Inside College Hockey | 2003 West Regional Capsules

March 23, 2003
NCAA Tournament
West Regional Capsules | Minneapolis, Minn.

NCAA Tournament Coverage

Brackets | Info
The Dean's List

Friday, March 28

5 p.m. EST : No. 2 Ferris State vs. No. 3 North Dakota

8:30 p.m. EST: No. 1 Minnesota vs. No. 4 Mercyhurst

Sunday, March 30

5 p.m. EST: Regional Final

NO. 1 SEED MINNESOTA

Most Recent Line Chart
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
T. Vanek	M. Koalska	T. Riddle
G. Potulny	G. Guyer	B. Tallackson
A. Sertich	J. Reinholz	T. Hirsch
G. Smaagaard	J. Fleming	J. Waibel
Defense	Defense	Goalies
P. Martin	M. DeMarchi	J. Johnson
K. Ballard	C. Harrington	T. Weber
J. Martin	J. Stevens

Location: Minneapolis, Minn.
Record: 24-8-9 overall (15-6-7 WCHA, second)
Qualified: WCHA playoff champion
NCAA Championships: Four (1974, 1976, 1979, 2002)
NCAA Appearance: 27th (most recent, 2002)
Head Coach: Don Lucia
Key Players: Thomas Vanek, F, Fr. (26-28—54); Grant Potulny, F, Jr. (12-7—19); Paul Martin, D, Jr. (8-30—38)
What You Need To Know: Minnesota is aiming to become the first team to win back-to-back NCAA championships since Boston University accomplished the feat in 1971-72.
How They'll Advance: Lucia puts to rest a possible goaltender controversy early in the week, choosing either WCHA Final Five hero Justin Johnson or Travis Weber, who got most of the starts down the stretch until a finger injury sidelined him for the team's last two playoff games. Potulny – the best clutch player in the college game since Chris Drury – inspires his mates with his character, toughness and gritty play and players such as Tyler Hirsch and Barry Tallackson keep the offensive contributions coming.
What Might Trip Them Up: Their defensemen, specifically sophomore Keith Ballard, have been known to take chances with the puck in an attempt to create offense with mixed results; the Gophers must minimize their foe's ability to turn those situations into odd-man rushes in the other direction. Vanek has become better in his own end as the season progressed, so he can't revert to the purely one-dimensional player he was prior to Christmas.

NO. 2 SEED FERRIS STATE

Most Recent Line Chart
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
C. Kunitz	J. Legue	D. Nesbitt
P. Lewandowski	M. Kinnie	G. Rallo
K. Caudill	B. Smith	D. McIver
C. Thompson	T. Large	N. Field
Defense	Defense	Goalies
J. Scherlinck	T. Milam	M. Brown
M. York	S. Mangos	M. Swanson
A. Winnick	P. Meyer	J. DeCaro

Location: Big Rapids, Mich.
Record: 30-9-1 (22-5-1 CCHA, first)
Qualified: At-large bid
NCAA Championships: None
NCAA Appearance: First
Head Coach: Bob Daniels
Key Players: Chris Kunitz, F, Sr. (33-41—74); Troy Milam, D, Sr., (7-24—31); Mike Brown, G, S0., (29-9-1, 2.23 GAA, .926 sv%)
What You Need To Know: The Bulldogs' loss to Michigan in Saturday's CCHA Super Six championship game snapped a school-record 12-game winning streak. It was Ferris State's first defeat since Jan. 31, when the Wolverines earned a 6-4 victory in Ann Arbor.
How They'll Advance: The defensemen continue to excel in their ability to hold the puck in the offensive zone, allowing the forwards to create mismatches down low, Kunitz and linemates Derek Nesbitt and Jeff Legue aren't asked to shoulder the entire scoring load and the Bulldogs don't worry about facing North Dakota, and possibly Minnesota, in front of a partisan crowd.
What Might Trip Them Up: Ferris State likes to spring its forwards with long outlet passes from deep in its defensive zone, so opponents can deny the Bulldogs a staple of their attack by taking that option away. The team's defensemen are good at picking and choosing the right opportunity to pinch offensively, but they have a tendency to give up odd-man rushes in the other direction. A physical foe can neutralize Ferris' strong play in the slot on both ends of the ice.

NO. 3 SEED NORTH DAKOTA

Most Recent Line Chart
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
J. Notermann	Z. Parise	B. Bochenski
K. Spiewak	D. Lundbohm	J. Massen
M. Prpich	R. McMahon	B. Canady
R. Connelly	C. Genoway	Q. Fylling
Defense	Defense	Goalies
M. Greene	M. Jones	J. Brandt
A. Schneider	N. Fuher	J. Siembida
L. Marvin	R. Hale

Location: Grand Forks, N.D.
Record: 26-11-5 (14-9-5 WCHA, fourth)
Qualified: At-large bid
NCAA Championships: Seven (1959, 1963, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1997, 2000)
NCAA Appearance: 18th (most recent, 2001)
Head Coach: Dean Blais
Key Players: Brandon Bochenski, F, So. (35-26—61); Zach Parise, F, Fr. (26-35—61); Andy Schneider, D, So. (11-30—41)
What You Need to Know: North Dakota was 19-1-2 after posting a 4-2 win at Minnesota Jan. 10. They went 7-10-3 in their next 20 games, a stretch that included a seven-game winless streak.
How They'll Advance: By recapturing that first-half confidence, when the Fighting Sioux scored four or more goals 19 times in 23 games. Bochenski has ratcheted his game up a notch lately, but Parise has leveled off after a blistering start. Both need to be difference makers in order for North Dakota to survive.
What Might Trip Them Up: The psyche of the Sioux goaltenders, thanks to Blais' merry-go-round approach to determining a starter. Besides, when the goaltenders have played well as of late, they haven't got the offensive support they've needed. North Dakota desperately misses defenseman David Hale, who's been sidelined since late January because of illness.

NO. 4 SEED MERCYHURST

Most Recent Line Chart
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
A. Tackaberry	R. Hansen	P. Rynshoven
A. Rivers	D. Borrelli	D. Wrigley
S. Reynolds	M. Carter	E. Johnson
P. Briggs	M. Rychley	P.J. Hiscock
Defense	Defense	Goalies
T.J. Kemp	C. Martin	A. Franck
N. Brown	J. King	R. Kobel
M. Chambers	M. Muldoon

Location: Erie, Pa.
Record: 22-12-2 (19-5-2 MAAC, first)
Qualified: MAAC automatic bid
NCAA Championships: None
NCAA Appearance: Second (most recent, 2001)
Head Coach: Rick Gotkin
Key Players: David Wrigley, F, So. (16-24—40); Rich Hansen, F, So. (15-21—36); Andy Franck, G, Fr. (20-5-0,
2.98 GAA, .910 sv%)
What You Need to Know: Two years after tormenting Michigan in a 4-3 first-round loss, the class of the MAAC is back in the NCAA Tournament. The Lakers earned an automatic bid by winning the MAAC Tournament title behind a balanced offense and a talented freshman goaltender.
How They'll Advance: They need a great game plan from head coach Rick Gotkin, balanced scoring from their forward lines and poised goaltending from Andy Franck. All those elements are there – but even so, it would be a monumental upset. Think Niagara-New Hampshire in 2000, which took place – surprise, surprise – in Mariucci Arena.
What Might Trip Them Up: The Lakers are very young, and talent-wise, they're overmatched. If they get down early, especially in front of Minnesota's home crowd, it could be a long night.