Inside College Hockey | 2005 NCAA Northeast Regional

March 26, 2005
NCAA Northeast Regional
It Ain't Easy Bein' Greasy
Denver's OT goal prototypical, New Hampshire's atypical

By Joe Gladziszewski

Denver 4, Bemidji State 3 (ot)
Team	Goal	Str
Time	Assists
First Period
1-BSU	Shane Holman (2)	EV
1:20	J. Haider
1-DU	Andrew Thomas (2)	EV
5:35	K. Ulanski, G. Gauthier
2-BSU	Jean-Guy Gervais (14)	EV
11:14	unassisted
2-DU	Tom May (2)	EV
12:18	M. Laatsch, R. Dingle
Second Period
3-DU	Kevin Ulanski (10)	EV
1:02	G. Gauthier, J. Drummond
Third Period
3-BSU	Brendan Cook (20)	PP
2:17	P. Jonsson
Overtime
4-DU	Kevin Ulanski (11)	EV
3:26	B. Skinner
Goaltending
BSU: Matt Climie, 63:26, 45 saves, 4 GA
DU: Glenn Fischer, 63:26, 22 saves, 3 GA
Penalties: BSU 6/12; DU 6/12
Power Plays: BSU 1-5; DU 0-5

AMHERST, Mass. – Bemidji State coach Tom Serratore called them "greasy," those types of goals that seem to end overtime hockey games. They go in off of shinpads, like the one that Denver forward Kevin Ulanski wears on his left leg and used to deflect the puck into the net to give the Pioneers a 4-3 overtime win over the Beavers at the Mullins Center on Saturday afternoon.

Several hours later, the New Hampshire Wildcats and forwards Justin Aikins and Daniel Winnik disproved the "greasy" goal theory. Winnik's redirection of an excellent pass from Aikins gave New Hampshire a 3-2 overtime win over Harvard.

The style of goal wasn't the only thing that differed between DU and UNH as the teams played overtime. For Denver, there was a cautious approach and some concern as the game headed to an extra period. New Hampshire was excited and confident.

The Beavers got Denver's attention with their resilience and effort. The Pioneers took a 3-2 lead early in the second period, but BSU never went away. Brendan Cook tied the game for Bemidji 2:17 into the third to prove that Denver's concerns were warranted.

"We were definitely back on our heels," Denver defenseman Andrew Thomas said. "I was really surprised at how well they responded after every goal was scored."

Bemidji State was the more confident team, even to the point where Serratore said that most everyone in the building thought the Beavers would win. Denver players considered the alternative. What if it was Bemidji that scored the overtime goal?

"When you're a senior you're sitting in the locker room going into overtime knowing that it could be a fluke goal and if it goes the other way your career is over as a player," Ulanski said.

"It was nerve racking for sure. Bemidji came out and really took it to us for a while," Thomas said.

Their fears went away and the Pioneers were able to breathe much easier when Gabe Gauthier won a face off and Brett Skinner's point shot hit Ulanski's pad and squeezed through Beaver goalie Matt Climie.

In the second semifinal, UNH didn't admit to having any concern or trepidation. The Wildcats trailed Harvard 2-1 heading into the third period. UNH scored the tying goal, a power-play goal by Preston Callander.
They never looked back from there.

"The mood was up," senior winger Sean Collins said. "Obviously we were down 2-1 going into the third period so we're used to that for whatever reason from the last few games. We got a big power play goal to even it up and we tried to take control of the third period."

It led to a number of outstanding scoring opportunities as regulation wound to an end and the overtime period began. Winnik scored the winning goal, which UNH expected to get all along.

"We were pretty confident through the whole game and we felt that we controlled the play, the tempo, it was just a matter of time before we got one," Winnik said. "The mood in the room was to just keep going at it."

Although they had different mindsets in getting there, the end result was the same. Mind games continue on Sunday afternoon for the Pioneers and Wildcats.

New Hampshire 3, Harvard 2 (ot)
Team	Goal	Str
Time	Assists
First Period
1-HRV	Ryan Maki (10)	EV
9:26	K. Du, R. Lannon
Second Period
1-NH	Sean Collins (19)	PP
7:35	T. Teplitsky
2-HRV	Alex Meintel (1)	EV
7:43	T. Magura
Third Period
2-NH	Preston Callander (25)	PP
3:44	S. Collins
Overtime
3-NH	Daniel Winnik (17)	EV
15:06	J. Aikins, T. Teplitsky
Goaltending
HRV: Dov Grumet-Morris, 75:04, 43 saves, 3 GA
UNH: Kevin Regan, 75:06, 39 saves, 2 GA
Penalties: HRV 8/16; UNH 5/10
Power Plays: HRV 0-4; UNH 2-7
Attendance: 3,622

MAKESHIFT HEROES

For most recent games, including the entire ECACHL playoffs, Harvard head coach Ted Donato went with a big, grinding type of winger on the team's fourth line. Dave Watters (6-foot-4, 205 lbs.) and Rob Flynn (6-2, 220) flanked freshman center Tyler Magura. It gave the team a physical presence as Harvard disposed of St. Lawrence and Colgate before falling to Cornell in the league's championship game.

There was a change in style for that fourth line in Saturday's NCAA game against UNH. Donato went for speed and playmaking ability, swapping freshman Alex Meintel and senior Andrew Lederman in for Watters and Flynn against a speedier New Hampshire team on a larger ice surface. The move worked out very well for Harvard.

Magura, while killing a penalty in the first period, went on a short-handed breakaway and was hooked down by UNH defenseman Robbie Barker to even up the Wildcats' man advantage.

After UNH's tying goal early in the second period, the fourth line was at it again. Magura threw a puck on net and Meintel, a freshman playing in his 10th career game, scored 8 seconds after the Collins goal. Meintel battled a UNH defenseman and was able to flip the loose puck over Regan and into the net off the far post.

As the game progressed, that line earned more ice time. Magura, Lederman, and Meintel skated a regular shift throughout the overtime.

"I think they played great," Donato said. "I don't know if everybody in the room understands what it means to work all year and finally get a chance to show what you've got. As a group we've felt comfortable all year not only with the 20 guys that were playing but with a couple of guys that weren't playing. We asked them to work hard in practice and you could see them get rewarded."

Donato was particularly happy for Lederman, a senior who didn't see much playing time through his first three seasons. He also watched most of the ECACHL playoffs this year, despite standing third on the team in scoring.

Lederman maintained an excellent attitude and ended his Harvard career with a fine performance.

INCH's Three Stars of the Night

3. Tyler Magura, Harvard
His excellent penalty killing efforts through the first two periods helped Harvard maintain the lead. He scored the Crimson's second goal of the night and centered the fourth line, which was outstanding.

2. Sean Collins, New Hampshire
The Wildcats most dangerous forward throughout the night kidded after the game that he's "0-for-the-century" in breakaway attempts. His presence drew the attention of Harvard's defense all game long, and he made a great shot from the slot to give UNH its first goal. He also assisted on the second Wildcat goal.

1. Kevin Ulanski, Denver
Returned from a four-game absence due to a knee injury to score two goals and an assist. Ulanski was red hot before the injury, with 14 points in his 12 games before getting hurt. He picked up right where he left off.

SEEN AND HEARD AT MULLINS

• Last year's NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Denver graduate Adam Berkhoel, was keeping long-distance tabs on his alma mater. During the first intermission of the noon game, Berkhoel called Denver sports information director Erich Bacher for a score update (2-2 at the time).

Berkhoel is the goalie for the Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL. He was calling from California, where the Gladiators played the Bakersfield Condors on Friday night. In the game, former DU teammate, Connor James, scored a goal against Berkhoel.

• The Bemidji State players wore stickers on the back of their helmets as a sign of respect to the victims and families of a recent school shooting in Red Lake, Minn. which is located near Bemidji State University. Many teachers in the Red Lake school district are Bemidji State graduates.

• At the 2004 Frozen Four, the Denver Pioneers felt pretty special when the team bus received a police escort through the city of Boston en route to the Fleet Center. It was even mentioned that they used the feeling to motivate itself in rallying for a semifinal win over Minnesota Duluth. New Hampshire's Sean Collins said his team had some off-the-rink motivation for winning and being able to stay in Amherst on Saturday night. "We get to eat at Pinocchio's down the street, which is a pretty good place," Collins said.

• The INCH staff spotted a bevy of college hockey programs represented by fans wearing sweaters at the Mullins Center. In addition to jerseys of the four participating schools and the host UMass Minutemen, INCH staffers spotted jerseys from Michigan State, Lake Superior State, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, St. Lawrence, Colorado College, Dartmouth, and Union.

• Harvard's team prepared for the 95' wide Mullins Center ice surface by practicing on other campuses during the week. On Wednesday, Harvard skated at Boston University's Agganis Arena (a 90' wide surface). On Thursday in Amherst, the Crimson practiced on the UMass practice facility, which matches the playing dimensions as the Mullins Center. Friday's team skate was at the Mullins Center.

• Agganis Arena also hosted the New Hampshire Wildcats for a Thursday practice. UNH was bumped from the Whittemore Center by the Women's Frozen Four.

• Harvard didn't bring a band, but it brought a recording of the school's fight song, which was played after each of the Crimson goals and as Harvard took the ice for the overtime session. Neither Denver nor Bemidji State had a band at the Mullins Center, but a couple of dozen Bemidji State fans performed a capella renditions of the school's fight song after BSU goals.

PLUSSES AND MINUSES