March
21, 2004
NCAA Tournament
West Regional Capsules | Colorado Springs, Colo.
Colorado
Springs World Arena
Friday, March 26
7:30 EST:
No. 1 North Dakota vs. No. 4 Holy Cross
11 p.m. EST:
No. 2 Denver vs. No. 3 Miami
Saturday,
March 27
9 p.m. EST:
Regional Final
NO.
1 SEED NORTH DAKOTA FIGHTING SIOUX
Location:
Grand Forks, N.D.
Record: 29-7-3 (20-5-3 WCHA, first)
Qualified: At-large
NCAA Championships: Seven (1959, 1963, 1980,
1982, 1987, 1997, 2000).
NCAA Appearance: 19th (Most recent, 2003)
Head Coach: Dean Blais
Key Players: Brandon Bochenski, F, Sr. (26-32—58);
Zach Parise, F, So. (22-31—53); Jake Brandt, G, Jr. (16-4-0,
.903, 2.21)
What You Need to Know: On Saturday, the Fighting
Sioux played in the WCHA’s playoff championship game. The
last two times North Dakota played for the Broadmoor Cup (2000
and 2001), they advanced to the NCAA title game in the same season.
How They'll Advance: The Sioux feature the most
potent top line in the country, and the physical size of their
defensive corps has made life rough near the Sioux net and covered
up any struggles North Dakota has had in goal. And they’re
making their seventh NCAA trip in eight years, so they won’t
be awed.
What Might Trip Them Up: The players admit their
game is more suited to NHL-size ice sheets. If an opposing team
can use speed, quick passes and the extra room to get around the
Sioux defense on the big ice sheet in Colorado Springs, it may
spell trouble.
| Most
Recent North Dakota Line Chart |
| Left
Wing |
Center |
Right
Wing |
Notes |
| B.
Murray |
Z.
Parise |
B.
Bochenski |
Zach
Parise is a Hobey finalist for the second time in as many
years. |
| C.
Porter |
D.
Lundbohm |
J.
Massen |
| Q.
Fylling |
R.
McMahon |
R.
Hale |
| M.
Prpich |
C.
Genoway |
D.
Stafford |
| Defense |
Defense |
Goalies |
| M.
Jones |
M.
Greene |
J.
Brandt |
The
six starting D average 6-1, 208. Good luck getting to the
NoDak net. |
| A.
Schneider |
R.
Bina |
J.
Parise |
| N.
Fuher |
M.
Smaby |
|
NO.
2 SEED DENVER PIONEERS
Location:
Denver, Colo.
Record: 23-12-5 (13-10-5 WCHA, fourth)
Qualified: At-large bid
NCAA Championships: Five (1958, 1960, 1961, 1968,
1969)
NCAA Appearance: 16th (most recent, 2002)
Head Coach: George Gwozdecky
Key Players: Gabe Gauthier, F, So. (17-24—41);
Ryan Caldwell, D, Sr. (13-12—25); Adam Berkhoel, G, Sr.
(20-11-4, 2.60 GAA, .914 sv%)
What You Need to Know: The Pioneers ended the
regular season with a nine-game unbeaten streak. In the last of
those nine games (a win vs. Colorado College at Magness Arena),
senior forward Connor James suffered a season-ending broken leg.
Sans James, Denver was swept by CC in the first round of the WCHA
tournament.
How They'll Advance: Replacing all the intangibles James
brought to the Pioneers is the first priority. Defenseman Ryan
Caldwell could be the guy to fill that role. Jumping out to an
early lead would be beneficial, especially since Adam Berkhoel
has the ability to steal a game or two. Pesky forwards like Lukas
Dora and Greg Keith can get under the skin of opposing skaters
and cause them to lose focus or – better yet – take
ill-advised retaliatory penalties.
What Might Trip Them Up: He’s just one
player, but the void James leaves in the lineup may be too large
to fill. The Pioneers have a propensity for letting their opponents
crawl back into the game regardless of the size of their lead.
Teams lacking killer instinct don’t stick around too long
in the postseason.
| Most
Recent Denver Line Chart |
| Left
Wing |
Center |
Right
Wing |
Notes |
| J.
Drummond |
G.
Gauthier |
M.
Bull |
With
James out, J.D. Corbin moves to the left side to make way
for Ted O’Leary at right wing. Michael Handza centers
the all-freshman line. |
| J.D.
Corbin |
M.
Handza |
T.
O'Leary |
| J.
Foster |
A.
Veideman |
K.
Ulanski |
| L.
Fulghum |
G.
Keith |
L.
Dora |
| Defense |
Defense |
Goalies |
| J.
Halme |
B.
Skinner |
A.
Berkhoel |
The
talent level on the Pioneers’ blue line is incredible.
Caldwell, Carle and Skinner are likely future NHLers. |
| M.
Laatsch |
N.
Larson |
G.
Fisher |
| R.
Caldwell |
M.
Carle |
D.
King |
NO.
3 SEED MIAMI REDHAWKS
Location:
Oxford, Ohio
Record: 23-13-4 (17-8-3 CCHA, second)
Qualified: At-large
NCAA Championships: None
NCAA Appearance: Third (most recent, 1997)
Head Coach: Enrico Blasi
Key Players: Derek Edwardson, F, Sr. (17-30—47);
Mike Kompon, F, Sr. (14-30—44); Andy Greene, D, So. (6-18—24)
What You Need to Know: The NCAA selection committee
apparently likes intriguing story lines. Why else would it pit
the RedHawks against Denver in the first round? Pioneer bench
boss George Gwozdecky was Miami’s skipper from 1989-94,
where he coached Enrico Blasi. Blasi was later an assistant coach
under Gwozdecky at Denver until taking over as the RedHawks’
pilot in 1999.
How They'll Advance: The RedHawks would prefer
to play on an NHL-sized ice sheet, perhaps because Miami’s
defensive corps isn’t the most mobile sextet. But their
forwards are most dangerous when they can get out in open space,
freeze the defender for a split second and then blast around them
on the outside with a quick burst of speed for an uncontested
shot or to set up a teammate.
What Might Trip Them Up: No team in the tournament
relies as much on the power play as the RedHawks. Of the team’s
131 goals, 45 have come with the man advantage. Beating Miami
is a much less daunting task when the majority of the game is
played 5-on-5.
| Most
Recent Miami Line Chart |
| Left
Wing |
Center |
Right
Wing |
Notes |
| M.
Christie |
D.
Edwardson |
M.
Guerin |
Miami
is one of two teams with a pair of freshmen (Matt Christie
and Marty Guerin) who’ve scored 30+ points this season. |
| A.
Nelson |
M.
Kompon |
G.
Hogeboom |
| T.
Grant |
G.
Smith |
T.
Hustead |
| P.
Levendusky |
C.
Michael |
J.
Cooper |
| Defense |
Defense |
Goalies |
| A.
Greene |
C.
Busby |
B.
Crawford-West |
Andy
Greene has five points in Miami’s four playoff games
this season. |
| B.
Tharp |
M.
Davis |
N.
Petraglia |
| S.
Dennis |
B.
Sipotz |
|
NO.
4 SEED HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS
Location:
Worcester, Mass.
Record: 22-9-4 (17-4-3 Atlantic Hockey, first)
Qualified: Atlantic Hockey champion
NCAA Championships: None
NCAA Appearance: 1st
Head Coach: Paul Pearl
Key Players: Greg Kealey, F, Sr. (15-19—34),
Jeff Dams, F, Sr. (14-25—39), Tony Quesada, G, So. (17-5-2,
2.19, .926)
What You Need to Know: The league formerly known
as the MAAC introduces a new school to the national scene this
year, as the Crusaders beat out Mercyhurst, Quinnipiac and the
rest of Atlantic Hockey for the regular-season and playoff titles.
They did so in convincing style, outscoring three opponents in
the conference tournament by a 13-1 total.
How They’ll Advance: Head coach Paul Pearl
has instilled a blue-collar identity in this senior-led team.
They will have to outwork their opponents from the start, and
probably get some puck luck, to have a shot at what would be a
huge upset.
What Might Trip Them Up: As good as they were
in Atlantic Hockey, the Crusaders were 0-4-0 against teams from
the Big Four. Two of those games were 2-1 affairs, but one was
a 7-0 loss at Maine – a sign that they might just be overmatched.
| Most
Recent Holy Cross Line Chart |
| Left
Wing |
Center |
Right
Wing |
Notes |
| J.
Sixsmith |
G.
Kealey |
J.
Dams |
The
first line is loaded, but keep an eye on Napert-Frenette.
The skilled sophomore is due for a big game. |
| A.
McKay |
P.
Napert-Frenette |
T.
McGregor |
| T.
Fogarty |
M.
Conway |
C.
Sullivan |
| T.
Tomiuck |
Tim
Coskren |
A.
Weber |
| Defense |
Defense |
Goalies |
| Tony
Coskren |
M.
Bianchi |
T.
Quesada |
Quesada
and Conway have both been good, but it’s Quesada’s
show at this time of year. |
| F.
O'Grady |
J.R.
Walker |
B.
Conway |
| R.J.
Irving |
J.
Landry |
M.
Norton |
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