Quick thoughts about the first weekend of the NCAA men's hockey tournament:
The hero(es):Danny O’Regan/Evan Rodrigues, F, Boston University.
Every cliché wrapped up into one neat package here for this supposed “Team of Density.” Don’t ask how, just how many. Survive and Advance. Get those bounces to go your way.
O’Regan saved these media darlings from an impending state of wretchedness with his OT winner at 7:27 to kick off the regionals in a game which Yale provided every concrete opportunity over the second half of the game for the Terriers to run away with it. Then, UMD, which might have been caught off guard by BU’s persistence given that Minnesota effectively gave up once down three goals on Friday, was undone by a late penalty and Rodrigues capitalized with 2:24 on the clock.
Thus, by the slimmest of margins, the two “other” guys who just so happen to be upperclassmen on Jack Eichel’s line provided the spark which sent David Quinn’s program back to the Frozen Four on friendly ice.
The goat: (not to be confused with the G.O.A.T –- a certain No. 9 in Scarlet and White) Riley Sweeney, F, Michigan Tech.
Poor kid. First, he misses a dead-on empty-net chance which would have sealed the Huskies’ advance in the West Regional against St. Cloud State in their first NCAA bid since 1981. Then, he falls over at his own blueline trying to secure a puck which eventually moved the other way and resulted in the Huskies’ overtime winner. He’s the 2015 recipient of the “Jamie O’Leary Award” for most ill-timed misfortune.
The human highlight film:Louie Belpedio, D, Miami (Ohio)
If only his super-human feat of shot-blocking ended up being the difference in the game, as the Friars eventually hit the empty net to seal it. This young man sacrificed the entire right side of his body for his team. Ave atque vale, RedHawks:
The villain:Paul LaDue, D, North Dakota.
The 21-year-old Fighting Sioux freshman did his part to draw attention to himself and to formulate a reputation as a hatchet man during UND’s playoff opener against Quinnipiac. Though the Bobcats made it a point to physically confront the Sioux and take the home-ice edge away, LaDue ended up trying to annihilate any opposing player in sight.
He was eventually booted from North Dakota’s 4-1 win thanks to a major for checking from behind with 4:13 to play in a bit of score-settling reminiscent of bloody battles between the Avalanche and Red Wings in the 90s.
Cinderella Squad:St. Cloud State…nope, RIT…no, wait! Providence
SCSU placed sixth in the NCHC, yet gained an auto-bid by winning its conference playoffs. The Huskies, with a bit of luck mentioned above, reached the regional final before being dispatched in a revenge scenario by North Dakota.
RIT came out of nowhere to take Atlantic Hockey’s postseason crown, charging up the PairWise to make the final 16 and gained a huge chunk of history by becoming the first program to knock off the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament with a 2-1 decision against Minnesota State. The Tigers, however, faltered big time in the third period against Nebraska-Omaha.
Jon Gillies is a Gold medal winner (2013 World Juniors with Team USA) who was snubbed by both the Hobey Baker and Richter Award committees when their respective finalists were announced. Like Grant Fuhr, he’s proven he can be the last line of defense when things get tight, already shutting the door when his team was up 6-5 against Miami and 2-1 against Denver. The Friars boast six different players -- Gillies included -- who are NHL draftees but none of those other five names are close to being on the radar.
Providence last made the national semifinals in 1985. Rocking the Cooperalls, it was led by current Devils GM/coach Lou Lamoriello and backstopped by future Devils starter and Stanley Cup winner Chris Terreri.
If you’re into that thing where your rooting interest runs opposite the team which gets the bulk of the bona fides on tourney broadcasts, PC has to be your choice over BU.
Ugly Stepsister:Minnesota State
The Mavericks entered the NCAAs as the #1 program in the country, with a D-I single-season record 29 victories and single-season record eight losses, then promptly fell victim to a greater upset than when Niagara shocked New Hampshire in the opener of the tournament 15 years ago.
Since moving up to Division I in 1996, MSU has reached the tournament four times but has yet to win a game. They also enter the record books as the first top-overall seed to be knocked off by the lowest-seeded team. Their early loss avoided a potential headache-inducing "Mavericks vs. Mavericks" meeting with Nebraska-Omaha.
Cannon Fodder:The entire right side of the NCAA bracket
On the left-hand side, we have 12 combined national championships: North Dakota (7) and Boston University (5). On the opposite, nada between UNO and Providence. It’s a bit like the 1981 NBA semifinals between the Sixers and Celtics, who basically battled it out to see who would win the title against either Kansas City or Houston which both finished the year below .500.
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