March
20, 2005
NCAA Tournament
Midwest Regional Capsules | Grand Rapids, Mich.
Van
Andel Arena
Friday, March 25
5 p.m. ET:
No. 1 Colorado College vs. No. 4 Colgate
8:30 p.m.
ET: No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Wisconsin
Saturday,
March 26
5 p.m. ET:
Regional Final
NO.
1 SEED COLORADO COLLEGE TIGERS
Location:
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Record: 29-8-3 (19-7-2 WCHA, tied for first)
Qualified: At-large bid
NCAA Championships: Two (1950, 1957)
NCAA Appearance: 17th (most recent, 2003)
Head Coach: Scott Owens
Key Players: Brett Sterling, F, Jr. (40 GP, 32-29—61);
Marty Sertich,
F, Jr. (40 GP, 25-36—61); Curtis McElhinney, G, Sr. (19-3-1,
1.93, .934)
What You Need to Know: Colorado College and Ohio
State are the only teams to rank in the top 10 nationally in both
scoring offense and scoring defense. The Tigers are fourth offensively
at 3.70 goals per game and tied for sixth defensively at 2.17
goals per game.
How They'll Advance: Sertich and Sterling are
the straws that stir the Tigers’ drink, but Colorado College
has more than just the dynamic duo. One has to figure that CC’s
opponents will focus their efforts on shutting down the Hobey
Baker Award candidates, so it’s imperative that others step
forward and take the other team out of their game plan.
What Might Trip Them Up: Colorado College can
be beaten if the Sertich and Sterling score, but it’s easier
to stop ‘em if they don’t – it’s only
happened five times this season, and the Tigers are 3-2-0 in those
games. Specifically, bottling up Sertich, the playmaker, keeps
him from getting others involved in the offense. A team like Michigan
could prove to be particularly troublesome – they’ve
got strong, two-way forwards like Jason Ryznar and Eric Nystrom
who can make life miserable for players of Sertich’s ilk.
| Most
Recent Colorado College Line Chart |
| Left
Wing |
Center |
Right
Wing |
Notes |
| 21-B.
Sterling |
22-M.
Sertich |
25-S.
Polaski |
No
Tiger has even half as many points as Sertich or Sterling.
|
| 12-J.
Brunkhorst |
6-T.
Frischmon |
15-J.
Crabb |
| 9-B.
Cox |
19-A.
Slattengren |
23-J.
Kilpatrick |
| 16-D.
Patrosso |
20-B.
Polich |
17-J.
Brannigan |
| Defense |
Defense |
Goalies |
| 2-M.
Stuart |
7-W.
Tardy |
30-C.
McElhinney |
Zaba
and McElhinney split time for most of the year, with the latter
making the last two starts. |
| 24-B.
Salcido |
3-L.
Sweatt |
31-M.
Zaba |
| 5-R.
Petiot |
8-J.
Hillen |
|
NO.
2 SEED MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
Location:
Ann
Arbor, Mich.
Record: 30-7-3 (23-3-2 CCHA, first)
Qualified: CCHA Tournament champion
NCAA Championships: Nine (1948, 1951, 1952, 1953,
1955, 1956, 1964, 1996, 1998)
NCAA Appearance: 27th (most recent, 2004)
Head Coach: Gordon “Red” Berenson
Key Players: T.J. Hensick, F, So. (22-30—52);
Jeff Tambellini, F, Jr. (21-31—52); Milan Gajic, F, Sr.
(20-19—39)
What You Need to Know: Since 1996, six NCAA Regionals
have been played in Great Lakes State cities – Ann Arbor
(1998, 2002, 2003), Grand Rapids (1997, 2001) and East Lansing
(1996). The Wolverines were seeded within state boundaries on
all six occasions and advanced to the Frozen Four every time.
The last time Michigan failed to qualify for the Frozen Four when
playing at an in-state Regional site was in 1994, when eventual
national champion Lake Superior State bounced the Wolverines in
East Lansing.
How They'll Advance: During their current 13-game
unbeaten streak (11-0-2), the Wolverines have outscored opponents
by a 52-25 margin and have scored first in all but one of those
contests. Michigan’s relentless offensive attack keeps opponents
on their heels when the game is scoreless, let alone when they
have the lead. Even top-seed Colorado College will be hard pressed
to keep up with Michigan when the Wolverines put the pedal to
the metal.
What Might Trip Them Up: Wolverine fans are encouraged
by recent play of netminder Al Montoya. The junior’s save
percentage has hovered below the goaltending Mendoza Line (.900)
for most of the season, but Montoya has given up four goals in
his last four starts (for a .947 save percentage) and turned in
arguably his best performance of the season in Saturday’s
CCHA playoff championship game against Ohio State. That said,
Montoya has followed up sharp efforts with clunkers on a few occasions
this season. That can’t happen in Grand Rapids.
| Most
Recent Michigan Line Chart |
| Left
Wing |
Center |
Right
Wing |
Notes |
| 21
E. Nystrom |
19
A. Ebbett |
9
M. Gajic |
Tambellini
has 20 points (8 goals, 12 assists) during his team's 13-game
unbeaten streak. |
| 11
K. Porter |
7
T.J. Hensick |
15
J. Tambellini |
| 22
J. Ryznar |
17
M. Woodford |
16
D. Rohlfs |
| 14.
B. Kaleniecki |
24
C. Kolarik |
13
M. Brown |
| Defense |
Defense |
Goalies |
| 6
M. Hunwick |
5
B. Rodgers |
35
A. Montoya |
Dest, Rogers and Werner all have plus-minus ratings of +20
or better. |
| 8
J. Dest |
3
E. Werner |
34
N. Ruden |
| 2
N. Martens |
25
T. Cook |
30
M. Mayhew |
NO.
3 SEED WISCONSIN BADGERS
Location:
Madison,
Wis.
Record: 23-13-4 (16-9-3 WCHA, fourth)
Qualified: At-large bid
NCAA Championships: Five (1973, 1977, 1981, 1983,
1990)
NCAA Appearance: 20th (most recent, 2004)
Head Coach: Mike Eaves
Key Players: Joe Pavelski, F, Fr. (40 GP, 16-29—45);
Robbie Earl, F, So. (40 GP, 20-23—43); Bernd Brückler,
G, Sr. (17-11-3, 2.35, .916)
What You Need to Know: The Badgers under Mike
Eaves have never won a WCHA Final Five game (they made their first
appearance this year and went one-and-done) but they're making
their second consecutive trip to the NCAA field of 16. Wisconsin
hasn't been to the Frozen since 1992, although Eaves' team was
just an overtime goal versus Maine away last year.
How They'll Advance: Eaves might want to serve
his team leftover turkey before facing Michigan. Special teams
were the key when Bucky beat the Wolverines 3-1 on Thanksgiving
weekend, as Wisconsin scored power play and shorthanded goals.
Playing in the other team's home state will be less challenging
if goalie Bernd Bruckler can keep the Wolverines, and their fans,
quiet.
What Might Trip Them Up: The Miller Lite on tap
at the B.O.B. (across the street from Van Andel Arena) may be
the only thing colder than the Badgers right now. Bucky enters
the NCAAs on a 3-7-3 streak, having last won two in a row in early
February. The mojo is clearly missing from a team that looked
more formidable two months ago. They'd better find it fast.
| Most
Recent Wisconsin Line Chart |
| Left
Wing |
Center |
Right
Wing |
Notes |
| 10-R.
Earl |
8-J.
Pavelski |
27-R.
Carlson |
Burish,
one of Bucky's most experienced regulars, has been one of
the few bright spots lately. |
| 24-A.
Joudrey |
11-J.
Dowell |
19-R.
MacMurchy |
| 31-N.
Licari |
16-A.
Burish |
25-A.J.
Degenhardt |
| 22-J.
Funk |
21-A.
Brandt |
18-M.
Ford |
| Defense |
Defense |
Goalies |
| 7-J.
Piskula |
14-T.
Gilbert |
32-B.
Bruckler |
Klubertanz
and Likens are the Badgers' best offensive defensemen. |
| 2-K.
Klubertanz |
5-J.
Likens |
1-B.
Elliott |
| 6-J.
Engel |
4-D.
Drewiske |
|
NO.
4 SEED COLGATE RAIDERS
Location:
Hamilton, N.Y.
Record: 25-10-3 (14-5-3 ECACHL, third)
Qualified: At-large bid
NCAA Championships: None
NCAA Appearance: 4th (most recent, 2000)
Head Coach: Don Vaughan
Key Players: Steve Silverthorn, G, Sr. (24-9-3,
1.77, .925); Joey Mormina, D, Sr. (38 GP, 8-8—16); Tyler
Burton, F, Fr. (36 GP, 19-15—34)
What You Need to Know: Colgate won the regular
season ECACHL title last year and narrowly missed out on an NCAA
Tournament berth. Nine seniors have seen regular duty for Colgate
this year. That leadership helped on Saturday when Colgate had
to turn around on short rest and defeat Vermont in the ECACHL
third-place game.
How They'll Advance: It might be a tad disrespectful
to the rest of the Raider lineup, but this is a team that's carried
by its top players. The first line of Jon Smyth, Darryl McKinnon,
and Adam Mitchell is one of the best in the ECACHL and freshman
Tyler Burton scores a lot of clutch goals. Defenseman Joey Mormina
eats up a ton of minutes and Steve Silverthorn provides steady
goaltending every night.
What Might Trip Them Up: If that core group of
players has an off night, Colgate could be in trouble. The Raiders
have 25 wins on the year and 18 of them have been by one or two
goals. If they trail by a couple of goals early, it will be difficult
for Colgate to come back.
| Most
Recent Colgate Line Chart |
| Left
Wing |
Center |
Right
Wing |
Notes |
| 23-J.
Smyth |
15-D.
McKinnon |
7-A.
Mitchell |
Wilson's
recent return from injury makes that line very dangerous. |
| 16-D.
Gillanders |
14-J.
Winchester |
22-L.
Huculak |
| 28-A.
Masotto |
11-D.
Thomas |
26-R.
Smyth |
| 21-K.
Wilson |
9-T.
Burton |
3-Z.
Tataryn |
| Defense |
Defense |
Goalies |
| 27-J.
Mormina |
13-J.
Spencer |
40-S.
Silverthorn |
Overshadowed
in a league of elite goalies, Silverthorn is one of the nation's
best. |
| 6-M.
Campaner |
8-Alex
Greig |
1-M.
Dekanich |
| 5-E.
Main |
2-E.
DelGiacco |
32-J.
Kowalski |
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