wears an ‘A’ and was named as the best defensive forward in ECAC Hockey. With that leadership, scoring depth and excellent goaltending from Hobey Baker finalist Troy Grosenick it’s a team that is built to achieve and build on past experiences.

“I think this year’s team, we’ve just found ways to get it done all year,” Carr said. “Last year, I’m not going to say we coasted through the year, but we had a lot of success all the way through the year and didn’t face very much adversity. This year, early on we faced a little adversity and being able to learn how to finish games off the hard way. I think that’s really helped us down the stretch.”

ILES CHANGES COURSE IN BIG WIN FOR BIG RED
Cornell 3, Colgate 0 | Box Score

Andy Iles has been a championship goalie in international play as part of the United State National Development Program and came to Cornell with the intent to be a part of the Big Red’s championship tradition and goaltending legacy.

Through the first two years of his career, that meant two starts in championship-type situations at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City and it didn’t go well. Iles was removed halfway through the 2011 title game after allowing five goals in a loss to Yale. In the semifinal this year, it was another rough start as Harvard beat Iles six times.

Saturday’s third-place game was an illustration of redemption for both Iles and Cornell. The goalie posted a 25-save shutout and the team defeated Colgate, which swept the regular-season series against Cornell. It meant that Cornell solidified its standing within NCAA Tournament criteria and will get an at-large berth to the national tournament.

“Today was huge,” Iles said. “It was tough for me to sleep last night, I just felt like I let down the family yesterday and I didn’t bring my game. That’s going to happen. This game brings some incredible highs and it also brings some incredible lows and last night was one of those lows. I struggled to sleep but I had to get prepared to play because we had an opportunity to go to the NCAA Tournament today.”

The Big Red scored in the final minute of the first period to take a lead and added two more goals in the second period. Iles made a big save on Austin Smith when the game was still scoreless, and was helped by defenseman Braden Birch on Colgate’s best chance in the second period when Chris Wagner slid a puck between Iles’ pads but Birch was there to clear the puck while simultaneously checking Smith.

SEEN AND HEARD AT BOARDWALK HALL

• I spoke with Rick Bennett before Saturday’s championship about the process of establishing success and developing a winning culture in the Union program. He said it could be easy for people to take credit when things are going well, but he and those closely affiliated with the program know that many people have been involved throughout the year. He mentioned past contributors like Nate Leaman and Bill Riga, and it was sincere. Bennett was emotional in making postgame remarks, citing numerous contributors and what the championship trophy means to Union hockey.

“It means we get to walk like champions, and that’s something we’ll always remember. From President (Dr. Stephen) Ainlay, (Director of Athletics) Jim McLaughlin, Frank Messa, our Garnet Blades and the most important is our players, because it’s a team award.”

• Both Colgate and Cornell made two lineup adjustments for Saturday’s third-place game. Colgate inserted Christian Long and Daniel Gentzler on the fourth line. Long appeared in his 11th game of the year and Gentzler played his 16th. Cornell forwards Madison Dias and Rodger Craig moved into the lineup. Defenseman Mathieu Brisson was a scratch, and Kirill Gotovets moved back to the blue line, and Armand de Swardt was scratched at forward. de Swardt accumulated 16 minutes in penalties in Friday’s semifinal. Not surprisingly, neither Union nor Harvard made any changes from their victorious semifinal lineups.

• Union and Harvard have been boosted by stellar power-play units all season long but both were held scoreless in the championship game. Each team had three power-play opportunities. All of Harvard’s came in the first period. Union had seven shots on the man advantage but didn’t score.

• Colgate’s non-participation in the NCAA Tournament this season means that many college hockey followers won’t have a chance to get a look at Austin Smith, considered by many to be a leading candidate for the Hobey Baker Award. Smith finished his senior season with 36 goals and 57 points in 39 games. He scored seven power-play goals, six short-handed goals and five game-winning goals. Raider coach Don Vaughan commented on Smith’s candidacy and compared him favorably to Colgate’s last truly viable Hobey finalist – Andy McDonald in 2000.

“I think his statistics speak volumes about what he did, obviously the goals he put up. He had maybe three or four empty-net goals, a bunch of short-handed goals. These were not secondary assists, and we played some good teams this year. I’ve been at this a long time, and we had somebody who I thought could have arguably won the Hobey Baker in Andy McDonald, back in 2000, and I think Austin Smith has had the kind of year, and maybe in some ways even a little better than Andy McDonald had his senior year in 2000. I think that speaks volumes,” Vaughan said. “I think people sometimes lose sight of the fact that the award is more than just on-ice talent. I think Austin Smith embodies all of the other qualities that the Hobey Baker Award stands for. Great player, and I just hope the committee gives him really serious consideration because he deserves it.”

• The back-to-back goals in a 37-second span in the third period energized the rest of the championship game. Matching minors to Luke Greinier of Harvard and Greg Coburn of Union followed a minute and a half later after Greiner bumped the Union goalie and Coburn engaged Greiner after the whistle behind the Union net. It gave a much-needed lift to a game that was marked by defensive zone responsibility and lots of blocked shots in the first 40 minutes. Harvard had its best chance to equalize with 2:38 remaining when a shot from David Valek in the mid-slot hit the crossbar behind Grosenick.

INCH’s THREE STARS OF THE NIGHT

3.Andy Iles, Cornell: The Big Red goalie earned his first shutout since early December with a stellar performance and redeemed two disappointing earlier performances in this venue.

2.Alex Killorn, Harvard: Another standout performance for the Harvard forward who emerged as one of the best forwards in the league and earned a big-game reputation. He had 10 points in five playoff games, on five goals and five assists.

1.Jeremy Welsh, Union: The big center with the big shot carried his team and scored a huge goal. He deservedly earned Most Outstanding Player recognition in the tournament after

PLUS-MINUS

Harvard goalie Raphael Girard was spectacular in a losing effort on Saturday night. He took over the starting role and was very effective for the Crimson down the stretch, all of this after a shaky first half in which he made only four appearances in Harvard’s first 21 games. In his last 12 games, he posted a 1.78 goals-against average and .946 save percentage.

A late-game incident sparked some genuine hostility in the closing seconds of the third-place game. With everything decided, Cornell forward Madison Dias carried the puck into the Colgate zone in the closing seconds. He was caught by a high check from Colgate’s Matt Firman from an awkward angle — an unnecessary act and poor decision. Firman earned a five-minute major for contact to the head and a game misconduct at 20:00 of the third.

WHAT’S NEXT

Union rightfully celebrated its conference title and will have a high seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Dutchmen have built a program grounded in hard work and consistency and have set new standards of achievement over the last several years. A conference-playoff upset and first-round elimination from the NCAA Tournament in 2011 seems to have served this group well, as it learned lessons from adversity and played well to earn the ECAC Hockey title. They’ll have another chance to perform under the NCAA spotlight next weekend.

After a one-year hiatus, Cornell returns to the NCAA Tournament field and will be a dangerous opponent for a high seed. It’s Cornell’s third NCAA appearance in the last four years.

ANOTHER SPECIAL WIN FOR DOMINANT PROGRAM
Air Force 4, RIT 0 | Box Score

Rochester, N.Y. – Every Atlantic Hockey championship Air Force wins is unique and should be treasured, so says coach Frank Serratore. It’s hard to escape two unifying facts, though: The Falcons have proven they are very comfortable playing at Blue Cross Arena and dominating goaltending performances has become a recurring theme.

Jason Torf

Top-seeded Air Force won its fifth tournament title in six seasons with a 4-0 victory over third seed Rochester Institute of Technology before 2,433 fans on Saturday. Air Force now owns the most successful tournament championship run in Division I history, winning five titles in the past six years. The Falcons improved to 10-1 at Blue Cross Arena, losing in the 2010 semifinals to Sacred Heart.

“This is the third one that I’ve been a part of,” said senior defenseman Tim Kirby, a Hobey Baker finalist. “It’s just a great feeling. Coming here is like a second home, almost. I’m just really happy for the team that we are still playing and on to the next week (at NCAAs). Hopefully, we can give them a good match next week and win.”

The Falcons picked up two goals late in the first period to seize control of the game, and MVP Jason Torf ran his career playoff record to 6-0 with a 34-save performance. It was the sophomore’s fifth shutout of the season (all since Feb. 3) and the perfect follow-up to a 40-save effort in a 1-0 win over RIT in the 2011 title game.

It’s hard not to make comparisons to 2010 grad Andrew Volkening, who backstopped Air Force to three consecutive league titles and five playoff shutouts. Serratore is reluctant to compare Torf with Volkening, or any of his other players.

“Every year is a different deal,” Serratore said. “Andrew Volkening is a Falcon legend. Jason Torf is a great, young goaltender but he has a long ways to go, and he’s a work in progress.”

As dominant as Torf was this weekend, he was shaky last weekend and got yanked from games one and two of the quarterfinal series with Connecticut.

“Shutouts … don’t seem as much of a stat to me anymore because coming down the stretch it’s about the win-loss column,” Torf said. “I struggled last week to get wins. This week, that’s all it was about for me, making sure the team did win. I try to play the game like it’s always a 0-0 game. Whether we are winning or losing, I have to keep that state of mind.”

It certainly helps when your team stakes you to a 2-0 lead. Cole Gunner took a feed from Paul Weisgarber on the end boards, walked out to the front of the cage and beat RIT all-star netminder Shane Madolora at the 15:15 mark.
Seventy seconds later it was John Kruse converting a nice break-in play, going from forehand to backhand to beat Madolora. Two perfect passes set up the break with Adam McKenzie at the blue line finding Chad Demers in the neutral zone.

“Yes, I had a shutout and that’s a great thing to have,” Torf said, “but I can promise you, it’s easier to play with the lead and have guys willing to sit back and play some strong defense.”

The Falcon defense did a great job of forcing RIT’s shooters out to the points and the boards. The Tigers took 34 shots but managed only five shots per period from inside the face-off dots.

“We got some perimeter shots,” said RIT winger Taylor McReynolds, “but we have to get to the net hard … and look for second opportunities. That’s where we faltered a lot.”

RIT kept pressing and hoping for a goal that would draw the Tigers within a goal, but it never came.

“We were a little short in energy,” RIT coach Wayne Wilson said. “Maybe last night’s game (a 2-1 overtime win over Niagara) took more out of us than we thought. We tried to use the momentum we got last night and carry it into tonight’s game.”

“This was a quicker, up-and-down game but not physical,” Wilson added. “It looked tired at times. The bottom line is we didn’t get the goal that we needed for momentum and get the crowd into it.”

Jason Fabian gave Air Force a 3-0 lead at 9:23 of the second period. Like the first goal, Air Force forced the issue below the goal line. Casey Kleisinger pushed a pass over to Tony Thomas, who walked out from behind the net and fired a shot into Madolora’s pads. The rebound bounded across the crease to a wide-open Fabian, who buried the puck into an open net.
Fabian added an empty netter with 6.8 seconds remaining.

SEEN AND HEARD AT BLUE CROSS ARENA

It’s over: RIT all-star goalie Shane Madolora still has a year of eligibility remaining but he’s already graduated from school and made a decision a while back not to return for next season. His mind has not changed.

“I’ve been feeling the whole year it’s time to start moving on with my life,” said Madolora, who made 23 saves in his final college contest. “I am one of the oldest players in college hockey. It’s time to explore other avenues.”

Madolora leaves with a 36-14-12 record, a 1.97 goals against average and .932 save percentage. This season he was 18-9-5 with a 1.93 goals against and .931 save percentage.

School spirit: The commandant of the Air Force Academy gave permission for eight cadets to travel to Rochester for the Final Four. Sporting bare chests and painted uniform numbers on their backs, the cadets positioned themselves next to the visitor’s bench, and they were loud supporters for the Falcons. The most impressive show of support was when four cadets propped a fifth on their arms while he did push-ups.

A prominent hand-painted sign on display was a “Kirby 4 Hobey” placard, in support of Hobey Baker finalist Tim Kirby, an Air Force defenseman. The small contingent flew in Thursday and took the plane home with the team on Saturday night.

Torn Tigers: A partisan home crowd of 1,195 gathered across town at Ritter Arena to watch the RIT women take on Norwich in the NCAA Division III championship. The RIT women won 4-1, providing the only good news for the Tiger faithful at Blue Cross Arena.

PLUS-MINUS

Air Force played smart the entire weekend, sticking to the game plan of forcing the issue behind the opposing net and not taking any unnecessary penalties. The Falcons drew two minors on Friday and just one on Saturday almost 50 minutes into the contest.

As Air Force was celebrating its championship with the traditional on-ice photographs, the Falcons waved their eight classmates, who made the long trek for support, to the ice for some pictures. A couple made it to the ice but were shooed away by arena security personnel, despite the pleas of the Falcon team.

INCH’s THREE STARS OF THE NIGHT

3. Air Force team discipline: The Falcons played confident, patient hockey this weekend. Air Force took only two penalties in Friday’s win over Mercyhurst and took just one on Saturday.

2. Paul Weisgarber, Air Force: The Falcon captain posted first assists on the opening goal by Cole Gunner and the empty netter by Jason Fabian in the closing seconds.

1. Jason Torf, Air Force: It’s hard to argue with perfection on the best stage. Torf has pitched consecutive shutouts in championship contests, turning aside 34 shots in the second title meeting with RIT.

BY THE NUMBERS

1 – Air Force won the tournament as a number one seed in 2009 and 2012.

3 – This was the third shutout in Atlantic Hockey finals history. In 2004, Tony Quesada made 28 stops as Holy Cross beat Sacred Heart, 4-0, at West Point. In 2009, Air Force’s Andrew Volkening made 25 saves in a 2-0 win over Mercyhurst in Rochester.

4 – The number of Atlantic Hockey playoff champions through the league’s first nine seasons. Holy Cross won in 2004 and 2006. Mercyhurst won in 2005. Air Force won in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2001 and 2012. RIT won in 2010.

6 – Air Force’s Tim Kirby and Jason Torf became the fifth and sixth players to earn multiple all-tournament awards, adding to last year’s honors. The other repeat selections are Air Force goalie Andrew Volkening (2007-09), Holy Cross goalie Tony Quesada (2004 and 2006), Cameron Burt of Rochester Institute of Technology (2009-10) and Air Force defenseman Scott Mathis (2009, 2011-12).
This year’s all-tournament team included RIT’s Taylor McReynolds and Air Force’s Cole Gunner and Paul Weisgarber.

10 – Ten current members of Atlantic Hockey have reached the Final Four at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. The win-loss records are as follows: Air Force 10-1; Army 1-2; Bentley 0-1; Canisius 0-1; Connecticut 0-2; Holy Cross 0-1; Mercyhurst 2-3; Niagara 0-1; RIT 4-4; Sacred Heart 1-2. AIC and recent newcomer Robert Morris have yet to appear.

14 – This is the 14th time two schools have met in consecutive league finals in NCAA Division I history. Mercyhurst and Quinnipiac are the only schools to meet in three consecutive finals (2001-03), in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Hockey League, the predecessor to Atlantic Hockey.

With Air Force beating RIT again, it marks the eighth time the same team prevailed. The others: 1974-75 ECAC, Boston University beats Harvard; 1974-75 CCHA, Saint Louis beats Lake Superior State; 1977-78 CCHA, Bowling Green beats Saint Louis; 1989-90 CCHA, Michigan State beats Lake Superior State; 1991-92 CCHA, Lake Superior State beats Michigan; 2001-02 CHA, Wayne State beats Alabama-Huntsville; 2008-09 AHA, Air Force beats Mercyhurst.

The five instances of avenging a finals loss: 1989-90, Maine and then Boston College; 2001-02 CCHA, Michigan State and then Michigan; 2001-03 MAAC, Mercyhurst, then Quinnipiac, then Mercyhurst again; 2004-05 CCHA, Ohio State and then Michigan; 2005-06 ECAC, Cornell and then Harvard.

20 – With their semifinal wins on Friday, Air Force and RIT both reached the 20-win plateau, joining Mercyhurst and Holy Cross within the Atlantic Hockey ranks. It is the fourth time Air Force has reached 20 wins, all in the past five seasons: the Falcons had 21 in 2007-08, 28 in 2008-09 and 20 in 2010-11. RIT reached 20 wins for the seventh time in Wayne Wilson’s 13 seasons as coach and fourth at the Division I level: the Tigers had 21 in 2006-07, 23 in 2008-09 and 28 in 2009-10.

40 – Air Force had a group of about 40 fans, which included at least five sets of parents, in attendance.

147 – RIT seniors Cameron Burt and Chris Haltigin have played in 147 career games, breaking the mark of 145 set by Dan Ringwald from 2006-10.

154 – Air Force seniors Tim Kirby and Paul Weisgarber have never missed a game during their careers. They will tie the all-time games played mark of 155 set by Matt Fairchild in the NCAA tourney opener. The pair broke the consecutive games streak of 150 set by Jeff Hajner (2007-10).

162 – RIT has been held scoreless for the last 162 minutes, 4 seconds in Atlantic Hockey championship action.

WHAT’S NEXT

Air Force will be making its fifth appearance in the NCAA tournament, all in the past six years. The Falcons lost to Minnesota, 4-3, in 2007; lost to Miami (Ohio), 3-2 in overtime, in 2008; beat Michigan, 2-0, and lost to Vermont, 3-2 in double overtime, in 2009; and, lost to Yale, 2-1 in overtime, in 2011. Some pundits believe Air Force will draw Boston College for a first-round contest.

“It’s beautiful,” Serratore said. “I have a lot of respect for Boston College and their history, their tradition. … BC is going to be tough. They might be the overall number one seed. They are a great team.”

So how will Serratore prepare?

“I am sure I will be in a fetal position (in bed), tossing and turning next Friday and Saturday, too,” he joked. “It’s better than sitting at home.”

GAUDREAU SHINES AS EAGLES WIN THIRD STRAIGHT CROWN
Boston College 4, Maine 1 | Box Score

Without their knowing it, Greg Cronin and Philip Samuelsson have two important characters in the story of Boston College’s title run this season. After all, without their combined actions last summer, Johnny Gaudreau might never have been suiting up for the Eagles.

Gaudreau was a difference-maker on the offensive end, scoring a pair of goals and adding an assist, as Boston College scored a 4-1 victory over Maine Saturday to become the first team in Hockey East history to win the league tournament title three years in a row.

Boston College's Johnny Gaudreau scored twice in the Eagles' Hockey East title game win over Maine Saturday.

Gaudreau had originally committed to Northeastern, but when Cronin departed last spring for an assistant position with the Toronto Maple Leafs, that set the wheels in motion for the Carneys Point, N.J., native. With the coaching situation at Northeastern in flux, he re-examined his options and landed at Boston College, which had a scholarship opening after Samuelsson departed for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Saturday night, Gaudreau’s skills were on full display, both as a playmaker and as a finisher around the net. He scored a pair of first-period goals on rebounds around at the front of the Maine net, then added an assist in the second period with a pass from behind the goal into the slot.

“Johnny’s skills are incredible. His own teammates will marvel the stuff that he does in practice,” said Boston College captain Tommy Cross. “He is a team-first guy and that is a good recipe. He is very humble and for the most part he has been really consistent his freshman year and that is really impressive. I know that I admire some of the stuff he does on the ice.”

Gaudreau has been key during the Eagles’ current 15-game winning streak, scoring 22 of his 39 points during that span. He’s also proved to be a clutch playoff performer, figuring in the scoring on three of the four game-winning goals for BC in the postseason, including scoring the game-winner in both games this weekend.

FROM THE QUOTE SHEET
“Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to make yourself better.”
- Boston College head coach Jerry York on the two losses to Maine in January

“That’s a big hockey game we just played in. We know that. Going into next weekend into a regional for the first time since I’ve been here, there’s going to be some of the same pressures.”
- Maine senior Brian Flynn on advancing to the NCAA tournament

“With Johnny Gaudreau getting the quick ones likes that, it’s a tough team to come back against. I think typically you want to get the first one—that usually helps.”
- Maine coach Tim Whitehead on what it will take to beat Boston College

“He’s beyond good. He’s just a flat-out outstanding player. He’s never been a freshman.”
- Boston College head coach Jerry York to NBC Sports Network’s Ken Hodge on Johnny Gaudreau

PLUS-MINUS

While Saturday night’s loss might be hard to take for Maine right now, the bigger picture shows much for the Black Bears to be proud of. Many people had written Maine off after the departure of Gustav Nyquist, the team’s leading scorer for the past three seasons, but the Black Bears responded and advanced to the league title game with just as strong an offensive attack. More importantly, Maine’s season will continue beyond the Hockey East tournament for the first time since 2007.

Looking over the transcripts of the post-game press conference, a number of the questions directed to Maine coach Tim Whitehead dealt with the absence of Hobey Baker Finalist Spencer Abbott due to an injury he suffered in Friday night’s semifinal win against Boston University. There’s no denying that Abbott is a special player, and his notable absence certainly did put a dent in Maine’s offensive attack. Having said that, Abbott in street clothes was A story, but not THE story. Putting the focus on Abbott’s absence takes away from the performance put on by the Eagles.

HOCKEY EAST ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

G—Parker Milner, Boston College
D—Brian Dumoulin, Boston College
D—Will O’Neill, Maine
F—Alex Chiasson, Boston University
F—Joey Diamond, Maine
F—Johnny Gaudreau, Boston College
MVP—Johnny Gaudreau, Boston College

WHAT’S NEXT

Both the Eagles and Maine will be in the field of 16 for the NCAA tournament, likely to be joined by Boston University and UMass Lowell. They’ll find out their sites and opponents on Sunday.

BRONCOS COMPLETE RISE TO TOP OF CCHA HEAP
Western Michigan 3, Michigan 2 | Box Score

After two weeks of nearly flawless hockey and victories over two of the CCHA’s perennial title contenders, Western Michigan’s meteoric rise from perpetual doormat to playoff champion is complete.

The Broncos jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two periods and held off a late surge from Michigan to notch a 3-2 victory in the league championship game Saturday for the school’s first CCHA playoff title since 1986.

“Honestly, I’m speechless,” Western Michigan captain Ian Slater said. “I don’t think I’ve ever won anything in my life, even at a carnival. To go out in this fashion, the senior class that I have, the brothers I have and the relationships we’ve built, it’s one of those things that won’t hit us for a few months down the road.”

The dude provides: Western Michigan goaltender Frank Slubowski stopped 27 shots Saturday to lead the Broncos to their first CCHA tournament title since 1986.

Western Michigan’s lead appeared tenuous midway through the third period when the Wolverines, killing off a five-minute penalty given to defenseman Jon Merrill for kneeing, got a shorthanded goal  from Kevin Clare with 12 minutes left in regulation. Then, just 27 seconds after Michigan returned to full strength, Slater was handed a major penalty for boarding and a game misconduct.

“I didn’t watch,” Slater said. “I think I walked in every single locker room like four times. I was pacing back and forth. I was sick to my stomach. I almost puked a couple of times, maybe cried twice. I was bouncing all over the place. It was great to see how hard the guys worked to take care of my five-minute penalty.”

Slater’s teammates delivered in his absence, allowing just a single power-play goal—Michigan’s Lee Moffie scored with six minutes left in regulation—and keeping the Wolverines at bay during the final minute of play after goaltender Shawn Hunwick headed to the bench in favor of an extra attacker.

Reflecting on what helped the Broncos get over the hump after losing to Miami in last year’s CCHA title game, Slater pointed to comprehensive game planning and a more mature team.

“We’ve got depth,” Slater said. “We had depth last year, but we have depth this year.  The idea of how we’re going to get from point A to point B in a game is so much clearer this year. We establish a work ethic, we establish a game plan, and then we go out and achieve that.”

“Every play matters,” Western Michigan senior forward Greg Squires said. “Have confidence and do the little things. It’s the little things that lead to championships.”

With that championship in hand, the Broncos are guaranteed a trip to the NCAA Tournament and they’ll get to work quickly preparing for their opponent after taking time to celebrate a monumental achievement in program history tonight.

After all, the Broncos know as much as any team just how quickly hard work can pay off.

“Last year, we told ourselves that we wanted to be a top-four team,” Slater said. “It’s a lot easier saying that than actually going out doing it. It honestly makes all of the 6 a.m. workouts and all of the practice sessions, the lifts and the runs … all of the things I’m scratching my head to try to get the guys to see that’s what we need to do. Then it all comes together like it did now, and the payoff is that much greater.”

CLOSE-KNIT WOLVERINES LOOK TO REBOUND WITH NCAA RUN

Though disappointed by a tough opening 40 minutes and a few near misses in a game that might have gone its way with a bit of puck luck, Michigan still looks like it will earn a No. 1 seed in an NCAA Tournament regional after reaching the national championship game last year.

Heading into the national tournament, captain Luke Glendening believes the closeness of this team and the emergence of some young contributors can help them make another run.

“I feel like this is a really close team,” Glendening said. “We don’t have the prolific goal scorers that we had in years past like Carl (Hagelin) and Louie (Caporusso), but I feel like our team is really close. We focus a lot on defense and I think that we definitely have a chance to make a run if we do the little things right.”

MIAMI BOUNCES BACK AGAINST BOWLING GREEN
Miami 4, Bowling Green 1 | Box Score

After a disappointing defeat in Friday’s CCHA semifinal against Western Michigan, Saturday’s CCHA third-place game held added importance for Miami coach Enrico Blasi’s young squad as they prepare for the NCAA Tournament. The RedHawks showed maturity in their resilience after a tough loss as their six rookie forwards combined for five points in a 4-1 victory over Bowling Green.

One day after Western Michigan prevented Miami from getting into any kind of groove, the RedHawks were able to play their style of game against Bowling Green, helping to build confidence before the NCAA Tournament.

“We kind of had a different mindset,” Miami forward Reilly Smith said. “We really focused on slowing the puck down, making Bowling Green comes to us, and feeding off of that and finding and open man. (Friday) we were forcing the puck too much, so we’re happy with the result.”

Seeing the freshman class step up in a big way and adding the postseason experience of the upperclassmen—the seniors have reached the Frozen Four twice in the last three seasons—Blasi is confident the pressure of this year’s hotly contested CCHA campaign has his team in a good place.

“Playing in the CCHA prepares us pretty good, especially this year,” Blasi said. “If you look at the teams under consideration, there are nine teams under consideration from our league, so we have a tough league schedule. We played Denver this year at Denver, we played Colgate up in Colgate and we played Bemidji. I think we’re ready. I think we’re ready for the challenge.”

EXPERIENCE THE CORNERSTONE FOR THE FALCONS’ FUTURE

A season capped by a memorable playoff run came to a close for Bowling Green after Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Miami. Certainly, there are positives for coach Chris Bergeron to build upon has he tries to resurrect a once-prominent program. Bergeron believes experiencing success and disappointment during a playoff run that saw the Falcons win two series on the road and hang with NCAA Tournament-bound opponents on the big stage at Joe Louis Arena will help the team develop going forward.

“I think it has been more mental,” Bergeron said. “With that many young people in the lineup in key situations … they just don’t know how to react and respond to it. We saw it (Friday) night, we’ve never been in that situation before. Now next time, we’ve been there and we’ve learned from the mistakes that we made. That was the first half of the year. It wasn’t effort, it was just having that experience.”

PLUS-MINUS

Give the Broncos serious credit for holding on in the final minutes of this contest, facing a lengthy penalty kill and a swarming Michigan offense in the final minutes. After Slater took the penalty, a team of pretenders might have folded, but the Broncos proved themselves a worthy champion and a contender for years to come.

Two major penalties in the third period might have changed the course of the game for either team. It’s disappointing that players would put themselves in the position to be whistled for those infractions and to see the refs create a potentially unlevel playing field in the final minutes of a championship game.

CCHA ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

G—Frank Slubowski, Western Michigan
D—Dan Dekeyser, Western Michigan
D—Lee Moffie, Michigan
F—Luke Moffatt, Michigan
F—Greg Squires, Western Michigan
F—Reilly Smith, Miami
MVP—Frank Slubowski, Western Michigan

WHAT’S NEXT

Three of the CCHA’s final four are headed for the national tournament and Miami, Michigan, and Western Michigan all have the potential to make a run if they can perform the way they did en route to the Joe. Bowling Green’s season is over but make no mistake, this is a team on the rise. It might take some time to be a true championship-caliber program, but it seems unlikely the Falcons will again be a doormat.