After the hoopla surrounding the commercialized excess of the NCAA Basketball Tournament comes another tournament that may not have the big name players, the media coverage, or office pools, but can compete for pure entertainment. The Frozen Four, college hockey's equivalent of the Final Four, gets underway to day in Providence, RI.
The opener at 2 p.m. on ESPN pits the Maine Black Bears against the Fighting Sioux of North Dakota. The nightcap (7 p.m.) features Boston College and St. Lawrence. Here are the game previews, and my knowledgeable predictions.
Maine vs. North Dakota
The defending national champ Black Bears (27-7-5) are undoubtedly the hottest team in college hockey. The number one seed in the East, Maine has not lost in two months, and advanced to the Frozen Four after soundly beating CCHA foe Michigan 5-2 in the second round of the East Regional.
The Hockey East Champion Black Bears offer a balanced attack and a strong defense. Sophomore Niko Demitrakos, named MVP of the Hockey East Tournament, has been on fire of late, scoring 14 points in the last 11 games.
However, Maine was stunned when leading scorer Corey Larose was ejected for butt-ending late in the Michigan game, and thus is unable to dress for today's game.
For the Black Bears to win, Matt Yeats will have to impress between the pipes. Yeats has been shaky at times, and Maine can ill afford an off game on his part.
On the other side of the match-up, North Dakota coach Dean Blais brings a team that is almost as hot as their opponents. The Fighting Sioux (29-8-5) have only one loss since February 4. The No. 2 seeded Sioux came through tournament surprise Niagra to make it to the Frozen Four.
The North Dakota offense is formidable, possessing three 50-plus scorers in junior Hobey Baker finalist Jeff Panzer, Lee Goren,and Jason Ulmer.
Prediction: ND over Maine
The Law of Averages says that Maine has gone too long without a loss. Losing Corey Larose is also a key factor. Maine will miss the playing-time he puts in, and won't be able to match North Dakota's big guns.
St. Lawrence vs. Boston College
Boston College (28-11-1) had the toughest path to the Frozen Four out of any team, but they are here anyways, in their third straight Frozen Four appearance. The Eagles' talented senior class will want to exorcise the demons of its overtime losses in the finals to Michigan in 1998, and last year to Maine in semifinals.
The Eagles, seeded fourth in the West, were forced to face No. 5 Michigan State in the first round, beating them 6-5 in OT. BC then went on to knock-off No. 1 Wisconsin in convincing fashion, 4-1.
The airtight Eagle defense, led by Mike Mottau, is the best in the country. BC's offense is just as dominant. The Eagles have four forty-plus scorers, Mottau, senior Jeff Farkas (56), junior Brian Gionta (53) and senior Blake Bellefeuille (49). Goalie Scott Clemmenson is no stranger to pressure, and is a seasoned postseason veteran.
The only drawback to the Eagles has been their inconsistency. With three Hobey Baker finalists there is no excuse for the team to disappear for periods at a time.
St. Lawrence (27-7-2), the ECAC regular season and tournament champs, were given a chance to prove the conference's worth by being awarded a No. 2 seed in the East. And prove their worth they did, by felling Boston University in an epic 4 overtime win.
In their first Frozen Four since 1988, the Saints will rely primarily on their indefatigable work ethic to propel them to victory.
The Saints defense is also strong with co-captains Justin Harney and Dale Clarke backboning a deep defensive unit.
Prediction: BC over St. Lawrence
Obviously, St. Lawrence is a worthy team, but there is no comparing the Hockey East to the ECAC. Boston College has too many future NHL stars for the Saints to overcome with hard work alone. The Eagles are just too much for St. Lawrence to handle.
