30 August, 2008

Category Archives: Frozen Four

A Mile-High Hockey Curse?

By OrderedChaos (Mike Rucki)
Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Why hasn’t the Colorado College hockey team won a National Championship since 1957? Well the folks at LetsGoDU have compiled some impressive and entertaining information, and their deeply-dug research suggests that CC may be cursed. Click here for the full story, and kudos to LetsGoDU for providing a welcome hockey diversion this summer.

Filed in College Hockey, Frozen Four, Hockey| Permalink| Comments (3)

Another Ref in NCAA Division I Hockey

By OrderedChaos (Mike Rucki)
Monday, August 11, 2008

The Frozen Four in Washington, D.C., will feature two days of thrilling competition . . . as well as two referees on the ice.

While the NCAA’s decision is hardly breaking news — it was announced in June that they would implement the system for all games this season — it is interesting to see former assistant coach for the Washington Capitals and current Providence College head coach Tim Army firmly in favor of adding a referee. After all, Army was with the Capitals in 1998 when the two-referee system debuted in the NHL so he’s had ample experience with it. Per the Friartown Free Press:

“This system will allow for a stricter enforcement of the rules, thus enhancing the overall speed of our game,” [Army] said this week. “The emphasis on speed will create more open lanes that can be exploited with quick puck movement. Speed and possession will produce better transitional and cycling play which will increase offensive activity in the scoring areas resulting in greater goal production.”

Army clearly feels that, after working out some initial kinks (e.g., a significant spike in penalties called), the two-referee system has helped the game more than it has hindered play.

The extra body on the ice does create more traffic . . . something that switching to an international-sized rink would remedy, of course, but that change will likely never happen due to the expense of changing arenas and the lost revenue from having fewer 100-level seats. Yet if the referee pair works well together and calls games consistently (granted, a big “if”), away-from-the-puck infractions are more often caught due to the extra man with the orange armband.

Regardless, the additional ref has certainly doubled the opportunity for clever referee taunts.

Filed in College Hockey, Former Coaches & Players, Frozen Four, National Hockey League, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (0)

Frozen Fortune in Summer

By pucksandbooks
Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Although he is in his middles sixties, my father skates with the over-70 set of GeriHatricks; he has a medical exemption to “skate up” with the “vets,” as he had knee replacement surgery earlier this summer. He told me it was a pretty big deal being able to go in the room this week and announce to the fellas that his son would be taking him to the Frozen Four in Washington next spring. Like Dad, a few of his teammates played a bit of hockey in college.

A healthy number of our readers won college hockey’s big lottery last week and secured their own tickets to the 2009 Frozen Four. Others will join in the party via other avenues. We wish there was a way for every one of our local readers to be so lucky, but we’ve really enjoyed reading the elation-laden accounts of those who have. Keep ‘em coming.

Filed in College Hockey, Frozen Four, Hockey, Washington the Hockey Town| Permalink| Comments (10)

One Washington Hockey Fan’s Very Good Fortune

By pucksandbooks
Thursday, July 31, 2008

Letter received today from the NCAA:

“Dear pucksandbooks:

We are pleased to inform you that your offer to purchase tickets contained in your application for tickets to the 2009 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., has been accepted. The semifinal games will be played at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Eastern time, Thursday, April 9, and the championship game will be played at 7 p.m. Eastern time, Saturday, April 11. Please note that game times are subject to change.

You will receive 2 all-session tickets . . . Tickets and seat locations will be distributed in March 2009 . . .

The seating capacity for the 2009 Men’s Frozen Four will be 18,875 [interesting, that]. Priority ticket applicants and those individuals applying for the first time have been allocated 9,626 tickets. The remaining tickets are reserved for the four participating institutions, the NCAA membership (e.g., athletic directors, coaches and various committee members), the host institution, the local organizing committee and other groups affiliated with the NCAA . . .

We thank you for applying for tickets to the 2009 Men’s Frozen Four and appreciate your interest in and support of NCAA ice hockey.

Sincerely,

NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship Staff

Filed in College Hockey, Frozen Four, Verizon Center, Washington the Hockey Town| Permalink| Comments (24)

More Ammunition for Finley To Go Pro

By pucksandbooks
Sunday, July 27, 2008

The last two weeks have seen two more members of the North Dakota Fighting Sioux sign pro hockey contracts. Senior defenseman Robbie Bina inked a deal with Edmonton this week, and earlier this month, senior Kyle Radke signed with the Idaho Steelhounds of the ECHL.

Five members of the Fighting Sioux have signed pro hockey contracts this summer. In addition to Bina and Radke, Taylor Chorney (Edmonton), Rylan Kaip (Atlanta), and T.J. Oshie (St. Louis) have all departed. The Sioux also lost starting netminder Jean-Philippe Lamoureux to graduation.

Perhaps Caps’ prospect Joe Finley had designs on visiting Verizon Center as a senior next April for the Frozen Four. It’s hard to see that happening now. Indeed, Inside College Hockey’s 10 teams to watch for 2008-09 didn’t include the Sioux, before this month’s defections.

So BigJoe, what’s the holdup on starting your pro career?

Filed in College Hockey, DraftGeek, Frozen Four, Joe Finley, Minor Pro Hockey, Prospects, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (10)

Ten Top Storylines for Development Camp 2008

By pucksandbooks
Monday, July 7, 2008

This morning the Capitals welcome 21 skaters and 4 goaltenders to their 2008 Development Camp. Almost all of the campers are recent Caps’ draft picks, and first-rounders from each of the the team’s past four drafts are present (Alzner, Varlamov, Carlson, Pokulok).

Camp will culminate with a 10:00 scrimmage on Saturday. Hockey is back! Herewith, 10 top storylines to follow at this July’s camp:

(10) All Eyes on Alzner. 2007 first round pick Karl Alzner impressed observers of Development Camp last July, and then he went on to captain the gold medal winning Canadians at the World Junior Championships in December and earn WHL Defenseman of the Year and Player of the Year honors with the Calgary Hitmen. Not a bad season, huh? As soon as his season in Calgary was completed he was called up by Hershey, but the Bears didn’t advance out of the American League postseason’s first round, so he’s yet to get a taste of pro hockey. He’ll get a chance at training camp in September to crack the Caps’ opening night roster, but he can make a real strong impression on and off the ice this week.

(9) Souring on Sasha? No team got screwed more by Gary Bettman’s inane Entry Draft scheme during the summer lockout of 2005 than the Caps. The league all but came out and said that by virtue of having had the first pick in 2004, the Caps shouldn’t have a reasonable shot at it again. But outside the top 10? A pre-lockout cellar dwellar, the Caps drew the 14th pick in the first round in the ‘05 draft. A lot of quality was already off the table by then, including Sidney Crosby, Carey Price, Anze Kopitar, and Jack Johnson. The Caps took a gamble on Cornell defenseman Sasha Pokulok. He hasn’t impressed. This could be a make-or-break year for him. He’d do well to have a solid week.

(8) College Hockey’s Biggest Weekend Isn’t that Far Away. Washington will host its first-ever Frozen Four next spring, and the Frozen Four Organizing Committee will visit Kettler on Wednesday, conduct a meeting there, and take in that day’s scrimmage. I have plenty of questions I’d like to put to them.

(7) The Big Finn with the Big Game. Oskar Osala had a big year in 2007-08 with 18 goals and 35 points in 53 games with the Espoo Blues in Finland’s top pro league. The 6 ‘4, 217-lb. left wing was named the Finnish League’s Rookie of the Year. He also shined at the 2007 World Junior Championships, where he shared the lead in goal scoring with 5 goals in 6 games. A lot of folks from Hershey are excited to see him.

(6) Not that Carlson, but John’s Big and Physical Too. No relation to Jack, but John Carlson may well make a name for himself in pro hockey, too. The Caps may have landed another late first-round blueline gem last month with Carlson, who’s already blessed with a pro physique. His coach with the Indiana Ice of the USHL said of his defenseman, “without a doubt, he’s going to be a star in the NHL.”

(5) Media Matters. All of HockeyWashington was stunned by the breadth, depth, and overall quality of media coverage of the Caps this past spring. This week at Kettler — where there will be stories to tell — is an opportunity to see if that was anomalous. After all, the Redskins don’t report to training camp for another two weeks. Bloggers will be out at Kettler covering, and we hope to reprise our coalition from Entry Draft Friday and live blog this Saturday’s camp-concluding scrimmage.

(4) Where’s Big Joe? Joe Finley, Hurting Force, isn’t in town this week. The 2005 first-rounder showed a lot of promise at last summer’s Development Camp, and he also shook a lot of plexiglass with his corner work. The Capitals are going to great lengths to make this week appealing to Washington youths, and Finley’s instincts for violence may not have been a good fit for that agenda. He’ll be returning to North Dakota for his senior season with the Fighting Sioux this fall.

(3) They Harken from a Scorer’s League. The leading scorers from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League each of the past two seasons, Francois Bouchard and Mathieu Perreault, will be present. Perreault in particular, with his dazzling stickwork-in-a-phone-booth and world-class agility and hockey sense, ought to be a fan favorite this week.

(2) Prior a Priority. Capitals’ Goaltender Coach Dave Prior has spent 11 seasons in Washington. He may not have a more important one than the one ahead. He will break in yet another no. 1 goalie in Jose Theodore — the team’s third in just the last six months — and perhaps just as importantly, in Simeon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth tutor two of the organization’s finest goaltending prospects in 15 years. That work begins this week.

(1) Speaking of Goalies . . . It would be comforting for Capitals’ fans to see both Varlamov and Neuvirth stop every shot that each faces the entirety of this week.

Filed in American Hockey League, College Hockey, Development Camp, Francois Bouchard, Frozen Four, Hardcore Hockey Fans, Hershey Bears, Hockey Rituals, Joe Finley, John Carlson, Karl Alzner, Kettler Capitals Iceplex, Mathieu Perreault, Michal Neuvirth, Prospects, Sasha Pokulok, Simeon Varlamov, WJC, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (10)

Swan Song for the Skilled Sioux?

By pucksandbooks
Wednesday, May 14, 2008

A number of the North Dakota Fighting Sioux’ top players made a pact after the 2006-07 season to remain on campus and pursue a national title in 2007-08. They did, and the Sioux advanced to this April’s Frozen Four in Denver, where eventual national champion Boston College smashed them in the semis.

Caps’ 2005 first-round draft pick Joe Finley, a junior this season, was a part of that impact core for North Dakota. Such a commitment by the team’s upper classmen will be a lot more difficult for next season, as on Tuesday the St. Louis Blues announced the signing of T.J. Oshie, North Dakota’s leading scorer last season. The Sioux also lose senior starting goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux.

Is this the impetus for Joe Finley to begin his pro career in the Capitals’ organization? If you’re a Hershey Bears’ fan, you sure hope so.

Filed in American Hockey League, College Hockey, Frozen Four, Hershey Bears, Joe Finley, Prospects| Permalink| Comments (0)

2009 Frozen Four Ticket Application Window Open

By The OFB Team
Tuesday, April 1, 2008

While the puck hasn’t been dropped on the 2008 edition of the NCAA Frozen Four in Denver, the NCAA is now accepting applications for tickets for the 2009 Frozen Four in Washington, DC.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The NCAA is accepting ticket applications for the 2009 Frozen Four, which will be held at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., April 9 and 11, 2009. Tickets for the event — which will be sold out for the ninth straight year when it faces off next week in Denver — are awarded through a lottery system, and applications are being accepted online at the NCAA website (https://ebill.securebills.com/FrozenFour/) from today through June 1, 2008.

The NCAA ticket application process includes a priority system rewarding those who have purchased tickets for previous Frozen Fours, but a number of tickets are set aside for first-time attendees as well. The ticket application process is the only method of purchasing tickets for the general public.

The U.S. Naval Academy, the Greater Washington Sports Alliance and the Washington Capitals will host the 2009 NCAA Frozen Four, which brings the country’s best college hockey players to the nation’s capital for the first time. The Frozen Four is the culmination of the 16-team NCAA tournament.

Here’s the rub, tickets are $177 per seat (2 semifinal games plus the final) and pre-payment is required at the time of the application submission.  Refunds will be issued in mid-August of this year if your application is not selected for tickets.

Filed in College Hockey, Frozen Four, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (2)

2008 Frozen Four

By Gustafsson
Monday, March 31, 2008

The 2008 Frozen Four is set.

The semifinals take place on April 10th with North Dakota defenseman and Washington Capitals’ draft pick Joe Finley skating against Boston College at 6pm EDT. The second game is at 9pm EDT with Michigan against Notre Dame, the only four seed ever to make it to the Frozen Four. Both semifinal games will be televised on ESPN2. The National Championship game is on the 12th at 9pm EDT on ESPN.

After this year in Denver, the Frozen Four moves East to the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., for the 2009 edition of the Frozen Four.

Filed in College Hockey, Frozen Four, Joe Finley| Permalink| Comments (5)

Virginia Hockey Natives in NCAA Men’s Frozen Four

By OrderedChaos (Mike Rucki)
Tuesday, March 25, 2008

College hockey is about to begin its annual best-of-the-best tournament; two Virginia-born hockey players are gearing up for their respective schools during this weekend’s first round on the way to the NCAA 2008 Men’s Frozen Four.

Sophomore Matt Fairchild, of Ashburn, Va., is a forward for the Air Force Falcons. After 36 games he was fourth on the team in scoring (9-17-26). The Falcons face No. 1 seed Miami (Ohio) on Saturday, March 29, at 4:05 p.m. ET; the game will be televised on ESPN U. According to Fairchild’s bio, his favorite team is the Washington Capitals and favorite player is Alex Ovechkin–choices with which I think we can heartily agree.

Garrett Roe, a forward at St. Cloud State, is a native of Vienna, Va. Roe, a freshman, is already ranked fifth all-time in points-per-game at St. Cloud State, averaging 1.16 points each outing (18-26-44). He was also an invited attendee at the Capitals’ summer camp in 2004 at the age of 16. The Huskies take on Clarkson University on Friday, March 28, at 4:00 p.m. ET, also scheduled for broadcast on ESPN U.

It is heartening to see local-born hockey players playing in college hockey’s ultimate competition–we wish the best of luck to both Fairchild and Roe in the tournament.

[Tap of the stick to OFB reader Big Sexy for the tip]

Filed in College Hockey, Development Camp, Frozen Four, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (6)

The “Other” Bracket - Road to the Frozen Four

By Gustafsson
Monday, March 24, 2008

Here are the matchups for the 2008 NCAA Hockey Championship.

Albany (East)
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 4 Niagara
No. 2 St. Cloud State vs. No. 3 Clarkson

Colorado Springs (West)
No. 1 New Hampshire vs. No. 4 Notre Dame
No. 2 Colorado College vs. No. 3 Michigan State

Madison (Midwest)
No. 1 North Dakota vs. No. 4 Princeton
No. 2 Denver vs. No. 3 Wisconsin

Worcester (Northeast)
No. 1 Miami vs. No. 4 Air Force
No. 2 Boston College vs. No. 3 Minnesota

This year’s Frozen Four will take place in Denver, Colorado on April 10th and 12th with the First Round on March 28th & 29th and the Quarterfinals on March 29th & 30th.

Filed in College Hockey, Frozen Four| Permalink| Comments (13)

Raise Your Hand If You Saw This Coming

By The OFB Team
Sunday, April 8, 2007

And Nate Ewell, you’re not allowed to play.

Michigan State University - 2007 Ice Hockey Champions - photo by Tom Gannam / AP

The whole Frozen Four weekend was one of surprises. North Dakota’s Ryan Duncan took home the Hobey Baker on Friday.

Filed in College Hockey, Frozen Four, Hobey Baker Award, Nate Ewell| Permalink| Comments (4)

2007 Frozen Four

By The OFB Team
Sunday, March 25, 2007

The 2007 Frozen Four is now set. Here is the updated bracket:

2007 Frozen Four Bracket

After a break next weekend, St. Louis, Missouri, will host North Dakota vs. Boston College and Maine vs. Michigan State in semifinal games on April 5th. Both games will be aired on ESPN2. The championship game will be on the 7th of April on ESPN.

Filed in College Hockey, ESPN, Frozen Four| Permalink| Comments (9)

2007 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship Bracket

By The OFB Team
Sunday, March 18, 2007
2007 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship Bracket
Filed in College Hockey, Frozen Four| Permalink| Comments (10)

We Have Brackets, Too: College Hockey’s Marvelous Postseason

By pucksandbooks
Sunday, March 18, 2007

Some clarity in an entire season’s worth of college hockey parity arrived with the NCAA’s highest-stakes postseason weekend. Who would have wanted to wager against no. 1-ranked Notre Dame on St. Patrick’s weekend?

  • Wisconsin doesn’t deserve a tourney bid with a 19-18-4 record, but you’ve got to admire their moxy in defeating no. 4 St. Cloud State in OT Saturday in the WCHA consolation game. The Badgers scored the winning goal with just 9 seconds left. But three hours earlier, Head Coach Mike Eaves made one of the most shocking bench decisions of the season in yanking four-year stud, 2006 NCAA title-winning netminder Brian Elliot from the game 29 seconds in, after he’d surrendered the game’s opening goal. This was almost certainly Elliot’s last collegiate game, too. Unbelievable.
  • St. Cloud — lodged solidly in the top 5 of the country most of 2007 — is chock full of doubts after suffering two defeats this weekend. Conventional wisdom had the Huskies as a lock no. 1 seed for next week, but how can they claim that now? And netminder Bobby Goepfert looks beat up, overworked, and most mortal.
  • There is nothing fluky about Jeff Jackson and his no. 1-ranked Fighting Irish. They’ve taken on all comers, and beaten almost all of them. A 31-6-3 record in, at worst, college hockey’s second-best conference tells it all. Check out Jackson’s career record in post-season CCHA play: 28-4. Lordy.
  • The drama — assuming it still existed — surrounding the Hobey Baker Trophy this season ended at Joe Louis Arena this weekend with Notre Dame goalie David Brown not only winning CCHA Goalie of the Year and Tournament MVP, but besting his prime rival, Michigan’s T.J. Hensick, in the tourney final. Brown surrendered a grand total of one goal in Detroit this weekend.
  • One reason you’re not hearing much about teams from the East: their “Beast” is 11-loss Boston College, who bettered New Hampshire in the Hockey East Finals 5-2.
  • An ND-ND final in St. Louis? If Notre Dame is the most confident team heading into next weekend, North Dakota may be the most dangerous. Jonathon Toews is playing the best hockey of his two-year collegiate career; Ryan Duncan is one of college hockey’s most prolific scoring forward (52 pts.); T.J. Oshie is a threat on every rush; there is finesse (Brian Lee) and ferocity (Joe Finley) on the blueline; and Philippe Lamoureux is emerging as a legit, go-to no. 1 netminder.

The sixteen teams selected for the single-elimination postseason beginning next weekend will be announced today at 2:30 on ESPN2.

Filed in College Hockey, Frozen Four, Jeff Jackson, Prospects| Permalink| Comments (0)