College Hockey Update:  In opening round action of the NCAA Tournament in Bridgeport, CT. today, Massachusetts took an early lead at the ten minute point of the first period on a goal by Jake Gaudet, but Lake Superior State was having nothing of it, and scored seven minutes later, in a very evenly played first that ended tied at one apiece.  In the second things changed and it appeared UMass heard the alarms, as they dominated the period, out-shooting Lake Superior 18-7.  It took a while, but Josh Lopina put one in at the eleven minute mark, and then a goal by Carson Gicewicz extended the UMass lead to 3-1, as it stood going into the second break. LSSU pressed in the third, but penalties were costly for them, as Jake Gaudet scored on an opportunistic power play to make it 4-1, UMass.  Lake Superior added an extra attacker with four minutes to go, but Anthony Del Gaizo quickly got to the empty net to make it 5-1, Massachusetts, and it stood for the final score.  UMass, now 17-5-4, and ranked #6, faces #14 Bemidji State tomorrow, March 27th, at 1:00pm Pacific Time, on ESPNU, with a berth in the Frozen Four at stake.

The outcome of this game is not an upset in our pool, as 38 participants picked UMass to win, while only 13 picked Lake Superior State to win.

That’s all for now.  Stay tuned, and go Terriers!

— Tom