College Hockey Update: This provides a (very late) look at the tournament games that brought us to this point; this page provided the four games played on Friday, March 29th.

BOSTON COLLEGE DECIMATES MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

College Hockey Update: Boston College scored first, and then often, in the early game of the Providence, R.I. Regional, taking a 1-0 lead on a Cutter Gauthier goal a minute into the first period. Michigan Tech responded twelve minutes later to tie it at 1-1, the score going into the break. Play was fairly even early on, and Boston College held a first period shots advantage of 11-8. Michigan Tech picked up the pace in the second, out-shooting BC a bit, 13-10, but couldn’t convert on their effort, while Ryan Leonard managed to get another goal for BC seven minutes into the period for a 2-1 BC lead, the score going into the second break. But then came the third. Connor Joyce scored for BC five minutes in; Oskar Jellvik scored for BC six minutes in; Ryan Leonard scored (again) eight minutes in (assist by Cutter Gauthier); and then Cutter Gauthier scored (again) eleven minutes in to finish off a four-unanswered-goal period to make this dissection complete at 6-1. BC advanced to play the winner of the Quinnipiac vs. Wisconsin game.

The outcome of this game is not an upset in our pool, as 37 entrants picked Boston College to win it vs. four who picked Michigan Tech.

MICHIGAN STATE SURVIVES DOGFIGHT WITH WESTERN MICHIGAN

College Hockey Update: Michigan State found itself in a true dogfight with in-state rival Western Michigan in the early game of the Maryland Heights, MO. Regional. In a very evenly played first (shots 12-12), Western Michigan scored seven minutes in for the 1-0 lead, the score at the break. Daniel Russell scored for Michigan State five minutes into the second to tie it at 1-1, and David Gucciardi added another goal five minutes later to give Michigan State the 2-1 lead. But Western Michigan caught fire and scored goals thirteen, fifteen, and sixteen minutes in, to take a 4-2 lead into the second break. Western Michigan held a 15-9 shots advantage in the second. Western Michigan continued the pressure in the third, out-shooting Michigan State 11-7, but Nash Nienhuis found the net eight minutes into the period to draw the Spartans closer, at 4-3. Western Michigan played great in the second half of the third, holding Michigan State off, but with only a minute left, Karsen Dorwart scored for Michigan State to tie it at 4-4 and to force OT. In OT Michigan State dominated with four shots on goal vs. 0 for Western Michigan, and Jeremy Davidson found the net nine minutes into the period to give Michigan State the win. Whew!! Michigan State advanced to play the winner of the Michigan vs North Dakota game.

The outcome of this game is not an upset in our pool, as 37 entrants picked Michigan State to win it vs. only four who picked Western Michigan.

QUINNIPIAC SURVIVES BRAWL WITH WISCONSIN IN OVERTIME

College Hockey Update: Quinnipiac scored on a Christophe Fillion goal only two minutes into the late game of the Providence, R.I. Regional, and out-shot Wisconsin 10-4, to take a 1-0 lead into the first break. Wisconsin took the lead at 2-1 after a goal two minutes into the period, and then another just a minute later. Victor Czerneckianair scored with only two minutes left in the period to pull Quinnipiac even at 2-2, the score at the end of the second, and at the end of regulation, after a pretty evenly played third period. Quinnipiac out-shot Wisconsin 8-3 in OT, and took it when Victor Czerneckianair scored the (again) to make it 3-2 Quinnipiac. Quinnipiac advanced to play Boston College.

The outcome of this game is not an upset in our pool, as 24 entrants picked Quinnipiac to win it, vs. 17 who picked Wisconsin.

BIG MICHIGAN THIRD PERIOD TOO MUCH FOR NORTH DAKOTA TO HANDLE

College Hockey Update: Michigan gave up a goal in the first five minutes and was out-shot 7-4 by North Dakota in the first period of the late game in the Maryland Heights, MO. Regional. But Frank Nazar III scored for Michigan just two minutes into the second to tie it at 1-1, and play was much more even between the two teams, with Michigan attaining a slight shot advantage of 11-10 in the period. North Dakota responded with a goal six minutes after the Nazar goal, to regain the lead at 2-1, which was the score going into the second break. Then came the third. Michigan scored on goals by Dylan Duke one minute into the period, T. J. Hughes two minutes into the period, and Dylan Duke (again) twelve minutes into the period, to take the 4-2 lead. North Dakota scored with five minutes left in the period to make it 4-3, Michigan, the final score. Michigan advanced to play Michigan State.

The outcome of this game is an upset in our pool, as 28 entrants picked North Dakota to win it vs only 13 who picked Michigan.

At the time of this posting, both Frozen Four semifinal games are over, and in a couple more posts, we’ll get to them!

That’s all for now.

Stay tuned, and go Terriers!

— Tom