April 16, 2007 Top Eight Games of the 2007 NCAA Tournament • 1) Boston College 6, North Dakota 4 — Frozen Four Semifinal It may not have been the most technically sound game of the tournament, but in terms of momentum swings, unforgettable goals — including Ben Smith's rip off a feed from Nate Gerbe and T.J. Oshie's shorthanded effort — and end-to-end action, it may have been the most exhilarating Frozen Four game in years. • 2) Michigan State 3, Boston College 1 — National Championship The Spartans executed their game plan and made the more dynamic Eagles play the game along the wall. Memorable clutch plays by goalie Jeff Lerg, and the all-sophomore line of Tim Kennedy, Justin Abdelkader, and Tim Crowder tied and won the game for the Spartans in the third period. • 3) Michigan State 4, Maine 2 — Frozen Four Semifinal Michigan State overcame a fast start by Maine in the early semifinal in St. Louis. Nick Sucharski's gritty goal at the front of the net was the game-winner and showed what Michigan State was all about. • 4) North Dakota 3, Minnesota 2 (OT) — West Region Final The Fighting Sioux nearly played a perfect game, smothering Minnesota's skaters with an aggressive forecheck and bottling the potent Gopher attack. Of course, the only times North Dakota made errors, Minnesota turned 'em into goals. Captain Chris Porter scored the winner in OT, beating the heralded Erik Johnson to a loose puck and stuffing it past goalie Jeff Frazee. • 5) Minnesota 4, Air Force 3 — West Region Semifinal Air Force's early lead had people murmuring about an '06 redux for the heavily-favored Gophers, before Minnesota's unheralded players turned the tide in the latter stages of the third period. • 6) Notre Dame 3, Ala.-Huntsville 2 (2OT) — Midwest Region Semifinal The top-ranked Fighting Irish looked as if they'd run away with this one after scoring on two of their first three shots. Alabama-Huntsville goalie Marc Narduzzi entered the game and stopped Notre Dame's next 48 attempts, finally yielding the game-winner to Ryan Thang after 35 minutes and 18 seconds of overtime hockey. • 7) Massachusetts 1, Clarkson 0 (OT) — East Region Semifinal The excitement level was low, but the first game of the tournament set the tone for the opening weekend. Work ethic and discipline were rewarded and No. 1 seeds proved to be upset-prone. • 8) North Dakota 8, Michigan 5 — West Region Semifinal The opposite of the game mentioned above — two of the nation's best offenses were aided by shaky goaltending in the early going and went on to combine for 13 goals in a wild West Region shootout.