Noon EST:
No. 1 Colorado College vs. No. 4 Wayne State
3:30 p.m.
EST: No. 2 Maine vs. No. 3 Michigan
Sunday,
March 30
3 p.m. EST:
Regional Final
NO.
1 SEED COLORADO COLLEGE
Most
Recent Line Chart
Left
Wing
Center
Right
Wing
P.
Sejna
M.
Sertich
N.
Clarke
C.
Stuart
A.
Slattengren
J.
Crabb
B.
Sterling
J.
Cullen
T.
Liebel
R.
Goolsby
T.
Frischman
S.
Polaski
Defense
Defense
Goalies
M.
Stuart
T.
Preissing
C.
McElhinney
R.
Petiot
W.
Tardy
K.
Bennemark
A.
Canzanello
J.
Laux
Location:
Colorado Springs, Colo. Record: 29-5-5 overall (19-4-5 WCHA) Qualified: At large NCAA Championships: Two (1950, 1957) NCAA Appearance: 15th (most recent, 2002) Coach: Scott Owens Key Players: Peter Sejna, F, Jr. (35-44—79);
Noah Clarke, F, Sr. (20-46—66); Tom Preissing, D, Sr. (22-26—48) What You Need To Know: Colorado College won its
first NCAA title in 1950 and turned the trick again in 1957. Both
times, they scored a championship-game record 13 goals in the
finale. How They'll Advance: Sejna and Clarke work their
magic as the top forward tandem in college hockey, the Colorado
College freshmen – led by forward Brett Sterling and defenseman
Mark Stuart – continue to play like upperclassmen, Preissing
and the potent Tiger power play make opponents pay for taking
penalties and the team's steady but unheralded group of role players
do their jobs. What Might Trip Them Up: As the top seed in Ann
Arbor, they face the prospect of meeting lower-seed Michigan on
its home ice. Goaltender Curtis McElhinney has been solid for
the Tigers this season – he was a first-team, all-WCHA honoree
– but he's never faced NCAA Tournament pressure, let alone
the weight that comes with being a top seed.
NO.
2 SEED MAINE
Location:
Orono, Maine Record: 24-9-4 (14-6-4 Hockey East, third) Qualified: At-large bid NCAA Championships: Two (1993, 1999) NCAA Appearance: 13th (most recent, 2002) Head Coach: Tim Whitehead Key Players: Martin Kariya, F, Sr. (14-35—49);
Lucas Lawson, F, Sr. (21-15—36); Francis Nault, D, Jr. (10-26—36) What You Need to Know: Maine relied on depth
at forward and stellar goaltending to claim the nation's No. 1
ranking for a good stretch of the season, before stumbling down
the stretch. How They'll Advance: A rejuevenated Black Bear
team, which has had a three-week layoff, could be a strong national
title contender. If they play the way they did through January,
they will be tough to stop – especially if goaltenders Jim
Howard and Frank Dolye (whoever plays) is strong. What Might Trip Them Up: Playing at Yost Ice
Arena can be a nightmare for visiting teams – just ask Denver.
The three-week layoff could also hurt the Black Bears.
NO.
3 SEED MICHIGAN
Most
Recent Line Chart
Left
Wing
Center
Right
Wing
J.
Ortmeyer
J.
Shouneyia
J.
Tambellini
E.
Nystrom
D.
Helminen
M.
Mink
M.
Woodford
B.
Kaleniecki
A.
Ebbett
J.
Ryznar
D.
Moss
M.
Gajic
Defense
Defense
Goalies
M.
Roemensky
A.
Burnes
A.
Montoya
D.
Richmond
J.
Swistak
N.
Ruden
N.
Martens
B.
Rogers
C.
Gartman
Location:
Ann Arbor, Mich. Record: 28-9-3 overall (18-7-3 CCHA, second) Qualified: CCHA playoff champion NCAA Championships: Nine (1948, 1951, 1952, 1953,
1955, 1956, 1964, 1996, 1998) NCAA
Appearance: 26th (most recent, 2002) Head Coach: Red Berenson Key Players: Jeff Tambellini, F, Fr. (26-17—43);
John Shouneyia, F, Sr. (7-28—35); Jed Ortmeyer, F, Sr. (16-16—32) What You Need to Know: The Wolverines are making
their 13th straight NCAA Tournament appearance under coach Red
Berenson, who now holds the record for most consecutive trips
to the national playoffs. The previous mark of 12 was set by Minnesota's
Doug Woog (1985-97). How They'll Advance: Michigan top-ranked penalty
killers keep the opponents' power play at bay, the young Wolverines
follow the lead of senior forwards Shouneyia, Ortmeyer and Mark
Mink and the Yost Ice Arena crowd is as influential as it was
during last year's West Regional, when U-M ousted St. Cloud State
and top-seed Denver en route to the Frozen Four. What Might Trip Them Up: Michigan is at its best
when all four lines apply consistent offensive pressure, as they
did against Ferris State in the CCHA title game, because it takes
the onus off the team's wafer-thin defensive corps. An injury
to one of the blueliners would be devastating. Goaltender Al Montoya,
six weeks removed from his 18th birthday, needs to minimize fat
rebounds and stickhandling mistakes.
NO.
4 SEED WAYNE STATE
Most
Recent Line Chart
Left
Wing
Center
Right
Wing
D.
Kingston
J.
Durbin
D.
MacKay
C.
Vail
M.
Starchenko
J.
Redwood
N.
Rosychuk
B.
Collins
J.
Brink
N.
Shrader
S.
Nichols
B.
Renfrew
Defense
Defense
Goalies
T.
Kindle
K.
Stanich
D.
Guerrera
G.
Poupard
S.
Kovalchik
M.
Kelly
N.
Stodgell
M.
St. Jean
Location:
Detroit, Mich. Record: 21-16-2 (11-7-2 College Hockey America,
third) Qualified: CHA automatic bid NCAA Championships: None NCAA Appearance: First Head Coach: Bill Wilkinson Key Players: Dustin Kingston, F, Sr. (17-23—40);
Jason Durbin, F, Sr. (12-24—36); David Guerrera, G, Sr.
(18-14-2, 3.03 GAA, .901 sv%) What You Need to Know: Coach Bill Wilkinson enters
the tournament with 385 career wins, the sixth-best total among
active Division I coaches. How They'll Advance: Play loose. The Warriors
have nothing to lose in their first-round match against top seed
Colorado College. And, while this is the Warriors' first NCAA
appearance, they are a veteran team – 12 seniors were in
the lineup for the team's CHA title game win against Bemidji State. What Might Trip Them Up: Colorado College comes
out with a purpose and dismantles the Warriors early, or Wayne
State shows up with a "just happy to be here" attitude.
Another problem: they average nearly 20 PIMs per game and are
killing penalties at an 80 percent clip.
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