Inside College Hockey | 2005 NCAA East Regional Final

March 26, 2005
NCAA East Regional Final
Power Forward
North Dakota's strength up front made the difference vs. BC

By Nate Ewell

North Dakota 6, Boston College 3
Team	Goal	Str
Time	Assists
First Period
1-ND	Travis Zajac (16)	EV
0:42	N. Fuher, A. Schneider
2-ND	Chris Porter (11)	EV
4:59	R. McMahon
3-ND	Drew Stafford (13)	EV
10:10	R. Spirko, T. Zajac
Second Period
4-ND	Travis Zajac (17)	PP
12:03	D. Stafford, C. Genoway
1-BC	Chris Collins (8)	EV
12:29	R. Murphy
Third Period
2-BC	Dave Spina (13)	SH
3:07	R. Shannon
5-ND	Chris Porter (12)	EV
6:04	A. Schneider
6-ND	Brian Canady (4)	EV
11:08	E. Fabian
3-BC	Chris Collins (9)	EV
15:23	R. Murphy, G. Lauze
Goaltending
ND: Jordan Parise, 60:00, 33 saves, 3 GA
BC: Cory Schneider, 51:08, 15 saves, 6 GA; Matti Kaltiainen, 8:52, 2 saves, 0 GA
Penalties: ND 14/28; BC 12/24
Power Plays: ND 1-6; BC 0-9
Attendance: 8,695
All-Regional Team
G: Jordan Parise, North Dakota (MVP) D: Nick Fuher, North Dakota D: T.J. Kemp, Mercyhurst F: Colby Genoway, North Dakota F: Travis Zajac, North Dakota F: Brian Boyle, Boston College

WORCESTER, Mass. – As North Dakota and Boston College prepared to compete for the NCAA East Regional title Saturday night, everyone focused on the size and strength of the Fighting Sioux defensemen against Boston College's smaller, quicker forwards.

Turns out, we were looking at the wrong end of the rink.

That shortage was fully evident Saturday night, as North Dakota not only scored hard-fought goals in the front of the net, but they were still on their feet to celebrate them.

Twenty-one of the Fighting Sioux's 23 shots on goal in the game came in "Grade A" territory, the hard-working space in front of the net, between the faceoff circles. All eight of their 10 first-period shot attempts came from that area, and all of those got through on net. Three went in.

The Sioux forwards' strength was not lost on Boston College head coach Jerry York.

"They're very, very strong," York said. "Almost the expression I would use is pro strong on the puck."

Freshman Travis Zajac showed that 42 seconds into the game, as the Sioux got two or three whacks at the puck in the crease before he popped it over goaltender Cory Schneider. Just over four minutes later Chris Porter got position on Greg Lauze in front of the crease to score, and five minutes after that Drew Stafford used speed and muscle to power past John Adams for a goal.

It was a mismatch that we might have forseen, had we not all been wondering whether the nifty BC forwards could get around the Sioux defense. York had actually alluded to the potential mismatch, indirectly, in his post-game comments Friday regarding Andrew Alberts.

"He's a big, strong phyiscal defenseman," York said. "We don't have a lot of that type of defensemen on our club."

The Sioux do, as we already knew. They also have a stable of strong and talented forwards leading the way to Columbus.

INCH's Three Stars of the Regional

3. Nick Fuher, North Dakota
Proved that Sioux defensemen can be big, strong and skilled by setting up several scoring opportunities for teammates on the weekend.

2. Jordan Parise, North Dakota
One up's his younger brother by leading the Fighting Sioux to the Frozen Four and earns East Regional MVP honors in the process.

1. Colby Genoway, North Dakota
The offensive star of the weekend embodied his teams 'go-to-the-net-hard' approach.

SEEN AND HEARD AT THE DCU CENTER

• North Dakota killed off nine power plays in each game of the regional.

• The Sioux are now 3-0 in tournament games played in Worcester.

• Surprisingly few sweaters from non-participating teams were spotten in the building. Alaska Anchorage, Boston University, Michigan State, New Hampshire and Providence (including one of the ugly ones, not the Skating Friar) were all we saw.

• Matti Kaltiainen finished his Boston College career with two saves on two shots in 8:52 of play in relief of Cory Schneider. Since Kaltiainen had sat for two and a half periods, York gave his senior the option of going in before he pulled Schneider.

• All the penalties – 26 in all – had everybody a little bit off their game. At the end of the second, when public address announcer Jim Prior said, "Boston College penalty ... correction, Boston College shots on goal ..."

• One traveler from Amherst couldn't get the BC radio feed on 850 AM, but did catch the end of the Cornell post-game on 870 AM out of Ithaca, N.Y.

PLUSSES AND MINUSES

We owe a salute to a loyal but often unappreciated group in college hockey: coaches wives, who stand by their husbands in victory and defeat. Two touching moments came after losses this weekend, as Rick Gotkin's wife welcomed her husband to the post-game interview room with a smile on Friday, and Jerry York gave his wife Bobbie a thankful pat on his way to the podium Saturday.

For the second weekend in a row, weather in Massachusetts was beautiful. Sure, we only got to enjoy it from the Mullins Center concourse, but at least it had windows.

Speaking of the trip between the East and Northeast Regional, slow traffic on Rt. 9 near Amherst definitely earns a minus.

The DCU Center nets need some TLC. An apparent North Dakota goal at 13:36 of the second period, which would have made the score 5-1, was eventually waved off after a lengthy review. In question wasn't whether the puck went in, but how it went in – apparently it took a back route in through the side of the net.

WHAT'S NEXT

North Dakota's win preserves the possibility of an all-WCHA Frozen Four. If the No. 1 seeds in the Northeast (Denver) and West (Minnesota) win tomorrow, the WCHA would not only have all four Frozen Four reps, it would also have a rematch of last Saturday night's WCHA Final Five championship and third-place game.

"I said it last week as well, but our league playoffs in the first round, our Final Five, and certainly the entire regular season prepare us for playoff hockey," said Hakstol. "Especially for us; we've been playing playoff hockey for weeks."

Boston College's loss ends the season of 10 terrific seniors, most notably Andrew Alberts and Ryan Shannon.

"They've left a great legacy for all of us, and that's what I told them in the locker room," York said. "The underclassmen all chimed in and stated their thanks as well."