Inside College Hockey | 2005 NCAA West Regional

March 27, 2005
NCAA West Regional Final
One is the Loneliest Number
Ohio State ends with one-goal NCAA loss for third straight year

By Jess Myers

Cornell 3, Ohio State 2
Team	Goal	Str
Time	Assists
First Period
1-OS	Dominic Maiani (12)	EV
10:46	T. Fritsche, B. Anderson
Second Period
2-OS	T. Fritsche (11)	PP
12:58	unassisted
1-COR	Doug Krantz (4)	EV
13:16	M. Moulson, T. Scott
2-COR	Chris Abbott (7)	EV
16:22	Cam Abbott, J. Gleed
Third Period
3-COR	Mike Iggulden (10)	EV
8:23	M. Moulson, R. Sawada
Goaltending
OS: Dave Caruso, 58:47, 17 saves, 3 GA
COR: Dave McKee, 60:00, 34 saves, 2 GA
Penalties: OS 3/6; COR 5/10
Power Plays: OS 1-5; COR 0-3
Attendance: 9,583

MINNEAPOLIS – Ohio State University officials are excited to be hosting the Frozen Four in their building on their campus. Just don’t be surprised if members of the Buckeye hockey team don’t seem like the most gracious and friendly hosts a few weeks from now.

If you pay a lot of attention to computer projections, the Buckeyes did exactly what they were expected to do on Saturday – they lost. It was the third year in a row that Ohio State has fallen via a one-goal loss in the NCAA Tournament, but Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at the hands of Cornell may have been more painful than previous shortcomings.

Not only did the Buckeyes seem to be in complete control, out-shooting the Big Red by a 2-to-1 margin in the opening period and leading 2-0 at one point, there was that whole “home ice for the Frozen Four” thing there to provide incentive.

With only two seniors in uniform for the Buckeyes on Saturday, there was plenty of talk that the best days for Ohio State hockey were in the future. But as he dutifully held back tears in the post-game presser, one of those seniors – JB Bittner – talked of the work his class had just left unfinished.

“Our job was to take it to the next level,” he said. “I don’t think we did everything we could’ve tonight, because if we had, we would’ve won. I think that will hit home in a couple weeks when teams come to play the Frozen Four in our building.”

Bittner did offer one optimistic note, recalling the sparse crowds he played in front of as a freshman and sophomore, and making note of seeing 11,000 or more for home games more than once this season. Still, the joys of a great season, and the hope of a bright future are hard to focus upon when your post-college hockey life is just minutes old.

“I don’t think we deserved to lose one-goal games the last three years in a row,” Bittner said of the abrupt and painful ends to his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. “Still, with the guys that come back next year, I don’t see any reason why these guys aren’t playing in the Frozen Four more than once.”

Buckeyes coach John Markell chose a more immediate focus, recalling how thoroughly his team dominated Cornell in the opening period (out-shooting the Big Red 12-6), and how it was a letdown to only lead 1-0 after 20 minutes.
“I liked the energy level and liked what we were doing to create opportunities,” he said. “But in a situation like that you have to score some goals or it reverses on you. Those were some pretty glorious opportunities we had.”

But again for the Buckeyes, it came down to one missed shot, one pipe, one big save, and ultimately one goal.

“It comes down to one mistake,” Markell said. “We were that close to moving on. I hope the guys will keep that in mind when they’re working out this spring.”

Minnesota 1, Maine 0 (ot)
Team	Goal	Str
Time	Assists
First Period
No scoring
Second Period
No scoring
Third Period
No scoring
Overtime
1-MN	Evan Kaufmann (7)	EV
1:46	G. Smaagard, A. Sertich
No scoring
Goaltending
ME: Jim Howard, 61:46, 37 saves, 1 GA
MN:Kellen Briggs, 61:12, 25 saves, 0 GA
Penalties: ME 0-4; MN 0-9
Power Plays: ME 10-20; MN 5-10

BIG NIGHT FOR GOALIES

After much deliberation, Minnesota coach Don Lucia decided to start Kellen Briggs in goal, figuring that the team’s main netminder for the past two seasons would be the logical choice for the Gophers playoff run. Although Briggs admitted afterwards that he didn’t have to be superlative for Minnesota to win, Lucia’s choice looked to be a good one, as Briggs’ 25 saves were enough to tie the school’s career record for shutouts.

But Briggs almost was the third-most talked-about goaltender after the game, as heroics from Maine’s Jimmy Howard and advice from Minnesota backup Justin Johnson were hot topics in the press conferences. Howard was simply spectacular (“as usual” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead) for the Black Bears, dropping his second consecutive 1-0 decision in NCAA tournament play despite 37 saves and some glove work that would make Ozzie Smith envious.

It was that glove-related magic that had Gophers seeking advice anywhere they could get it as the game dragged on and Minnesota’s 30-plus shots on goal weren’t enough to secure a lead. The key to solving Howard finally came from a guy who knows a thing or two about filling the space between the pipes.

"We had been getting nothing all game going to his glove side," said Minnesota forward Evan Kaufmann. "During one of the breaks (backup goaltender) Justin Johnson told me that if we were going to get anything on this guy, we'd have to go somewhere other than his glove."

Sure enough, when Kaufmann found himself alone in front of Howard in overtime with the puck on his stick, he fired a quick shot to Howard’s stick side, and won the game. Afterward, Kaufmann admitted the he didn’t choose a spot or think of Johnson’s advice at the time, he just wanted to get it on net. Whatever the case, some advice from a backup goalie may be one of the reasons the Gophers are playing on Sunday.

INCH's Three Stars of the Night

3. Tom Fritsche, Ohio State wing.
The freshman from the Cleveland suburbs provided a goal and an assist, and provided hope for the future for Buckeye fans.

2. Jimmy Howard, Maine
The only thing he didn’t do was win.

1. Kellen Briggs, Minnesota
The sophomore from Colorado Springs has often said that he doesn’t have to be perfect, just good enough. On Saturday, his 25 saves were good enough to tie the school record for career shutouts.

SEEN AND HEARD AT MARIUCCI

• With one team playing at home, the audience was understandably dominated by maroon and gold sweaters. One notable exception was the fan who showed up wearing a replica of Alaska Anchorage’s bright gold third sweaters. Special mention goes to the guy who showed up in the bunny suit. We appreciate the Easter spirit, although the pink and white vest and bow tie don’t really go with the big floppy ears.

• More than a few Minnesota fans seemed shocked (SHOCKED!) during the playing of the national anthem before the Gopher-Black Bear game when the Cornell fans in attendance (as per their custom) yelled “RED!” when the song gets to the part about “rockets’ red glare.” Apparently, when the home fans yell, “…home of the GOPHERS!” it’s OK, but when some uppity Easterners decide to have some fun, it’s trouble.

• Shortly after Cornell tied the late game, WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod was seen shaking hands and giving high fives in the arena’s club room. McLeod isn’t a Big Red fan. Instead, he was celebrating the fact that he’d just finished watching Colorado College completed its comeback win versus Michigan, giving his league at least one team in Columbus.

• When Minnesota and Maine get together in the NCAA tournament, the first 60 minutes are apparently just a warm-up. Lucia noted that in his six seasons at the helm of the Gophers, this is the third time he’s faced the Black Bears in the post-season, and all three have gone to overtime. Maine beat Minnesota 5-4 in overtime in the first round in 2001, and Minnesota won 4-3 in overtime in the 2002 NCAA championship game.

• Air Force coach Frank Serratore, on hand in Minneapolis as a NCAA official for the regional, had plenty of reasons to be rooting for Bemidji State to upset Denver on Saturday. Not only are the Beavers his alma mater and coached by his brother Tom, but it would make sense for Serratore to root for a fellow CHA team. Plus, the former coach of the Pioneers had an even more deep-seated reason to want to see BSU win. “The first rule in coaching is that you never root for the team that fired you,” he said.

PLUSSES AND MINUSES

In an era where hockey uniforms can get overly busy with logos, stripes and colors, here’s a shout out to the beautiful simplicity of the Cornell combination of sweater, breezers and socks. Red and white, and no b.s. in between. The person who designed Colorado College’s third sweaters should take a lesson.

Cornell wing Matt Moulson picked an opportune time to join the Big Red’s Century Club. His assist on Mike Iggulden’s go-ahead goal in the third period was Moulson’s 100th career point.

There was a nice contingent of Maine fans on hand, and since none of the WCHA’s teams wear any blue, it was nice to see that color inside Mariucci. But what’s with leaving the band back in Orono? It’s just not as inspirational to hear a MP3 of the school fight song over the PA system.

Not to re-visit a tired topic, but seriously, who came up with the idea of these fragile composite sticks, and why do equipment guys keep buying them? Is it the cool colors, or the fact that they make that pleasing “crack” sound when they snap in half, apparently every time you try to take a shot with one?

WHAT'S NEXT

While Minnesota needs just one home win for Don Lucia to lead a team to the Frozen Four for the fifth time in his coaching career, there will be plenty of pride on the line for Cornell on Sunday afternoon.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our program,” said Big Red coach Mike Schafer. “One of the things in the media – not in the players’ minds – but the media all year long has kind of questioned who we played, and where we’ve played and what we’ve done. What better opportunity than playing Minnesota on their home rink, with an opportunity to go to the Frozen Four. An opportunity and a challenge like that doesn’t come along like that very often.”

For Minnesota, the challenge is to make the most of the home ice, and the few hours of extra rest they’ll get having played in the early game, to earn a trip to Columbus. Neither Tyler Hirsch or Alex Goligoski will be in uniform again on Sunday, but that’s a challenge the Gophers have successfully tackled once already.