Inside College Hockey | 2004 NCAA West Regional

March 27, 2004
NCAA Tournament | West Regional
No Holes in Berkhoel
Denver netminder sparkles in amazing win over North Dakota

By Mike Eidelbes

Denver 1, North Dakota 0
Team	Goal	Str
Time	Assists
First Period
No scoring
Second Period
No scoring
Third Period
1-DU	Luke Fulghum (13)	EV
17:31	M. Bull, L. Dora
Goaltending
DU: Adam Berkhoel, 60:00, 33 saves, 0 GA
ND: Jordan Parise, 58:54, 16 saves, 1 GA
Penalties: DU 3/6; ND 3/6
Power Plays: DU 0-3; ND 0-3
Attendance: 6,047
All-West Regional Team
G: Adam Berkhoel, Denver D: Ryan Caldwell, Denver D: Matt Laatsch, Denver F: Brandon Bochenski, North Dakota F: Max Bull, Denver F: Zach Parise, North Dakota MVP: Adam Berkhoel, Denver

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Quality goaltending was the rule, not the exception, in the West Regional. Tony Quesada of Holy Cross, Miami’s Brandon Crawford-West and North Dakota’s Jordan Parise each turned in sterling efforts, but Denver’s Adam Berkhoel served as the gold standard in Colorado Springs.

No one really expected Berkhoel to repeat his performance from the previous night when he made 21 saves, including a cache of spectacluar stops, in a 3-2 opening round win against Miami.

He didn’t. He was even better.

“I thought North Dakota really started putting the pressure on us and Adam was there to give ups the reprieve we needed,” Denver coach George Gwozdecky said. “As the game started ticking away, everybody in this building…knew that one goal was going to be the difference.”

Though North Dakota launched 33 shots on goal to Denver’s 17, few came on second chances. Berkhoel, who was named the West Regional MVP, was masterful at swallowing up the Fighting Sioux’s initial shot or steering it out of harm’s way with the help of aggressive defensive zone coverage from the Pioneer forwards and blueliners.

“The guys were making it easy out there by letting me see the the long shots,” Berkhoel said. “When I did slip up and let a rebound go, my forwards and defensemen were right there.”

Berkhoel, who’s NHL draft rights are owned by the Chicago Blackhawks, didn’t have to make as many highlight-reel saves as he did against Miami. While some of that was due to the diligence of his teammates in front of him, Berkhoel’s lateral movement and positioning was even better than it was the previous night.

“They’ve got a very potent lineup with Bochenski, Parise and Murray,” Berkhoel said. “They’re going to come down with a hammer and keep coming after you.”

It’s interesting to note that two weeks after backstopping a pair of disappointing losses to Colorado College in the first round of the WCHA playoffs, Berkhoel righted the ship to put together what may have been the best two performances of his Denver career. Don’t believe, however, that the Pioneers’ goalie has raised his game to another level for the NCAAs.

“That’s no zone,” Gwozdecky said. “That’s Adam Berkhoel.”

Yesterday's Coverage

North Dakota, Denver advance to West final

NO-GOAL NODAK

As great as Berkhoel was for Denver, North Dakota’s frustrations with the Pioneers’ work in the defensive zone was fairly apparent just by looking at the body language of some of the Sioux players. As the game progressed, North Dakota skaters shrugged shoulders when their passes were knocked down, shook their heads when shots were blocked or lingered for a moment when they were poke-checked.

“It is frustrating,” said North Dakota defenseman Andy Schneider. “We were getting opportunities. Watching our forwards cycling, just wearing the other team down with nothing to show for it…it’s tough.”

The Fighting Sioux are at their best when they can generate scoring opportunities around the cage – somewhat surprising for a high-scoring outfit one would expect to rush the puck more. The Pioneers clogged the slot with two defensemen and a forward on numerous occasions, making getting to the net more difficult than a commute to downtown Denver during morning rush hour.

“Tonight we really did good at getting in and staying with our guy,” Denver forward Max Bull said. “We really didn’t give them a lot of chances off the cycle.”

“The quality shots were coming from the outside,” junior forward Brandon Bochenski said. “We didn’t have anything from the middle.”

INCH's Three Stars of the Weekend

3. Brandon Bochenski, North Dakota
The Hobey Baker Award candidate had a handful of quality scoring chances, including one off a faceoff with less than a minute remaining in regulation, and delivered the game's biggest hit, leveling Greg Keith in the second period.

2. Max Bull, Denver
Even before setting up the game-winning goal, Bull, along with Fulghum and Lukas Dora, were the Pioneers' most effective line on both ends of the ice.

1. Adam Berkhoel, Denver
Consistency was an issue for Berkhoel during his senior campaign, but if he plays like he did in Colorado Springs this weekend, he'll enjoy a nice professional career.

SEEN AND HEARD AT WORLD ARENA

• Gwozdecky's opening remark at the post-game press conference: "Whew."

• Blood is thicker than water – even the muddy stuff that flows past Grand Forks via the Red River – so it comes as no surprise that Denver senior forward Matt Bull had his family's support for Saturday’s West Regional final even though older brother Jesse won an NCAA crown with the Fighting Sioux in 1996.

"I've got a lot of respect for North Dakota, their program and their coaches," Max Bull said. "I just feel I want to have a great game against North Dakota, and I was happy just to be a part of that goal."

• As if the Pioneers needed an additional boost heading into the Frozen Four, they're a very good possibility that senior forward Connor James could be back in the lineup. He hasn't played since breaking a bone in his right leg in the team's regular season finale against Colorado College.

"I plan on playing," James said. "I don't know if the cards are in my hands. Two weeks can definitely help."

James, who has been walking with the assistance of a plastic boot, is scheduled to have his leg x-rayed Monday.

• A reporter reminded Berkhoel that the last senior goaltender from a WCHA school to win an NCAA championship was a Minnesota native named Adam (the Golden Gophers' Hauser two years ago).

"It would be a great way to go out," Berkhoel said. "It's been my dream for the four years I've been here to win a national title."

• Although their expectations were higher, the Fighting Sioux proceeded one step further in the NCAA Tournament than they did last year when they were bounced by Ferris State in the first round of the West Regional in Minneapolis.

North Dakota loses just two seniors – forwards David Lundbohm and Ryan Hale – from its roster this season. Bochenski says the bitterness of Saturday's defeat will fuel the team's drive to a national title next season.

“Last year, losing the way we did was motivation for us to come out and play a lot better," Bochenski said. "This is gonna sting for a while. We’ve done everything else. There’s only one goal left.”

• This doesn't happen too often. North Dakota failed to score a goal for the first time since Dec. 1, 2001, when the Fighting Sioux lost to MSU-Mankato.

• A placard sported by a Denver fan in attendance at Saturday’s game read: Tickets to the West Regional, $150. Two nights hotel, $200. Playing for the Frozen Four on CC’s home ice, priceless.

PLUSSES AND MINUSES

Coming from a conference in which defensive-minded forwards are supposedly as scarce as spotted owls, the Pioneers and Fighting Sioux were terrific in getting back to help the blueliners in their own end. The fine play in front of the respective goalies made quality scoring chances that much more valuable.

For a regional that should've had most difficulties attracting fans because of travel considerations, crowds at World Arena for all three games were solid. More than 5,200 folks spun the turnstiles for each game Friday, and a shade over 6,000 watched Denver and North Dakota Saturday. A good share of the credit for the strong attendance figures goes to Colorado College supporters, who showed up in force even though their Tigers failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

The CCHA sent a conference-record five teams to the NCAA Tournament this season. Pretty good league, eh? Michigan was impressive in handling New Hampshire in Manchester Saturday, but the other four – Miami, Michigan State, Notre Dame and Ohio State – lost their first games, all to WCHA opponents. Of the four one-and-outers, only Notre Dame owned a lead at some point during its first round match, while MSU and OSU failed to score. Ouch.

NCAA Tournament games, in theory, are supposed to be neutral-site affairs. So it was somewhat surprising that the World Arena public address announcer introduced the Denver starters in a tone better suited for reading federal tax code and introduced North Dakota’s starters as if he was opening the main event at Wrestlemania.

Remember that phenomenal Colorado weather described in this space Friday? In the span of 24 hours, Mother Nature flip-flopped like Bud Selig’s views on the best interest of baseball. Where sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-70s once reigned, Colorado Springs was dominated by thick clouds, temps in the mid-40s and snowflakes the size of Skittles.

WHAT'S NEXT

Denver advances to its first NCAA Frozen Four since 1986. It's highly unlikely that any team in Boston will have a hotter goaltender than Berkhoel. If he can continue to play at this level and minimize second chances, the Pioneers will have a good chance at the Fleet Center. Throw in the possible return of James and his creativity to the lineup, and Denver becomes a formidable foe with an added offensive dimension.