Inside College Hockey | 2004 NCAA Frozen Four

April 8, 2004
NCAA Frozen Four
Notebook: James' Gang
Connor James' return helped lift the Pioneers into the title game

By Mike Eidelbes and Nate Ewell

Photo Gallery

Isaac Reichmuth defends the UMD net.

The crowd, listed at 18,084, wasn't bad for a Thursday afternoon tilt.

Denver celebrates the win.

BOSTON – Connor James’ first shift since breaking his right leg against Colorado College March 6 wasn’t exactly ripped from a Disney script.

“I coughed up the puck twice and got knocked down. I was coming back to the bench thinking Coach isn’t going to put me back on the ice.”

Luckily for James, Gwozdecky gave the senior wing a second chance to make a first impression.

“The first period was a feeling-out period,” Gwozdecky said. “Once I saw that he was comfortable and wanted to play more, he didn’t say anything – I just said, “We’re going to put you in a position where you can get a lot more ice time.”

James was especially sharp in the third period. After starting the game on a line with freshmen Adrian Veideman and J.D. Corbin, Gwozdecky moved the Calgary native to the Pioneers’ top unit alongside Gabe Gauthier and Greg Keith. Gauthier scored Denver’s first goal of the final period and James combined with Keith to salt the game away with an empty-net goal with eight seconds remaining.

Not surprisingly, the first person James hugged after the final horn sounded wasn’t a fellow teammate but trainer Erik Rasmussen, who made a brace for James’ right skate and sped up his recovery time by using bone stimulators.

“He’s really done a lot for me,” James said of Rasmussen. “When I broke it against CC, I thought that was the end of college hockey and my time as a Pioneer. It’s like a second chance and it just feels great.”

SECOND LINE SHINES

Denver coach George Gwozdecky fashioned his second line of Max Bull centering fellow seniors Lukas Dora and Luke Fulghum three weeks ago. Odds are he won’t be splitting the trio any time soon.

The group was terrific in two wins at the West Regional in Colorado Springs, and they jump-started Denver's attack against Minnesota Duluth this afternoon. Fulghum got the Pioneers on the board halfway through the second period, driving to the net and converting on a blind feed from Dora.

“Our line is full of energy," Fulghum said. "All three of us play with a lot of passion. Once we get that spark, we tend to keep going with it."

Their efforts certainly ignited the Pioneers. After Gabe Gauthier scored early in the third period to cut the UMD lead to 3-2, the Bull-Dora-Fulghum combo was one the ice when defenseman Ryan Caldwell scored to tie the game off a pass from Fulghum. Minutes later, Dora cut into the slot and slid the puck past Bulldog goalie Isaac Reichmuth for the eventual game-winner.

"It’s not a line that’s going to wow you with artistry," Gwozdecky said. "They’re going to beat you by sheer will, effort, strength, aggressiveness, experience…they’re going to wear you down.”

Bull, who set up the goal that beat North Dakota in the West Regional final two weeks ago, says his line's versatility is the key to its success.

“We work well together," the Denver assistant captain said. "Fulghum has speed and a great shot. Dora goes out there and heckles guys and get under their skin. I just try to make the safe plays and get those guys the puck.”

Related Links

Game story

Audio Files
Jeff Sauer on the game
Denver's Max Bull

NO GOALS

While Denver's four-goal third period marked an offensive explosion the Pioneers hadn't seen since Valentine's Day, it was a pair of non-goals that got the most attention after the game.

Much of the love was directed toward Adam Berkhoel, whose stop on Junior Lessard in the final minute of the second period kept the Pioneers within striking distance. Jesse Unklesbay and Lessard were bearing in on a two-on-none with UMD leading 3-1. Unklesbay wisely gave the puck to the nation's leading goal scorer, who was looking for a hat trick, but Berkhoel robbed him.

Lessard had scored less than five minutes earlier on a three-on-one, and Berkhoel learned from his mistake.

"For them to get that three-on-one and me to play it ... I don't know why I did the two-pad stack across and I didn't come over big," Berkhoel said. "I was really disappointed in that goal.

"I didn't think that a big save would help us win the game," he added. "I just used it as momentum going into the third."

Head coach George Gwozdecky made sure his team knew the magnitude of the save.

"We were making sure that everybody was reminded that Berkhoel is back on his game," Gwozdecky said. "He's going to win this game for us, as long as we give him some support. That was the message we sent up and down the bench as soon as he made that save."

The second topic of conversation was Minnesota Duluth's disallowed goal with 32.2 seconds left in the third, which would have tied the score at 4-4. Tyler Brosz tumbled into Berkhoel and the puck crossed the line, but referee Conrad Hache immediately signalled no goal. A video replay confirmed the ruling.

While a number of observers thought the goal might stand on review, NCAA rule 6-18-C states that a goal shall not be allowed if an attacking player pushes the goalie into the net, causing the puck to cross the goal line.

"That's why you have replay," Bulldog head coach Scott Sandelin said. "They're going to make the right call because of that. We kind of felt it was going to go our way, but it didn't. That's the way it goes."

INCH's Three Stars

3. Junior Lessard, Minnesota Duluth
If Lessard picks up the Hobey Baker Award tomorrow afternoon, he showed Thursday night that it's well deserved.

2. Ryan Caldwell, Denver
The captain not only played great defense, but looked like a sniper on two terrific rushes, one of which resulted in a goal.

1. Luke Fulghum-Max Bull-Lukas Dora line, Denver
This line's work in the offensive zone turned the tide in the Pioneers' direction.

SEEN AND HEARD AT THE VAULT

• The Pioneers haven't been noted for their third-period performances this year. It's been two years, in fact, since Denver overcame more than a two-goal deficit to win a game. The last time was at North Dakota, March 1, 2002, when the Pioneers beat the Sioux to claim the MacNaughton Cup.

• James sported a battered hard hat emblazoned with a Pioneer logo in the locker room following the game, an honor bestowed on a player after every game.

“This is something we came up with about halfway through the season for guys who played well, battled hard…maybe not the guys who score the goals,” James said. “I guess I kind of got it for being nice to Greg [Keith].”

James saved the world from an onslaught of “injured guy scores goal in first game back” features by passing the puck to Keith for the empty-net goal.

• For as much camera time she got from ESPN2 during the afternoon semifinal, don’t be surprised if you see Adam Berkhoel’s mom, Tina, on a future edition of “Cold Pizza.”

“I don’t know what they’re pumping her tires for,” said Berkheol about his animated mother. “I heard she’s the crazy one up in the stands. I’ve never seen it personally.”

• Denver improved to 18-0-2 when Luke Fulghum records a point.

• Denver captain Ryan Caldwell offered a peek into George Gwozdecky's pre-game pep talk, which emphasized the Pioneers' team-first approach. "Coach told us before the game that he wouldn't trade one player on our team for any in the country," Caldwell said.

• Minnesota Duluth may not have been to the Frozen Four since 1985, but the Bulldogs had one fan with experience on the national (not to mention international) stage. Shannon Miller, who led the UMD women's team to the first three NCAA titles, was in attendance at the Fleet.

• An equipment guy's work is never done. Minutes after the Pioneers downed Minnesota Duluth, Denver equipment manager Lee Greseth was hard at work in the bowels of the Fleet Center...changing the diaper of his 11-month-old daughter, Morgan.

PLUSSES AND MINUSES

The UMD Penalty Box

The Minnesota Duluth band, and their fans, added plenty of life to what had the potential to be a quiet game, with two out-of-town teams playing at noon on a Thursday.

Classy move by Connor James to pass the puck to teammate Greg Keith on a two-on-none for the empty-net goal.

The banners with each team's national championships are a nice touch. Two minuses here, though: Minnesota's had a glaring omission (2003, anyone?), and the NCAA rolled up the Bruins and Celtics banners during the games. Even Larry Bird liked to look up at Robert G. Orr's retired number.

One championship flashback featured on the scoreboard video screen was LSU's 1996 baseball title. Softball and men's volleyball followed. We wish we were making this up.

Press box TVs near some of the local Boston writers were tuned to the Yankees game during the hockey action. Obsess much, fellas?

WHAT'S NEXT

For Denver, of course, the winner of Boston College and Maine awaits on Saturday evening (7 p.m. ET, ESPN). Minnesota Duluth, meanwhile, will look to return next year and continue progressing as a program.

"Every bit of experience and taking those steps, certainly, to me that helps," head coach Scott Sandelin. "It's easy to talk about, but you've got to get here and know how hard it is number one to get here and number two to win."