Over the next couple weeks, we’ll introduce you to the 10 players we’ve pegged as the top contenders for the 2013 Hobey Baker Award and take a closer look at 10 issues that will impact the upcoming season. First on the agenda, however, are our picks for the top 10 teams headed into coming season.

No.	Team	Of Note
1.	Minnesota	2011-12 record: 28-14-1, 20-8-0 WCHA Key returnees: Erik Haula, F, Jr. (20-29–49); Kyle Rau, F, So. (18-25–43); Nick Bjugstad, F, Jr. (25-17–42); Kyle Schmidt, D, Jr. (3-38–41) Key losses: Jake Hansen, F (16-22–38); Taylor Matson, F (8-15–23); Kent Patterson, G (28-14-1, 2.32, .907)
Assuming Bjugstad returns for his junior season instead of turning pro, the Gophers’ lineup will boast seven players who scored 20 or more points last season. Good thing they’ll score a ton, because Minnesota must break in a pair of untested goaltenders—junior Mike Shibrowski (20 career minutes played) and rookie Adam Wilcox, a South St. Paul, Minn., native who spent the last two seasons in the USHL with Green Bay and Tri-City.
2.	Michigan	2011-12 record: 24-13-4, 15-9-4-1 CCHA Key returnees: Alex Guptill, F, So. (16-17–33); A.J. Treais, F, Sr. (15-17–32); Phil Di Guiseppe, F, So. (11-15–26); Jon Merrill, D, Jr. (2-9–11) Key losses: David Wohlberg, F (16-17–33); Luke Glendening, F (10-11–21); Shawn Hunwick, G (24-12-3, 2.32, 2.00)
The returning cast is talented and deep, but it’s the newcomers who’ll draw the most attention from Wolverines fans early. U.S. NDTP defenseman Jacob Trouba is a sure-fire first-round pick in next month’s NHL Draft and could be among the first 10 players selected. Forward Cristoval “Boo” Nieves is a talented forward from the New England prep ranks likely to be chosen in the draft’s first two rounds. Then there’s U.S. NTDP goalie Jared Rutledge, the heir apparent to Shawn Hunwick.
3.	North Dakota	2011-12 record: 26-13-3, 16-11-1 WCHA Key returnees: Danny Kristo, F, Sr. (19-26–45); Corban Knight, F, Sr. (16-24–40); Carter Rowney, F, Sr. (18-15–33); Nick Mattson, D, So. (6-13–19) Key losses: Brock Nelson, F (28-19–47); Ben Blood, D (3-18–21); Mario Lamoureux, F (4-7–11)
As long as everyone doesn’t get hurt, it should be an exciting winter in Grand Forks. Kristo, Knight, and Rowney lead an attack that will benefit from the return of a healthy Rocco Grimaldi, and heralded freshman Jordan Schmaltz will round out an exceptional defensive corps. Goalie Aaron Dell was leaning toward turning pro this spring, but hasn’t signed. Even if he doesn’t return, NoDak’s goaltending should be in good hands with freshman Zane Gothberg and Alabama-Huntsville transfer Clarke Saunders.
4.	Union	2011-12 record: 26-8-7, 14-4-4 ECAC Hockey Key returnees: Troy Grosenick, G, Jr. (22-6-3, 1.65, .936); Daniel Carr, F, Jr. (20-20–40); Wayne Simpson, F, Sr. (18-13–31); Shayne Gostisbehere, D, So. (5-17–22) Key losses: Jeremy Welsh, F (27-17–44); Kelly Zajac, F (8-34–42); Nolan Julseth-White, D (0-4–4)
Within the ECAC Hockey ranks, last year’s performance by Union didn’t come as much of a surprise, but it certainly marked a bump in Union’s national profile. There are some key departures to address, most notably Welsh and his goal-scoring and defensemen Julseth-White and his leadership. However, there’s enough talent returning for the Dutchmen to make another run toward the Frozen Four and remain among the top-ranked teams in the country all season long. Hobey Baker finalist Grosenick returns in net and will have 10 forwards and five defensemen of the team’s regular lineup last year back in front of him.
5.	Western Michigan	2011-12 record: 21-14-6, 14-10-4-4 CCHA Key returnees: Chase Balisy, F, Jr. (13-24–37); Shane Berschbach, F, Jr. (10-22–32); Dan DeKeyser, D, Jr. (5-12–17); Frank Slubowski, G, So. (17-11-4, 2.03, .911) Key losses: Matt Tennyson, D (11-13–24); Greg Squires, F (8-11–19); Ian Slater, F (7-8–15)
First-year head coach Andy Murray kept the Western on the path Jeff Blashill forged, leading the Broncos to a second consecutive NCAA Tournament berth and the school’s first CCHA tournament title since 1986. This season looks just as promising. The team’s three leading scorers—forwards Balisy, Berschbach, and Dane Walters—are back. So, too, are five regulars from one of the country’s best collection of defensemen, led by Dan DeKyser and Luke Witkowski. Then there’s goalie Frank Slubowski, arguably the Broncos’ most valuable player from a year ago when, as a freshman, he posted a 2.03 goals against average and a .911 save percentage.
6.	Boston College	2011-12 record: 33-10-1, 19-7-1 Hockey East Key returnees: John Gaudreau, F, So. (21-23–44); Steven Whitney, F, Sr. (16-23–39); Bill Arnold, F, So. (17-19–36); Parker Milner, G, Sr. (29-5-0, 1.66, .937) Key losses: Chris Kreider, F (23-22–45); Brian Dumoulin, D (7-21–28); Barry Almeida, F (22-18–40)
The defending national champions are one of the elite programs in the nation and always have to deal with quality players leaving the program due to graduation or professional hockey opportunities. This year might have hurt more than most, but the Eagles are certainly still among the top teams in the country. We’re a little concerned about where some of the scoring might come from with Chris Kreider already joining the New York Rangers and the graduation of Barry Almeida and Paul Carey who combined to score 40 goals last year. Milner proved he’s one of the nation’s best goalies and might have to carry this team as it finds its way in the first half, but as usual, BC will be there in the end.
7.	Cornell	2011-12 record: 19-9-7, 12-4-6 ECAC Hockey Key returnees: Andy Iles, G, Jr. (19-9-7, 2.12, .919); Greg Miller, F, Sr. (14-17–31); Dustin Mowrey, F, Jr. (8-15–23); Nick D’Agostino, D, Sr. (8-12–20) Key losses: Sean Collins, F (13-13–26); Sean Whitney, D (2-9–11); Locke Jillson, F (7-3–10)
If the Big Red had been able to score on a crucial power play in the NCAA Midwest Regional final, it would have been Cornell instead of Ferris State in the Frozen Four. That near miss may serve as motivation, as it was a Big Red team that was still a year or two away from being its best. Standout goalie Iles will back a lineup that lost just four regulars among its 18 skaters, including eight of its nine leading scorers from the 2011-12 campaign. If last year’s stellar freshman class that included Brian Ferlin, Joakim Ryan, John McCarron, Joel Lowry and Cole Bardreau can take steps forward, this team will be a legitimate threat to Union’s reign atop ECAC Hockey and a player in the national picture.
8.	Wisconsin	2011-12 record: 17-18-2, 11-15-2 WCHA Key returnees: Mark Zengerle, F, Jr. (13-37–50); Michael Mersch, F, Jr. (14-16–30); Tyler Barnes, F, Jr. (11-15–26); Joel Rumpel, G, So. (12-12-2, 2.48, .919) Key losses: Eric Springer, D (1-4–5)
Here’s a change: it should be a quiet summer in Madison other than the expected departure of defenseman Justin Schultz, who’s likely to end up signing as a free agent with someone other than Anaheim, the team that drafted him in 2008. Zengerle very quietly turned in a 50-point season, and with classmates Mersch and Barnes lead a group of young forwards. Even without Schultz, the Badgers will be solid on the blue line; senior John Ramage won’t fill up the score sheet, but he’s a tough defensive defenseman. Rumpel seized the no. 1 goaltending job midway through the season, proving he deserved the nod by posting a 2.02 GAA and a .931 save percentage after Jan. 1.
9.	UMass Lowell	2011-12 record: 24-13-1, 17-9-1 Hockey East Key returnees: Riley Wetmore, F, Sr. (14-25–39); Scott Wilson, F, So. (16-22–38); Derek Arnold, F, Jr. (17-17–34); Doug Carr, G, Jr. (22-10-1, 2.13, .928) Key losses: Matt Ferreira, F (14-18–32); David Vallorani, F (10-19–29); Michael Budd, F (6-5–11)
One of the nation’s most pleasant surprises a year ago seems to have some staying power with a number of key players back to build on those successes. Most importantly, Carr and his four shutouts, 2.13 goals-against average and .928 save percentage, will be manning the nets in his junior season. Up front, Wilson was in the discussion among the best freshmen in the country after turning in a 16-goal, 38-point first year on campus. The River Hawks have their top three scorers back, and their top six defensemen in terms of games played.
10.	Notre Dame	2011-12 record: 19-18-3, 12-13-3-0 CCHA Key returnees: T.J. Tynan, F, Jr. (13-28–41); Anders Lee, F, Jr. (17-17–34); Austin Wuthrich, F, So. (7-10–17); Stephen Johns, D, Jr. (4-6–10) Key losses: Billy Maday, F (12-15–27); Riley Sheahan, F (9-16–25); Sean Lorenz, D (3-10–13)
Yeah, it was a dumpster fire of a season in South Bend last year and their goaltending is suspect, but the Fighting Irish are too talented to fail. You know what you’re gonna get from Tynan and Lee, Wuthrich showed promise as a freshman, and Jeff Costello, if healthy, gives Notre Dame a rugged, front-of-the-net presence. Throw in four incoming freshmen who might be the best collection of rookie forwards in the nation and a group of talented defensemen who struggled with consistency last season, and the pieces are there for the Irish to bounce back.

Joey LaLeggia

LaLeggia joined the Denver program after playing his junior hockey with the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League. LaLeggia ranked fifth among all defensemen in points per game, and was the leading freshman blueliner in that category. He posted 11 goals and 38 points in 43 games, and held a plus-13 rating. Three of his goals and 15 points came while Denver was on the power play. He was durable, and appeared in all 43 games for the Pioneers.

He really hit his offensive stride in the middle of the season with 15 points over an eight-game scoring streak and a total of 20 points in a 12-game span.

The Burnaby, British Columbia native has a long way to go to match the cult-hero status that another Burnaby native holds in the Denver hockey community (Joe Sakic), but after a great freshman year, LaLeggia is off to a great start.

His Runner-Up: Scott Wilson, UMass Lowell

• INCH’s year-end awards are decided upon with input from the editorial staff of InsideCollegeHockey.com and in consultation with coaches and other college hockey followers from across the country.

Dave Hakstol is one of those coaches. Despite a roster that was gutted by injuries, defections to the major junior ranks, and ineligibility and the controversy over the team’s nickname constantly swirling in the background, Hakstol guided North Dakota to the WCHA playoff championship and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA West Regional. A team that at Thanksgiving had a 4-7-0 overall record and a 2-6-0 mark in conference play hit its stride, going 22-6-2 in its last 30 games, including a 14-5-1 mark against league opponents.

There’s a reason just about everything went right for North Dakota during the last four months of the season. When the team needed timely goaltending from senior Brad Eidsness, it got it. When it needed offensive contributions from someone not named Corban Knight, Danny Kristo, or Brock Nelson, Carter Rowney and Michael Parks stepped to the fore. When players started dropping like flies due to injuries, unheralded players like defenseman-turned-forward Joe Gleason or freshman walk-ons Connor Gaarder and Dan Senkbeil ultimately proved to be more than just stop-gap options.

North Dakota is one of college hockey’s pressure cookers and the fan base, regardless of what has transpired in seasons past, has very little tolerance for mediocrity or even pretty good-ocrity. The folks in Grand Forks expect their hockey team to win; North Dakota did that this past season thanks to a masterful coaching job by Hakstol.

His Runner-Up: Norm Bazin, UMass Lowell

• INCH’s year-end awards are decided upon with input from the editorial staff of InsideCollegeHockey.com and in consultation with coaches and other college hockey followers from across the country.

The top-ranked player with college ties is U.S. National Team Development Program defenseman and Michigan recruit Jacob Trouba, who is ranked ninth. Others listed among the top 30 include Vermont recruit Zemgus Girgensons, a forward who currently plays for Dubuque of the United States Hockey League (18th); U.S. NTDP defenseman Brady Skjei, a Minnesota recruit (19th); Michigan forward Phil Di Giuseppi (22nd); Kent (Conn.) School forward Cristoval Nieves, a Michigan recruit (27th); U.S. NTDP forward and Wisconsin recruit Nick Kerdiles (29th); and Dubuque defenseman Mike Matheson (30th), who will head to Boston College in the fall.

The North American lists rank 210 skaters and 30 goalies, all of whom play in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to college players, the list features draft-eligible major junior players as well as a number of college-bound high school, prep, and junior players. The NHL Entry Draft takes place June 22-23 in Pittsburgh.

The trip to Tampa this year’s Frozen Four was a necessary evil. At least that’s what I had decided as the date approached. It’ll be hot and humid, and I’ll be sweaty and miserable. Outside of a few snowbirds and transplants from college hockey hotbeds, no one around here will care about the Frozen, especially with the Rays opening the baseball season with a series against the Yankees on the other side of the bay. And then Ferris State and Union qualify for the first time ever which, while great for the respective schools and college hockey as a whole, won’t generate heat in a non-traditional college hockey market.

Permanent venue? We think it works.

As has been the case more often than not this month (just look back at my NCAA picks), I was wrong.

Sure, there were empty seats for both Thursday’s semifinals and Saturday’s championship game, but the crowds have been enthusiastic. The Frozen Fest in the plaza just outside the Tampa Bay Times Forum was wall-to-wall-to-wall people prior to Saturday’s game. The weather has been great and fans to soak up the sun and enjoy the mild nights while taking in the sights in the area. The local media, especially the two daily newspapers here, have been terrific. There are signs trumpeting the Frozen Four all over the city—not just the Channelside area around the rink, but Ybor City, the airport, and other locales. Most surprising, the locals have embraced the event; sit down at a restaurant, belly up to a bar, go into a store, climb into a cab, or bump into regular folks at a night spot, and you’re likely to be asked if you’re here for the hockey tournament.

Clearly, this area knows how to host big events—Tampa is a frequent landing spot for the Super Bowl and hosts the Outback Bowl; the NCAA Final Four was in St. Petersburg in 1999 and basketball regionals have been held in both Tampa and St. Pete; and both the Stanley Cup and World Series have been here in the past decade.

So why not make Tampa the permanent Frozen Four host?

Scoff if you must, but it wouldn’t be unprecedented. Omaha is the permanent host of the College World Series and Oklahoma City is always the site of the softball’s championship. Turn the Frozen Four into college hockey’s version of a bowl game.

Think about it. Hotel rooms are plentiful and reasonably priced. Most airports across the country offer affordable flights to either Tampa or Orlando, which is a little more than an hour’s drive from here. There’s plenty to do around here—museums, theme parks, the beach. And by all accounts, the teams and fans who made the trip down here this week had a blast. Before long, planning a week-long trip to Tampa in early April becomes a must for college hockey fans.

When I floated this idea Saturday afternoon via Twitter, I was surprised by the blowback (which I assume came from people who aren’t here.)  Some suggested Tampa shouldn’t host if the championship game wasn’t a sellout. With more than 18,000 announced as the Saturday attendance, it wasn’t, but I don’t see that as the host city’s problem. And, hey, a few empty seats didn’t affect the quality of Saturday’s game. Unlike a major league baseball game, the Frozen Four isn’t something you go out and do on a whim. And you’ve known for how long this event was coming to Tampa? Stop complaining and get here!

The odds of something like this coming to fruition are unlikely. College hockey fans like to hang onto traditional sites like Boston (expensive city, iffy spring weather, mediocre rink) and St. Paul (affordable city, iffy spring weather, best rink in America). We assume the Tampa Bay Lightning won’t like the idea of wrapping up the regular season with road games every year, but why not give it a shot? We heartily endorse the idea.

Even before Connolly had been announced as the 32nd winner of the Hobey Baker Award, he was passing out thank yous, crediting the UMD team trainer for the work in enabling him to play 164 consecutive games. He also mentioned linemates, teammates, coaches past and present, family, and an army of fans who have followed him and the Bulldogs for the past four years.

Minnesota Duluth forward Jack Connolly is the fifth Bulldog to win the Hobey Baker Award.

“This is just kind of the icing on the cake for me,” said Connolly shortly after he and brother Chris posed with the trophy, showing off the national championship rings they won at UMD and Boston University, respectively. “My brother’s been more than successful with a national championship, and then UMD took one home, and now this (trophy) enters the picture. It goes to show that a lot of hard work went into our hockey careers and it’s nice to take this to the next level.”

Connolly, who finished second in the nation in scoring with 60 points in 41 games, sat between Maine’s Spencer Abbott and Colgate’s Austin Smith in an impressive auditorium at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. The 30-minute award ceremony featured officials from the French military awarding Baker’s relatives a medal for the Princeton star’s World War I service nearly a century after his death. Major General Karl Horst, chief of staff of the U.S. Central Command also offered remarks and a welcome to the five buses of dignitaries, media members, and college hockey fans in attendance.

When his name was called, Connolly battled emotions reminiscent of a year earlier when he held the national championship trophy aloft with tears in his eyes. Connolly’s father, Mark, reflected on a childhood spent skating on the outdoor rinks in Duluth and recalled that 1985 Hobey winner Bill Watson was one of Jack’s assistant coaches in peewees.

“It’s been so much fun to be a part of this,” said Watson, who was in attendance and joked that anything that keeps the Bulldogs ahead of Minnesota—the Gophers have had four Hobey winners, while this makes five for UMD—is good. “It’s one of those things where you get on the ice with somebody for the first time and they have that impact. You knew he was going to be a special player.”

Abbott and Smith were gracious runners-up but admitted that the competitive nature of being hockey players made it hard to hear someone else’s name called.

“It’s three really good players that bring a lot to the table and a lot to their teams,” Smith said. “Obviously there’s that killer instinct where anything you do, you want to win, but I realize I’m sitting next to two guys that demand the best of themselves every day. … At the end of the day, I’m humbled by the experience and I’m happy for Jack.”

VETERAN DEFENSE SOLID AGAIN FOR BOSTON COLLEGE
By Kevin Zeise

Thursday’s matchup had been billed as a showcase of two nearly identical teams, both possessing high-powered offenses capable of lighting up the scoreboard. While Boston College’s attack held its end of the bargain, the Eagles’ defensive unit put the clamps down on Minnesota, holding a team that had tallied 12 goals in the two games at the NCAA West Regional to just a single goal in the Eagles’ 6-1 victory Thursday night in Tampa.

Brian Dumoulin and the Boston College defense played a key role in shutting down the high-scoring Minnesota offense.

Working as a collective unit, the six defensemen and goaltender Parker Milner kept the Gophers at bay throughout the contest. Employing a bend-but-don’t-break strategy, the Eagles allowed Minnesota to shoot from distance, and worked tirelessly to clear away pucks from in front of the net. Milner’s presence in goal provided a huge security blanket for the Boston College defense.

There were a couple of grade-A opportunities, but Milner was there to erase those.

“He bails us out a lot,” said junior Brian Dumoulin of his classmate, Milner. “It helps us to know we don’t have to be mistake-free, knowing we’ve got a rock behind us.”

“I think everyone still strives for perfection, even though it’s not always possible,” said junior Patrick Wey. “It’s a relief knowing that we have such a great goalie back there. I just get surprised sometimes, it’s like, ‘Man, here comes another two-on-one,’ and he makes another huge save, and it’s a huge relief.”

Time and again on the evening, the defensemen and goaltender were in perfect sync, with Milner there to make key stops when the Gophers got through the defense. In turn, whenever Milner gave up a rebound in front of his crease, his blueliners were there to sweep pucks away into the corners and away from danger.

“I think it works with the whole unit,” Milner said of the play of his defensive group in front. “I try to limit the rebounds, but I definitely left plenty out there tonight. Those guys are incredible, they just swept everything right out. I think that’s something they work endlessly on.”

The Eagles were able to prepare for Minnesota’s high-powered attack in practice over the past week and a half by simply working against their own forwards.

“We’ve got fast forwards, and so does Minnesota,” said senior Edwin Shea. “Practice is sometimes harder than the games we play with how quick our forwards are. It was good for our defense to get used to that type of speed in practice for teams just like Minnesota.”

“Lots of guys come to Boston College to play defense because they know they’re going to play against some of the best forwards in the country each day in practice,” Wey said. “Those practices, and some of the games we’ve had throughout the playoffs, they’ve been really good preparation for us for a team like this that was so skilled offensively.”

While Saturday night’s championship matchup will pit the Eagles against a different type of team than Minnesota was, Boston College’s entire defensive unit is certainly aware of the danger that Ferris State can pose.

“We’re enjoying this win right now, but tomorrow night it’s back to business,” Wey said. “That’s a good team in Ferris State that we have to play, and we’re certainly not going to take them lightly.”

YOUNG GOPHER DEFENSE OVERWHELMED BY BC
By Jess Myers

At the start of the college hockey season, many predicted that the Gophers’ youth on defense would undo all the good they’d be able to do offensively, and picked Minnesota for a middle-of-the-pack finish in the WCHA. It didn’t happen.

Justin Holl and the Gophers' green defensive corps couldn't handle Paul Carey and the Boston College attack.

After a hot start, paced by Kent Patterson’s repeated shutouts, the Gophers cooled a bit by early December, it was predicted that defensive flaws would lead to Minnesota’s fall from atop the WCHA standings. It didn’t happen, and the Gophers went on to win the WCHA title.

As the playoff started, the only question remaining about Minnesota was if that defensive inexperience would spell trouble against fast, opportunistic teams. On Thursday at the Frozen Four, it happened.

“It was just one of those nights for a couple guys who had played so well all year long,” said Gophers coach Don Lucia, clearly not naming names. “Tonight we had a couple guys who didn’t play the way they have most of the season, and that’s going to happen.”

Against a talented an opportunistic offense like that of BC, mistakes were magnified, and little turnovers they may have been masked early in the season all seemed to end up with the puck behind Gophers goalie Kent Patterson.

“They had a number of odd-man rushes, but that was just because we were trying to make chances and trying to score,” said Patterson, who had 19 saves. “We had all the guys on the net, and they just capitalized on their opportunities on their rushes. You’ve got to give them credit.”

Nate Schmidt admitted that he had perhaps his worst game of the season on the blue line, and when Jake Parenteau fumbled a puck that led to a 2-on-1 scoring rush by the Eagles, the harsh light of the national spotlight seemed much brighter on a pair of sophomores that had been otherwise solid all season.

“They feed off turnovers and they really exploited our turnovers tonight,” Schmidt said. “Jake and I didn’t have the games we wanted tonight … for me that was probably one of the worst games I played. No excuses on a big stage like this.”

TAMPA, Fla. – Boston College scored three second-period goals and never looked back, routing Minnesota 6-1 in the second NCAA Frozen Four semifinal game at the Tampa Bay Times Forum Thursday.

The second-period markers from Kevin Hayes, Chris Kreider, and Paul Carey extended the Eagles’ lead to 4-0, with the Kreider and Carey tallies coming in the final 2:15 prior to intermission. Minnesota showed a faint pulse when Jake Hansen scored just 1:26 into the third period to cut the margin to 4-1, a goal that ended Boston College goaltender Parker Milner’s NCAA Tournament shutout streak at 161:26, but Carey answered with his second goal of the game 22 seconds later, demoralizing the Golden Gophers and propelling the Eagles, the Tournament’s top overall seed, to a championship game match with Ferris State Saturday.

Minnesota's Tom Serratore attempts a shot; Boston College's Quinn Smith tries to thwart the effort. Boston College beat Minnesota in Thursday's second Frozen Four semifinal, 6-1.

Junior defenseman Brian Dumoulin closed out Boston College’s scoring with the Eagles’ second power-play goal at the 5:51 mark of the final period. Foward Steven Whitney scored the only goal of the first period at the 6:03 mark, redirecting a centering pass from linemate Barry Almeida past Minnesota goalie Kent Patterson.

Six goals might put the spotlight on the Eagles’ prolific offense, a group that has averaged four goals a game during its current 18-game winning streak, but Milner was terrific, making 30 saves, including a few on grade-A chances early in the game that might have shifted the momentum before the game spiraled out of Minnesota’s reach. Milner, a junior from Pittsburgh, has stopped 83 of the 84 shots he’s faced in the NCAA Tournament and a total of 21 goals during the team’s winning streak.

With the win, the Eagles advanced to the national championship game for the seventh time since Jerry York became head coach in 1994 and they will be playing for their fourth national championship in that stretch and the program’s fifth overall.

3. Parker Milner, Boston College: Coach Jerry York said Milner made “timely saves” when Minnesota had a chance to generate some momentum, allowing the Eagles to take over late in the second period. He made 30 saves; the Eagles were outshot by a 31-25 margin.

2. , Brian Dumoulin, Boston College: The standout defenseman earned special mention from his coach for persevering in loose-puck battles in front and making strong plays to limit Gopher scoring chances.

1. Paul Carey, Boston College: Two goals for the senior forward and they epitomized BC’s night — opportunistic and lethal. His goal in the final minute of the second period made it 4-0, and when Minnesota scored early in the third, Carey answered 22 seconds later. Game over.

A shutout streak of more than 160 minutes is impressive. For a goalie to put together said streak in the NCAA Tournament is amazing, but that’s exactly what Boston College’s Parker Milner did. After blanking both Air Force and Minnesota Duluth in the NCAA Northeast Regional in Worcester two weeks ago, the junior from Pittsburgh kept Minnesota off the scoreboard for two periods before Minnesota’s Jake Hansen scored 86 seconds into the third period of Thursday’s semifinal. The final tally: 161:26 without a goal in NCAA Tournament play. Add in the scoreless time he accrued in the Eagles’ Hockey East title game win against Maine, and that number grows to 193:49.

Paging Nick Bjugstad … paging Zach Budish … paging Kyle Rau. The Gophers’ top line was invisible in the loss to Boston College, combining for a plus-minus rating of minus-8 and four shots on goal. That’s two fewer than Boston College third-line wing Paul Carey. Certainly they’re not alone in their inconspicuousness for the Gophers, but your best players to be difference makers in big games. That obviously wasn’t the case Thursday night in Tampa.

“It just got out of control.”

Minnesota senior forward and assistant captain Jake Hansen needed only six words to effectively sum up what went wrong for the Golden Gophers in the loss to Boston College. Sometimes the simplest summation is also the most appropriate.

Patterson didn’t get a lot of help from his Minnesota teammates against of Boston College Thursday. Even the official Twitter account for the Golden Gophers left him out to dry.

College hockey fans who are just catching up on to this Union team and its successful run through the regular season and NCAA Tournament can surely come up with the basic information. Troy Grosenick, the sophomore goaltender, is a Hobey Baker finalist. Jeremy Welsh, the team’s leading goal-scorer is a high-level player and has surely attracted lots of attention from NHL front office types.

But what about the defensemen? Those guys do their job in relative anonymity, and it suits them just fine. It’s a mix of differing styles of play, differing levels of collegiate experience and different personalities, but they make all of those things work as a complete unit. Union assistant coach Jason Tapp, a former Boston University goaltender, works primarily with the defenseman.

Junior defenseman Shawn Stuart is part of an anonymous Union defensive corps.

“I think the biggest part of the D is that they all know their roles,” Tapp said. “We have some offensive guys, we’ve have some stay-at-home guys and everyone says we’re an older team but we’re actually pretty young.”

Among the defense corps, the only senior that’s among the top-six is captain Nolan Julseth-White. Juniors Shawn Stuart (40 games) and Greg Coburn (39) have been in the lineup almost every night. Mat Bodie is a sophomore and Shayne Gostisbehere is a freshman. The other spot has been claimed by junior Ryan Forgaard, who returned from injury to reclaim a lineup spot and has been in 19 games this season. Freshman Charlie Vasaturo (12) and senior Taylor Reid (13) have been solid contributors when called upon.

“They’re all very coachable, and they know what their roles are. They listen, they do their job and don’t try to do too much. I think that’s the thing, they don’t try to do things they’re not capable of,” Tapp said. “They keep it even, keep it steady, go about their job and they know what they’re good at. They focus on that stuff and do those things well but they don’t try to get out of their comfort zone.”

That all comes from Julseth-White’s presence and leadership. He’s vocal about keeping things prioritized. Union’s strongest characteristics are its self-belief and unflappable nature, and those traits run through the defense. Grosenick is obviously a beneficiary and gets some notoriety as a result, and Union ranks first nationally in overall team defense. The Dutchmen have allowed just 1.80 goals against per game.

“Our D do a great job of allowing Troy to see pucks. We do a pretty good job of eliminating sticks on pucks and denying shots and taking away some grade-As that teams leave. We form a pretty good pocket around him,” Tapp said. “It’s not just our D, but our team defense. Our forwards get back hard for him and they pick up the trailers so there’s no late passes. We focus a lot on team defense and our guys have bought in and that’s certainly helped Troy.”

SIT STANDS TALL BOSTON COLLEGE
By Kevin Zeise

With as much firepower as Boston College has offensively, it’s easy to overlook the team’s defensive prowess. And as the Eagles try to match up with Minnesota’s top scoring line on Thursday night, they’ll rely on a freshman who grew up in the shadow of the Gopher program, freshman Michael Sit.

Sit centers the Eagles’ fourth line, flanked by fellow freshmen Quinn Smith and Danny Linnell, but unlike his linemates from the East Coast, Sit is the lone representative on the Boston College squad from Minnesota, hailing from the Minneapolis suburb of Edina—a mere 13 miles away from Minnesota’s Mariucci Arena.

Boston College forward Michael Sit, a Minnesota native, relishes the opportunity to face the Gohpers in Thursday's Frozen Four semifinal.

“We were actually (Minnesota) season ticket holders, and I watched them win a few championships when I was in my childhood, those back-to-backs in the early 2000s,” Sit said Wednesday. “We were like 15 minutes from campus, and attended a lot of games when we were younger.”

Despite the obvious hometown appeal, Sit had his sights set on attending school away from home, and a family connection drew his attention toward Boston. His older brother, David, enrolled at Boston University and plays for that school’s club team.

“The East Coast draw was pretty big because he was out here,” Sit said. “I felt more comfortable looking at the schools out east, and this was where my first interest came.”

Sit’s numbers (0-3—3) aren’t the type of thing to grab one’s attention, but he’s aware of the importance of his role on this year’s team. The chemistry he and his linemates have showed have helped the Eagles during their 17-game winning streak leading into the Frozen Four.

“I kind of envisioned my role as a shutdown guy from the beginning, but then when we started playing together, they’re both amazing skaters, they both battle hard in the corners and get to the net,” he said. “I’m more of a harassing-type of player. I don’t have the stature to throw the body around, but then again, Quinn Smith is a pretty small guy, and he bangs pretty hard.”

Facing a team that put up 12 goals in the two games in the West Regional in Minnesota, it’ll be up to Sit and his linemates to help slow down the Gopher attack for the Eagles to reach Saturday’s national championship game. Knowing that the road to the national championship game goes through the program that he grew up watching brings a smile to Sit’s face.

“It’d be a great feeling. I grew up admiring those guys, and that team, and being able to come back and beat them now that I’m in college would just be a great feeling and a great accomplishment.”

GOPHERS’ DEPTH MIRRORS BOSTON COLLEGE
By Jess Myers

Much was made a about the emergence of Minnesota’s newly formed third line when the WCHA playoffs started. When Don Lucia juggled just enough to create a more dangerous third offensive unit with Travis Boyd centering Nate Condon and Taylor Matson, he gave the team a certain offensive depth, correcting an area where the Gophers had been hit or miss in the second half of the regular season.

In Frozen Four foe Boston College, the Gophers now face a kind of mirror image, and not just because the Eagles also wear a variant of maroon and gold.

Watching tape: Minnesota's Ben Marshall readies a stick after the Gophers' Wednesday practice.

“Most teams aren’t three lines deep offensively,” Lucia said Wednesday. “That’s what separates Boston College from, I think, everybody else.”

Well, perhaps everybody except the Gophers, where the top two lines have provided scoring punch all season and the members of the third line all had at least a goal and an assist in the wins over Boston University and North Dakota during the NCAA West Regional. Minnesota’s defense was supposed to be the weak link this season but goalie Kent Patterson did his best work early in the season, giving the blue-line corps time to grow.

“They have three really good scoring lines, but one thing that might benefit us as defensemen is that we go up against a very talented group of forwards each and every day in practice,” said sophomore Nate Schmidt. “We’re up to the task. They have big, strong forwards as well. (Johnny) Gaudreau is a similar size to a guy like Kyle Rau and (Chris) Kreider is a big guy kind of like (Nick) Bjugstad, so we see the same type of players. That caliber doesn’t change very much.”

Still, Lucia tried hard to paint his team as the underdog , joking that you don’t get to the Frozen Four every year unless you’re Boston College while giving a little hint about his team’s strategy against an Eagles team that didn’t allow a goal in winning the NCAA Northeast Regional.

“The first thing we have to do is manage the puck. You can’t turn pucks over against BC and shorten the rink for them,” Lucia said. “We’re going to have to pick our spots, but at the same time I don’t think we can sit back and let them have the puck all night because they’re too talented.”

He won’t mention it, as it doesn’t fit with his underdog vibe, but there will be plenty of talent and three lines of offensive depth on both benches Thursday.

CHANGE OF SCENERY SUITS FERRIS STATE’S WYSOPAL
By James V. Dowd

The sense of surprise in Ferris State reaching its first-ever Frozen Four has been well-documented in the 10 days since the Bulldogs defeated Denver and Cornell in the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional in Green Bay. But if there’s one person who finds it hardest to believe that he and his team has reached college hockey’s biggest stage, it might well be Ferris State senior defenseman Brett Wysopal.

Wysopal began his college hockey career skating for Colorado College, a program better known for national success and one just three years removed from a Frozen Four appearance when he arrived in Colorado Springs. The Tigers appeared to be trending in the right direction with a bevy of talent in the pipeline and a bright future seemingly assured.

But after finishing his freshman year with no points in 21 appearances and having mixed feelings about the college’s unique block scheduling setup, Wysopal decided to transfer, landing in Big Rapids.

Ferris State's Brett Wysopal transferred to Big Rapids after one season with Colorado College.

“I didn’t think we’d be in the Frozen Four before CC,” Wysopal said, “Especially after my freshman year at CC where we were ranked No. 1 in the country and kind of laid an egg in the NCAA Tournament. Last year, I was really rooting for my friends to get out of the [NCAA West] regional, but they couldn’t get it done. I thought they were going to do it.”

Despite leaving a program on the upswing and one that’s better known for recruiting and developing top-end talent, Wysopal found Ferris State has a knack for uncovering gems in the defensive zone—a key in the team’s growth and stability in recent seasons. The senior counts himself lucky to have played with some of college hockey’s top blueliners over the past three seasons and credits their skill sets with giving him the opportunity to refine and improve his own game.

“I think it makes my job a lot easier,” Wysopal said. “I’ve never been a really high-profile guy. We have (senior Chad) Billins this year, we had (Winnipeg Jets prospect Zach) Redmond last year and (Matt) Case a few years ago. They are all high-end players who are very skilled. It’s really easy to let them go do their job and I just have to worry about mine.”

As the 5-foot-8, 175-pound Wysopal improved as a defender, his responsibilities shifted. This year, he was asked to take on more of a defensive role than in the past and responded with a plus-5 rating and 73 blocked shots.

“I think my role changed this year,” Wysopal said. “I’ve been more of a power-play guy before but I think this year we needed a guy who could play in a more defensive role. I might be undersized, but I figured I could do it. The coaching staff asked if I could I do that and I think I’ve done a pretty good job.”

Wysopal’s defensive efforts will be as important as ever if the Bulldogs hope to reach Saturday’s title game. Facing a Union team that’s strong defensively and with explosive forwards who are big in stature, Wysopal knows little things like blocked shots and physical play will make the difference. And while the Bulldogs have enjoyed more offensive success than years past, they’re prepared to grind it out in a game that Wysopal believe will be a one-goal game.

“We like to run and gun more than Ferris State used to in the old days,” Wysopal said. “Guys like Jordie Johnston like to run and gun and score some goals. But I think we can (grind it out). It’s more of a battle, it’s much more of a battle and it wears you down. But at this point in the year, guys are willing to do anything to win.”

FRIES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BAG
By Mike Eidelbes and Kevin Zeise

• Ferris State coach Bob Daniels was named the recipient of the Spencer Penrose Award presented annually to the NCAA Division I coach of the year. It’s the second time Daniels has won the honor—he was also the Penrose winner in 2003—and the first CCHA coach to win it since Michigan’s Red Berenson in 2008.

“The (Penrose Award)  is unique in it represents a team accomplishment. There’s no coach that’s deserving of individually winning the award,” Daniels said following his team’s practice at Tampa Bay Times Forum. “I think it’s an award bestowed upon the coaching staff, the players, the administration, the fans. It truly is a team award.”

• No stranger to the Frozen Four himself, Vermont head coach Kevin Sneddon was in attendance at Wednesday’s practice sessions. And while his Catamounts didn’t have the season they had wanted this year, Sneddon has taken some pride in seeing Union, a team he coached from 1998 to 2003, qualify for this year’s Frozen Four.

“It’s been a really neat evolution when you look at that program. I remember at the time, it was all about dollars and cents—can we recruit, do we have enough money to buy sticks, if we don’t get more donations, how can we continue to do this? I think at that point in time, we were focused on trying to build a foundation for the program to prosper and now that they have foundation, they can really get after it for championships.

“There’s some great people there and it’s a great school, and I think that’s part of the frustration during that time was it was this fantastic school and a great environment, and it just needed a little bit of help. Now they’ve got that help and you see where they are.”

• No one familiar with college hockey views this year’s Frozen Four semifinals as a case of the haves (BC, Minnesota) vs. the have nots (Ferris State, Union), but it’s naive to think there aren’t differences between the institutions. For example, one INCH staffer overheard a Union student manager talking to his boss about Minnesota’s equipment bounty: “Did you see how many sticks they have?”

• The Gophers earn a bonus point for adorning their Tampa Bay Times Forum locker room door with a logo similar to the skating Gopher logo that used to grace one end of old Mariucci Arena. The new Gopher logo certainly looks like he’d be better in the corners, but the old skating Goldy (pictured, right) has more of a Gretzky-like demeanor, no?

Kudos to Minnesota equipment manager and friend of INCH Lee Greseth for encouraging the Gophers to more prominently use the old logo.

• Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ryan Shannon, out for the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury, visited the Boston College locker room after practice Wednesday and addressed the team. Shannon played for Boston College from 2001-05 and helped the Eagles to the Frozen Four in 2004.

“Coach York had him talk to us about his experience in the Frozen Four, just what it was like for him,” said Boston College sophomore Bill Arnold. “He reiterated that this is it, and not to take anything for granted, and to give it everything we have. One game, and the season could be done.”

• Flashback to Frozens past: Glanced up at one of the television monitors in the Tampa Bay Times Forum media workroom to catch a glimpse of a replay of Tuesday’s Anaheim-Vancouver match that starred Canucks netminder Cory Schneider—the former Boston College goaltender who helped the Eagles to the Frozen Four in 2006 and 2007. Schneider stopped all nine shots he faced in relief of starter Roberto Luongo as the Canucks earned a 5-4 shootout win over the visiting Ducks.

When asked by a reporter why Boston College and Minnesota don’t play each other more often, Eagles head coach Jerry York remarked that BC will be part of Minnesota’s holiday tournament next season and added that the two schools are working on a four-year scheduling agreement for regular-season series with an unspecified start date.