Inside College Hockey | 2003 Frozen Four: Saviano's Role Reversal

April 10, 2003
NCAA Frozen Four
Saviano's Role Reversal

By Nate Ewell and Joe Gladziszewski

NCAA Tournament Coverage

BUFFALO – Sean Collins knows a thing or two about scoring pretty goals. And after skating on Steve Saviano's line for more than 10 years, Collins knows not to expect them from his fellow Reading, Mass., native.

That's nothing against Saviano, who does it all for New Hampshire and typically serves up more scoring opportunities for Collins than Chippewa Street bartenders serve Molsons. But in Thursday's NCAA semifinal win over Cornell, it was Saviano who scored two picture-perfect goals.

"After he scored his second goal, we were sitting on the bench and he said, 'That was my first two-goal game at UNH,'" Collins said. "Today he had the sniper touch, and he had two beautiful goals."

The first came on a three-on-two, as Collins and center Nathan Martz got the puck wide to Saviano on the left wing, and he beat Cornell goaltender Dave LeNeveu high. Less than seven minutes later, he gave the Wildcats a 3-0 lead on a sharp-angle goal on the power play, finding a tiny spot on LeNeveu's short side.

So to Collins, a pure goal scorer who has 21 on the year, which was more impressive?

"I think the first goal was," he said. "He had kind of a bouncing puck to handle, and (LeNeveu) came over and covered a lot of net. He looked like Jeremy Roenick out there, just sniping under the crossbar.

"You expect him to give it back to Nathan or just throw it somewhere, because he sees everything on the ice. When he let it go, we were all surprised that he actually shot the puck. You don't see that too often from Stevie, but when they go in your feel extra proud of him, because he's been one of our top players all year."

Saviano leads the Wildcats in assists with 30 and ranks third on the team in points with 39. He showed his value throughout Thursday's game, killing penalties and forechecking with abandon. Afterwards, head coach Dick Umile was effusive in his praise for the junior right wing.

"Steve is just a tremendous player," Umile said. "He works real hard, he's got quick feet, he always puts himself in the right spot. He's done an awful lot for the program. He's an energy guy, he can make plays, he kills penalties. It's nice to see him putting away shots when he gets the opportunity, because he's a terrific player and a terrific guy to coach."

INCH's Three Stars

3. UNH's defensemen
After the first 12 minutes, the unheralded Wildcat blueliners neutralized Cornell's potent cycling game.

2. Michael Ayers, UNH
Sweet redemption for Ayers, who outdueled the nation's most heralded goalie at the other end.

1. Steve Saviano, UNH
With Lanny Gare out of the lineup, New Hampshire's first line wasn't the threat it usually is – but it didn't have to be, since the Saviano-Martz-Collins trio played like a first unit.

SEEN AND HEARD AT HSBC ARENA

• If all goes well at tomorrow's practice, you can expect to see Lanny Gare in the lineup for New Hampshire in the national championship game, the Wildcats confirmed. Gare might have played Thursday, but his separated shoulder would have been subject to a lot of abuse against the physical Cornell team. He would seem to face much less punishment from either Michigan or Minnesota.

• New Hampshire goaltender Mike Ayers says he put his previous Frozen Four experience – last year's 7-2 loss to Maine – out of his mind, only thinking about it when reporters asked. Thursday, he turned in a performance he'll be happy to remember for years.

"It was difficult after last year's game, but I think the hard work over the summer and this whole year has paid off," Ayers said. "If we can just do it for one more game, we'll be happy campers."

Ayers was sharp, getting beat only on a deflection and a two-on-one. He took a physical toll as well, as Cornell's hard-charging forwards ran into him several times. He was visibly shaken up trying to make a save late in the second period on a Sam Paolini shot that hit the post, but stayed in the game after a brief visit from the trainer.

His best save sealed the win, as he stopped Stephen Bâby's bid with his facemask in the final 30 seconds.

• The end result saw Cornell convert one of six power-play chances, but the impact of the Big Red's power play effort changed the flow of the game.

Brian Yandle's cross-checking minor occurred less than a minute after Steve Saviano's second goal boosted the Wildcats' lead to three, and Cornell responded with its first goal of the game. During the power play, coach Mike Schafer called a time out to rest his top power play unit with Doug Murray, Mark McRae, Stephen Bâby, Ryan Vesce and Sam Paolini. Vesce's tip in of Murray's point shot started the Big Red's rally.

New Hampshire coach Dick Umile lamented his team's second period penalties that gave Cornell the chance to rally back from a 3-0 deficit, but praised his penalty killers.

"The guys handled it well," Umile said. "They've got some guys who can really shoot. A couple of times we weren't as aggressive as I like, but with Michael Ayers back there, we think that's our best advantage."

• New Hampshire fourth-liner Robbie Barker helped create forechecking havoc for the Wildcats, forcing a turnover that led to Tim Horst's opening goal. Barker's role in the 'Cats win epitomized the sentiments expressed by both teams in the buildup to Thursday's semifinal. UNH has capable players ready to step in and fill the void left by injured star forward Lanny Gare.

"We kind of give (Barker) a little crap, because he can't really skate that well," Collins joked. "He's been a real solid player for us. He's a great defensive player and a great physical player. He has reckless abandon out there."

Barker is a sophomore and has seen action as a defenseman and fourth-line forward for the Wildcats, and has a knack for big-game contributions. His only goal in 47 career games came five weeks ago in the Hockey East quarterfinals against UMass-Lowell. It was the game-winning tally.

That was Barker's last appearance for the 'Cats until the Northeast Regional final against Boston University. He played on the blue line when Kevin Truelson missed the game due to a hip pointer injury.

• Cornell's accomplishments this season are noteworthy, finishing with a 30-5-1 record and earning the number-one overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Doubters of the ECAC schedule that Cornell played in the regular season, had to be impressed with the Red's performance against top-notch Hockey East schools Boston College and UNH in the NCAAs.

Stephen Bâby said it will take some time to see the level of success that Cornell achieved this year.

"Right now it's obviously pretty tough to stomach, to lose a game to end your season and for the seven seniors, your career at Cornell. It's tough to see a positive right now, but I think when we look back on this season later, it's a pretty good season."

• NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, a Cornell alum, was in attendance.

PLUSSES AND MINUSES

To the decision to play both the Canadian and American national anthems. The NCAA can be notoriously stubborn about deviating from standard procedure, but it was a fitting nod to tradition from Buffalo Sabres games (as well as at Cornell).

To New Hampshire players' playoff beards. Robbie Barker gets credit for the best one in the room. Nathan Martz's effort, on the other hand, may deserve a minus – but he gets credit for trying.

To HSBC Arena for the panoramic photo of the last game at the Aud in the media elevator. Best of all: the Sabres were playing the Hartford Whalers.

To the NCAA's public service announcements shown on the arena's big screen. They were well-done, and the message was a good one, but by the second period of this, the first game, we were sick of them.

WHAT'S NEXT

New Hampshire will take the ice Saturday against the winner of the Michigan-Minnesota game in search of the program's first national championship.

"It would be nice to be that first team that actually did get it," Collins said. "You'd be giving back to the school and the coaching staff. Coach Umile's been here a long time without any national championships, and just like Syracuse winning this year (in basketball), it would be extra special."