Wednesday, March 30, 2005
All four teams are from the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL STAR TRIBUNE
The men's NCAA Frozen Four always has been an affair featuring the best college hockey teams from across the country. The difference this year is that the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) turned it into a private party.
"When we got together for the Final Five," Minnesota Gophers coach Don Lucia said, "we said the quality of the teams made it like a Frozen Four. Now it is the Frozen Four."
For the first time in the 58-year history of the men's college hockey championship, the final four teams are from the same conference.
Add a history of some bad blood between the teams that will meet in the semifinals, and next week's three-game playoff at Ohio State University's Schottenstein Center has the makings of a fantastic finish.
Denver and Colorado College will get the first crack on April 7 at 2 p.m. at reaching the title game, followed by North Dakota and the Gophers at 7 p.m.
All four teams have a victory this season over their opponent to feed off, not to mention a rivalry that feeds off itself.
"This is going to be interesting because we won't have to spend a lot of time watching tape getting ready for this tournament," Lucia said. "We all know each other so well. So it comes down to execution."
Enviable position
Denver is in the enviable position of being two victories away from defending its national championship. League officials can sit back and watch the tournament unfold, knowing that a WCHA team will claim the crown.
Lucia said he called the coaches of the other WCHA teams in the NCAA tournament to wish them luck before the tournament began.
"We all take great pride in supporting each other," he said. "Sometimes we go at it like the Hatfields and the McCoys, but we do take great pride in all the programs having success.
"The one thing about this league is that you have to work so hard week in and week out that it prepares you for this time of year. It seems [in years past] the WCHA ended up beating up on each other [before the Frozen Four].
"The way the brackets shake out this year, four teams had a path. That's a credit to the whole league, the coaches and the players. We've had a good stretch, and I think we've got a good thing going right now."
Top seeds
The Gophers, Colorado College and Denver all advanced as No. 1 seeds. Despite finishing fifth in the WCHA during the regular season, North Dakota was awarded a No. 2 seed. The Fighting Sioux proved worthy, beating Boston University and No. 1 seed Boston College by a combined score of 10-3.
"I think North Dakota is an exceptional team," Boston College coach Jerry York said after Saturday's loss. "Any time there was any kind of breakdown, they finished so very quickly. They will be a difficult team to beat in Columbus, that's for sure."
The Gophers and Sioux last met March 19, with the Gophers losing 4-2 in the third-place game of the Final Five. Gophers seniors Garrett Smaagaard and Judd Stevens spoke Sunday about how they look forward to getting another shot at the Sioux.
Come game time, however, Lucia expects the focus to be not on the opponent, but on advancing to the title game.
With a week off between the regional finals and the Frozen Four, momentum doesn't seem to favor any team. All four are feeling good about themselves simply by making it to Columbus.