2021 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament: Why Your Team Can Win It All (Albany Regional)

Enough parity exists in the NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament where at least one No. 4 seed has upset a No. 1 seed in every tournament played since 2005. The unexpected is more than expected. It is no surprise, in an era where the final at-large bid has won three of the last seven national titles, to see any of the 16 teams reach the Frozen Four.

Makes bracket challenges fun and impossible, even before playing in a global pandemic.

So with that in mind, I thought it would be best to preview the 2021 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament by showcasing two non-pandemic extremes. First, why each team can win the national championship. Second, why each team will be upset and lose in round 1. Add three players to watch and a "chip on their shoulders" ranking (1 being none and 10 being wanting to prove the world wrong) and there's a preview that covers the bases for your bracket challenge. 

Yesterday (Wednesday) featured the Fargo regional. Today already featured the Bridgeport regional while tomorrow (Friday) showcases the Loveland regional.

NOTE: This post was written before the NCAA announced Notre Dame would be unable to play in the NCAA Tournament due to Covid protocols. Boston College automatically advances to the Albany Regional Final. The Fighting Irish are the second team that earned the right to participate yet are unable to play. ND originally got into the NCAA Tournament only because St. Lawrence had to withdraw. 

With this year's tournament being played in these uncertain times, a team being pulled due to Covid protocols was likely a possibility. I am leaving in Notre Dame's section to show how the team would do if healthy and able to participate. I did update Boston College's "why the Eagles will be upset" section, however.

Albany Regional

No. 1 Seed: Boston College

Why the Eagles will win it all: A theme exists among the top four teams where each college hockey blueblood returns to the NCAA Tournament as a national title contender after missing multiple tourneys. 

Boston College (17-5-1) sits atop the Albany Regional after being the top Hockey East team all season. The talented Eagles team did not miss a beat despite losing star sophomore forward Alex Newhook, who has 7 goals in his last 10 games, for a large portion of the season. Another star sophomore forward, Matt Boldy, leads the team with 30 points (10G-20) in 21 games. Only North Dakota averages more goals per game than BC (3.91). Boston College's scoring depth goes beyond its elite players with 8 having 15 or more points.

Of the four bluebloods, Spencer Knight stands out individually in goal. Knight, who helped lead USA Hockey to a 2021 WJC gold medal, has championship-level experience. The sophomore enters the NCAA Tournament with a .933% save percentage and three shutouts. Teams need good goaltending and defense to advance in the NCAA Tournament. Boston College can bring both, along with a plethora of elite players.

Why the Eagles will be upset in round 1 the regional final: Boston College features talent while its potential opponents, St. Cloud State or Boston University, each feature a more recent NCAA Tournament experience.

The Huskies have been a mainstay in the NCAA Tournament of late while BU seniors were on the Terriers team that upset No. 1 seed Cornell in 2018. It's been five years since the Eagles last made the NCAA Tournament, making this experience a new one.

At the same time, Boston College comes into the regional final rested but coming off a performance where the Eagles blew a 4-1 third period lead to UMass-Lowell, eventually losing in 2 OT. (Boston College did have a potential game-winning goal disallowed for offsides.) The game leaves a bad taste in the mouth and it will be interesting to see how BC responds. Sometimes. teams respond this time of year. Oftentimes, teams follow up with another disappointment.

Chip on their shoulder ranking: 2. Things are going well for the Eagles. Almost too well. On a team that features several future NHLers and is seeded second overall, the biggest chip on their shoulder might be from this low ranking.

Three Players To Watch: #12 F- Matt Boldy (MIN), #4 D- Drew Helleson (COL), #18 F- Alex Newhook (COL)

No. 2 Seed: St. Cloud State

Why the Huskies will win it all: St. Cloud State (17-10-0) has been at its best in the NCAA Tournament when expectations are lowered. For the first time in four appearances, the Huskies are not one of the top-two overall teams.

This year's St. Cloud State squad is plenty dangerous. The Huskies finished second in a tough NCHC regular season, finished second in the NCHC conference tournament, and went 7-5-0 against the conference's three NCAA Tournament teams. Two of those losses came in OT. No one should be surprised to see the Huskies return to the Frozen Four in Pittsburgh. Easton Brodzinski continues his high level of play, leading the team with 11 goals. Freshman Veeti Miettinen rightfully earned the NCHC Rookie of the Year award for his play. When the offense is going, St. Cloud State is a tough team to face, regularly putting up 4-5 goals a game.

David Hrenak is the most experienced goaltender in the Albany Regional, showing throughout his college career he can steal games. If he is able to find a way to do so, or the Huskies offense stays in gear, it would not be a surprise to see this St. Cloud State team end the year with a win. 

Why the Huskies will be upset in round 1: Do I have to write this one? Fine. Apologies in advance, SCSU fans.

Facing Boston University, St. Cloud State goes against a Terriers team with players to match its offensive talent and one of the top defenders. It won't be an easy game even if the Huskies are able to test BU goalie Drew Commesso. 

And then there's the elephant in the room. To not beat around the bush any longer, better St. Cloud State teams have been upset. In the last five years, AIC, Air Force and Ferris State all defeated Huskies teams in the opening round. This year's senior class was there for the first two. This is a different group, one that will get the chance to have its Virginia moment, but in this category ends up being relevant.

Chip on their shoulder ranking: 9. At least I hope it's a 9. At this point, if it's not a 9 after discussing the last section and the Huskies coming up short in both the regular season and conference tournament, something is wrong.

Three Players To Watch: #29 F- Veeti Miettinen (TOR), #19 F- Sam Hentges (MIN), #22 F- Easton Brodzinski (undrafted)

No. 3 Seed: Boston University

Why the Terriers will win it all: Boston University (10-4-1) has been a bit of an unknown this season in a season full of them. 

Multiple Covid pauses pushing BU's season debut to January, the Terriers enter the NCAA Tournament playing a total of 15 games. The late start did not hinder Boston University's results, with its talented group starting 9-2-0 and sweeping Massachusetts. Jay O'Brien, the rare first-round draft pick who transferred, made the most of his long wait, tying David Farrance for the team lead with 16 points. 

Speaking of Farrance, the senior defender earned his second Hobey Baker top-ten finalist nod despite only playing 10 games. When on the ice, Farrance makes Boston University a better team. Being healthy as the team has been recently, the Terriers are full of talent able to make noise in a single-elimination tournament like this one.

Why the Terriers will lose in round 1: The Terriers benefit from being a bit of an unknown and playing a smaller schedule. Playing a smaller schedule hides some of the issues Boston University faced during the season while comfortably sitting in an NCAA Tournament spot as the third-ranked Hockey East team.

No tournament team has as poor of a shot margin (-7.47 shots per game) as BU. In recent games, being consistently outshot came back to bite the Terriers, as Merrimack and UMass Lowell each defeated Boston University handily while outshooting BU. The Terriers face a Huskies group that can easily follow the footprint set by Hockey East teams and make a tough night for Boston University's defense; especially if the Lowell loss looms large to the Terriers.

Chip on their shoulder ranking: 6. The Terriers are getting overlooked. Whether it is teams in BU's conference, city, selection tier, or being one 5 Eastern teams, there is enough for Boston University players to work with to use a "nobody believes in us" mantra. It's not as much as others, with the Terriers returning for the first time in 3 seasons and would have been on the outside last year too, but teams have made work with worse.

Three Players To Watch: #4 D- David Farrance (NSH), #29 G- Drew Commesso (CHI), #11 F- Luke Tuch (MTL)

No. 4 Seed: Notre Dame

(Again, please note that the Fighting Irish will be unable to play due to Covid protocols and that I wrote this before the news was announced.)

Why the Fighting Irish will win would have won it all: Being the last team in the NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament is not a bad thing. Tell that to Yale (2013), Providence (2015), or a team Notre Dame knows all too well, Minnesota Duluth (2018).

In the 2021 tournament, Notre Dame (14-13-2) is the latest last team in that has what it takes to join the above list of national champions. The Fighting Irish can compete with top teams, sweeping Minnesota and Michigan each at home. Away from Compton Family Ice Arena, Jeff Jackson's team is 9-2-1. The law firm-sounding line of Slaggert (Graham), Slaggert (Landon) and Steeves (Alex) has been the Fighting Irish's best. All three sit atop ND's stat sheet. Spencer Stastney at times can be a magician on the blue line, making big-time plays on both sides of the ice.

When playing well, Notre Dame is one of the best teams in the nation. It's why in a single-elimination tournament where two big weekends can make larger difference than a .500 season, no one should be surprised to see the last at-large bid, one who got in because St. Lawrence dropped out, end the season as the last team standing.

Why the Fighting Irish will lose would have lost in round 1: For all the big wins, Notre Dame should be able to celebrate several more. ND is a paltry 9-5-1 this season when scoring the first goal. That total includes losing an early 2-0 lead against Penn State in the Big Ten conference tournament quarterfinal, the last game Notre Dame played before this weekend. 

While this year's Notre Dame team keeps Jeff Jackson's defensive mantra, it's been a different group after three seasons of Cale Morris in net. Dylan St. Cyr is making the most of his time being the Fighting Irish goaltender, holding down a .921% save percentage in 22 games played and 3 shutouts. St. Cyr has been able to steal a game or two when needed, but it's a big difference than having the stability of Morris going against Boston College. 

Chip on their shoulder rankings: 4. No team is playing with house money quite like Notre Dame after the way the Fighting Irish entered the NCAA Tournament. Still, the team can find some chips on their shoulder based on the number of people who had the Big Ten pegged at three teams or didn't consider Notre Dame's resume for the bubble teams. (Update: It's now a 10 for next season.)

Three Players To Watch: #16 F- Alex Steeves (undrafted), #24 D- Spencer Stastney (NSH), #19 F- Landon Slaggert (CHI)

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Bracketology Postmortem: Answering The 2021 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament's Biggest Questions

The bracket is out and it is time for a little bracketology postmortem.

Here's the actual bracket:

Fargo:
1. North Dakota vs. 4. AIC
2. Michigan vs. 3. Minnesota Duluth

Albany:
1. Boston College vs. 4. Notre Dame
2. St. Cloud State vs. 3. Boston University

Loveland:
1. Minnesota vs. 4. Omaha
2. Minnesota State vs. 3. Quinnipiac

Bridgeport:
1. Wisconsin vs. 4. Bemidji State
2. Massachusetts vs. 3. Lake Superior State

All in all, I am happy with my results considering the circumstances. Taking out St. Lawrence, who sadly announced after posting the final bracket that it would not be appearing in the NCAA Tournament due to a positive Covid case (always a possibility this year), means 14 of the 15 teams appearing on my list made the NCAA Tournament. It would be 15 of 16 taking out St. Lawrence, as my first team out was Bemidji State and I had the Beavers replacing the Saints. The committee did have BSU higher than me, meaning it was an easy call to include Bemidji State and have all five Minnesota men's hockey D1 schools in for the first time in history.

Omaha was in fact the fourth NCHC team. Michigan was in fact the highest of the third teams, earning the last No. 2 seed. Michigan-UMD in Fargo will be happening, and Boston College did end up in Albany instead of Bridgeport due to crowds being allowed in the former. Quinnipiac got in as a No. 3 seed, even before jumping up and taking the ECAC automatic bid. Several other ideas happened, just with different teams.

The only miss was Notre Dame getting in as the fourth Big Ten team instead of the fourth Hockey East team. While I had UMass Lowell getting in over Providence, the selection committee had PC ahead (the Friars are an alternate if any other team withdraws before Monday night) and went with the "neither" option. That was a miss. I was also more positive on the Fighting Irish's chances than most and am not surprised to see ND get in, but at the end of the day, I can't claim to have Notre Dame in my field.

There were also subjective misses in seeding. And I did not expect so much travel or an 11/5 West-East split from the selection committee based on what the committee had been saying pre-tournament.

So let's get into answering the questions. Mike Kemp, the NCAA Tournament selection committee chair, spoke to several outlets and cleared up some of the subjective criteria the committee used to decide the final at-large bids and seeding. You can check that out at both College Hockey News and USCHO.

1. Omaha, Denver, or both?

It was in fact Omaha. The Mavericks' record and performance were enough to get in over Denver having the better head-to-head record and a better resume than its record indicates. Looking at how the bracket turned out, the option for both and five NCHC teams was not a popular one.

2. Bemidji State, Bowling Green, both, or neither?

The Beavers get the nod over Bowling Green. According to Kemp, Bemidji State's better record against Minnesota State and Lake Superior State put the Beavers ahead of the Falcons. BGSU had a slightly better RPI and wins over Quinnipiac, which in a non-subjective year helps its case, but not this time around. That made all the difference in the world. In the end, a third WCHA team this season was ahead of the fourth team in other conferences, but a fourth was below the other conference's fourth team. Bemidji State is slated as the best of the "final three" at-large bids without Quinnipiac.

Credit where it's due to the WCHA fans and writers that correctly had the case for a third WCHA team - something the league has not had since realignment - being stronger than it appeared. I had it lower.

3. Providence, UMass Lowell, UConn, or how does the East/West split go?

So it turns out the answer was "Neither." UMass Lowell was playing for, in hindsight, either Omaha or Boston University's spot with the Hockey East automatic bid. Despite the RiverHawks reaching the conference tournament championship game and losing 1-0, the committee kept Providence as the fourth HE team. However, the Friars' record and other factors that will be discussed later kept PC behind other conferences.

11 Western teams versus 5 Eastern teams is a win for western politicking. Perception has the west as the better side of the country this season, however, perception does not always equal reality. Pre-St. Lawrence news, the split was 10/6 West-East, which is on the high side yet makes more sense than 11/5. When given the chance to replace one eastern team with another, the selection committee chose a western team in Notre Dame. All three of the final at-large spots were western teams.

As much as the final at-large spots are tough decisions, I figured politicking would make the East/West split closer.

4. Can a second team from a conference get a No. 1 seed? Does Minnesota State's loss to Northern Michigan knock the Mavericks out of the top four?

Yes and yes.

This section features several compromises and shows how small decisions change the bracket. The committee was open to ranking a second team from the same conference as a No. 1 seed, as Wisconsin earned the fourth No. 1 seed alongside Big Ten conference mate Minnesota.

Not only that but Massachusetts, the second Hockey East team, was ahead of the top WCHA team, Minnesota State. The Mavericks ended up sixth and head to No. 3 overall seed Minnesota's region, Loveland. If the compromise is a lower top overall seed for Minnesota State and three WCHA teams in the NCAA Tournament overall, it's a good one for the league. The Big Ten gets two No. 1 seeds of the four but the two hardest paths to the Frozen Four.

I also like how the decision of whether Wisconsin or Massachusetts should earn the last No. 1 seed ends up with both teams in the same region. That was something I also had in my bracket (albeit Minnesota State and Wisconsin) and think it's important in this subjective year. 

In addition to the two Big Ten teams, North Dakota was named the No. 1 overall seed while Boston College is No. 2 overall. BC being ahead of Minnesota is something I did not have yet completely understand based upon the entire season of work. It was a close call. Either option can be justified while not changing the locale of the two (thanks to Denver being out).

5. Does the committee go with bracket integrity or try and limit travel as much as possible?

Integrity by a landslide.

There were absolutely no attempts to limit travel and flights in a global pandemic. 11 of 16 teams will be flying, including three into Bridgeport. Quinnipiac is playing in Loveland while Lake Superior State goes to Bridgeport, Bemidji State is Bridgeport and AIC in Fargo, and Michigan heads to Fargo while Minnesota State goes to Loveland. 

If travel was truly an issue, the number of flights could be cut down by 2-6 while staying in the seeding bands. With North Dakota being the No. 1 overall seed and placed where it would be regardless, and knowing how the rest of the No. 1 seeds are ranked, it's pretty safe to say that the bracket is a straight 1-16, 2-15, etc. ranking. Kemp insinuated as much on the USCHO podcast.

(Obviously, a different selection committee, but I'm going to remember this choice the next time Minnesota/Wisconsin/Minnesota Duluth all have to play one another in the NCAA Women's Hockey Tournament to save a flight or two. Those years where it was a #2 vs. #5 overall look 100x worse now.)

6. How does the committee sort out Michigan/Boston University/Minnesota Duluth?

Michigan, Minnesota Duluth, Boston University in that order. 

Selfishly, I am a fan of Michigan and Minnesota Duluth playing one another on the ten-year tournament anniversary of the two meeting for the 2011 NCAA national championship.

7. How badly does Quinnipiac's loss to St. Lawrence hurt the Bobcats? Does it cost QU an at-large bid?

Turns out the committee kept Quinnipiac in the above tier, or just outside, as the Bobcats were slotted right below Boston University.

8. Who gets the last at-large bid?

Notre Dame. Well, Omaha first. Then Notre Dame.

St. Lawrence dropping out slotted in the Fighting Irish, which should be something to watch out for in a tournament filled with enough party where the final at-large bid has won three of the last seven NCAA Tournaments. (Only slightly joking: Road Notre Dame is a tough out.)

The Fighting Irish, and Omaha and Bemidji State before that, were beneficiaries of the committee putting record against teams in the NCAA Tournament ahead of other factors. Notre Dame was 4-7-1 against the other three Big Ten NCAA Tournament teams. Bemidji State was 4-5-2. Omaha, meanwhile, had a 3-6-1 record against the top-three NCHC teams compared to Denver's 2-9-0 record.

Providence had a 1-5-2 record against the three Hockey East NCAA Tournament teams (and the one win came against BU), which dropped the Friars below the "in" crowd.

So what did we learn?

We learned quite a few things.

We learned that the selection committee values wins against top teams more than the Pairwise. There used to be a "Teams Under Consideration" component that played a role in ranking, but it has not appeared in recent years.

We learned limiting travel is overrated.

We learned the WCHA can get in three teams just in time for the CCHA. We learned Hockey East can in three teams just in time for the ECAC to get back all its teams.

We learned the Hockey Gods have a sense of humor with Minnesota Duluth-Michigan, Minnesota State-Quinnipiac, and Boston College-Notre Dame.

We learned gifting teams by part of the country was not something the selection committee wanted to do. When tasked with comparing one another, the region did not matter.

We learned that for all the fears of the Big Ten being such a powerful conference and taking over the sport, it was a big surprise to see the league get everything to go its way. Two of four No. 1 seeds, the last No. 2 seed, and a fourth team for the first time over the fourth team from other conferences. The selection committee certainly thought highly of the Big Ten this season.

And we learned that, while flawed at times, the Pairwise rankings and knowing the criteria in advance are things the college hockey world needs. Maybe with some changes taking the good from this year to improve the flaws, however, it wasn't the worst thing to have a one-year break to better appreciate what we already have.

Thank you everyone for following along with bracketology this year.

Related: 

2021 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament Final Bracket Projections

2021 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament Bracket Version 4.0

2021 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament Bracket Version 3.0

2021 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament Bracket Version 2.5

2021 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament Bracket Version 2.0

2021 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament Bracket Version 1.0

Bracketology 101: Five More Selection Questions + NCAA Tournament Locks & Bubble Teams

Bracketology 101: How Many Teams From Each Conference Make The Men's NCAA Hockey Tournament?

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Bracketology: Why Your Team Deserves To Make The 2021 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament (Or Not)

For the first time in a generation, NCAA hockey teams need to showcase their body of work and sell accomplishments to the selection committee. 

It's new. It's different. College hockey coaches on the NCAA Tournament bubble have stopped being polite and started using postgame pressers to stump for why their team is worthy and their opponents should be sitting at home eating popcorn and watching TV. 

And honestly? Not every team knows how to do it.

Take this attempt by Bowling Green, one of several WCHA teams fighting for 1-2 NCAA Tournament spots.

𝙉𝘾𝘼𝘼 𝙏𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙚

🏒Bowling Green rosters four of the nation's top-12 active scorers and are the only team in the country with four 100-point scorers (Kruse, 142 - Johnson, 122 - Ford, 114 - Wright, 101)! #AyZiggy pic.twitter.com/9kM9KZEjEj

— Bowling Green Hockey (@BGFalconHockey) March 17, 2021

Active scorers? The NCAA Tournament does not constitute a lifetime achievement award. This isn't the Hobey Baker. 

C'mon Bowling Green, lead with the fact the Falcons beat Quinnipiac twice at Quinnipiac! Lead with the 20 wins, or the 10-4-1 road record, or the sweep over Michigan Tech, or the 3.48 goals per game and +10.03 shot differential that is second in the WCHA behind Minnesota State! Don't bring up active scorers. It helps BGSU as much as bringing up the 6-8-1 finish, first-round series loss to Northern Michigan, and losses to nearly every WCHA team in the hunt. You need to sell yourself, Bowling Green. NCAA Tournament bids are not just handed out!

As a public service, I am going to help 14 other teams on the NCAA Tournament bubble with their resumes. Unlike the rest of these programs, I come with plenty of experience writing resumes. #HireNate

In alphabetical order:

Army: 

Point out: Atlantic Hockey has won three straight first-round series. In a year where there are few true non-conference games and a limited ECAC, why shouldn't Atlantic Hockey get a second bid? The league has proven itself in the NCAA Tournament. The Black Knights are 15-5-0 this season, a better win/loss record than many on the bubble, and help shore up the East-West split if the team beats Canisius and proves it is the second-best AHA team. (This blueprint can also be used for Canisius if the Golden Griffins beat Army Friday.)

Avoid: Discussing the 1-3 record against AIC, who hasn't played since January, or the loss to a first-year LIU. The Sharks did not exist this time last year. Maybe the committee does not know about Long Island in the way the Hobey committee (but not Toronto fans) do not about Colin Bilek.

Bemidji State:

Point out: Of all the WCHA teams fighting behind Minnesota State for a spot, Bemidji State has the best record. Of the Mavericks' three losses, two came against Bemidji, who also went 3-1-0 against Bowling Green. The win total is not boosted by Division III wins or four games against Ferris State and Alabama Huntsville. It is a legit WCHA strength of schedule. Maybe sweeten with Zach Driscoll's performance in the net or the fact that the state of Minnesota has never gotten all five schools in the men's NCAA hockey tournament.

Avoid: Being swept by Northern Michigan, or losing two of three in March to Lake Superior State if the Lakers go on to win Friday in the WCHA Conference Tournament semifinal. Or that one of those Minnesota State wins saw the Beavers outshot 36-10 and score 4 goals on 10 shots against not Dryden McKay.

Boston University: 

Point out: How the Terriers' lack of experience is not a detriment. Boston University only played 15 games this season and was without key players for several. Finishing 10-4-1 with wins over UMass and Boston College helps immensely. Plus with that record and results, which also includes a sweep of Providence, who else out East deserves a spot over Boston University? Hockey East is not getting only two teams.

Avoid: Discussing the Hockey East tournament loss to UMass-Lowell. Even though rival BC also lost, it's not a good look. Nor is the -7.47 shots on goal margin per game (43rd of 51 teams). BU has won yet those wins come at the expense of a possession stat that sees the Terriers surrounded by bottom feeders.

Connecticut:

Point Out: The better Hockey East record and wins in regulations. All 10 victories came in regulations. The Huskies have a 0-3-2 record in overtime and a 1-1-1 record against Boston College. Against Providence in the regular season, Connecticut went 2-1-0. Maybe also bring up the season Jonny Evans is having since it flew a little under the radar.

Avoid: Saying anything about the 6-1 Hockey East quarterfinal loss to Providence, who is in position with the Huskies to take a fourth Hockey East bid. Or how it dropped UConn below .500 this season while UMass Lowell sits above .500 even with a loss in the Hockey East championship game. 

Denver:

Point out: Head-to-head matchups. If the NCHC deserves four teams, and the argument comes down between Denver and Omaha for that fourth spot, well the Pioneers went 3-2-0 against Omaha. DU also won at the most important time, playing with 16 skaters in the NCHC Conference Tournament. Add two wins over North Dakota and no one being quite sure how overtime losses work - Denver is 0-3-1 with the extra period - and DU can punch above its weight to try and extend the nation's longest NCAA Tournament streak. It would not be the first time someone gets a job without the qualifications.

Avoid: Bringing up the full sub-.500 record or the bad with the good. Say nothing about how the two North Dakota wins can be contrasted with losses to the two worst NCHC teams, Colorado College and Miami. Same with the 0-4-0 record against Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State. A lot of teams just missing the NCAA Tournament in a normal year look to be among the top-16 best teams while ending up on the outside, a bad loss or two away from being a No. 3 seed. That is exactly where Denver sits, but this is a year where Pairwise does not make the math rules.

Lake Superior State:

Point out: Play down the stretch. The Lakers are 11-1-0 in its last 12 games. While that is technically not a part of the criteria, the subjective human element seems to be a fan of how teams leave last impressions. Not only that, but the Lakers can avenge the one loss by defeating Bemidji State in the WCHA semifinals. Doing so might be enough to end one of the longest NCAA Tournament droughts, as Lake Superior State has not been in since 1996 when Jeff Jackson still coached.

Avoid: Discussing how the 17-6-3 record looks better on paper than in reality. Two of those wins come against Division III Adrian. Four came against Alabama Huntsville and three more were against Northern Michigan. The Lakers did not play Minnesota State on the road and went 1-2-1 against Bemidji State. LSSU did play well against Bowling Green, but so did several other teams. Not that Lake Superior State needs someone to tell the Lakers, but avoiding a loss Friday would help the resume stand out big time.

Massachusetts Lowell:

Point out: How things are coming up Milhouse for the RiverHawks. The new skill of upsetting Hockey East teams named Boston (University and College) when it matters makes UMass Lowell an at-large spoiler for a potential fourth Hockey East bid. One more win over Massachusetts and it's a guarantee. If last impressions make a difference, playing while Providence and Connecticut sit at home make a final statement.

Avoid: Making comparisons. No matter what happens Saturday night, UMass Lowell finishes above .500, doing so with a lineup without a double-digit goal scorer, and in a time where the options for Eastern teams are limited. If the RiverHawks lose, there are plenty of comparisons that put Providence ahead of UMass Lowell for a fourth Hockey East spot. Asking for a fifth might be a bridge too far for the RiverHawks.

Northern Michigan: 

Point Out: Multiple wins against Bowling Green, Bemidji State, and a win over Lake Superior State. Sing the praises of that 2021 WCHA conference tournament semifinalist appearance (at worst) in the "accomplishments" section.

Avoid: Losing? Honestly, the Wildcats sit in a spot where the team needs an automatic bid to get in the NCAA Tournament. Losing to either Minnesota State or the Bemidji State/Lake Superior State winner does very little to help those options. 11-17-1 will not put Northern Michigan in an at-large bid 

Notre Dame:

Point out: It's been a good year for the Big Ten and the Fighting Irish, with a 14-13-2 record, end the season with a good record. Notre Dame swept Minnesota and Michigan on the road. None of the wins in OT while several losses did. If finishing strong matters, Jeff Jackson's current team ended the year 4-1-1 with dominating wins. If location matters when deciding whether a fourth Big Ten team makes sense in an NCAA Tournament searching for eastern teams, Indiana is further east than Nebraska or Colorado.

Avoid: Bringing up why there is a mid-March gap in accomplishments, or why there is a gap in accomplishments at home. Minnesota ended up with as many wins (5) in Compton Family Ice Arena this season as Notre Dame. Luckily, there is no regional in South Bend. The 9-2-1 road record helps, however, an extra home win or two would make an easier argument for a fourth Big Ten team.

Omaha:

Point out: The record. The Mavericks sit above .500 and have a better record (14-10-1) than Denver and several teams on the bubble. Perception matters and it helps UNO. Outside of an early 1-0 loss to Miami, Omaha has a consistent season with only the one bad loss, going 6-0-0 against Colorado College. The Mavericks also took two wins against North Dakota, going 2-4-0 in six games against the Fighting Hawks. UNO also has a higher goal margin than DU. Many of the arguments for the Mavericks are also the same ones that the women's hockey committee saw in Minnesota Duluth's favor. Maybe bring that up?

Avoid: The record. The math is closer than it seems because four of the wins came in overtime (compared to zero OT losses), leaving Omaha with 10 regulation wins. Denver, as mentioned previously, has the better head-to-head record with the Mavericks. Conference tournaments continue to be a thorn in the Mavericks' side, as an NCAA Tournament bid would be the fourth for Omaha since its last conference semifinal appearance two conferences ago. Two players on this year's Omaha team were not even born when the streak began (s/t Chris Dilks for this tidbit).

Penn State:

Point out: The Big Ten conference tournament results like this week is the only thing that matters. Hammer that home. Say nothing else. Just point out that and how the Nittany Lions beat Wisconsin the time before losing in OT. That Notre Dame win showed Penn State can play when healthy and not missing a month of play. If you guilt the committee about 2020 and say the Big Ten deserves four teams, and that the Nittany Lions are the fourth-best, maybe it will work? Stranger things have happened.

Avoid: Mentioning the 0-5 start, being swept by a combined 12-3 score to Notre Dame the week prior to the Big Ten conference tournament, the sub-.500 record, the fifth-place finish, the six regulation victories, and...at this point I've said too much. Brevity is key.

Providence:

Point out: How head-to-head put the Friars ahead. Against UMass Lowell, Providence won the only game. That helps when the two teams are competing for what might be one at-large bid. PC would also have a better record and zero OT wins compared to the RiverHawks. Against UConn, the Friars split the series, but took the all-important Hockey East conference tournament game and finished with the better record. While it does not need to be pointed out, PC has made its brand on finding ways in the NCAA Hockey Tournament.

Avoid: Bringing up weaknesses like bad losses. Math and RPI only care whether a win or loss occurs, but a human selection committee might look at 9-0 and 8-1 losses to BC and UMass, respectively and ask a few extra questions. At the same time, it would help if Massachusetts wins the Hockey East championship after defeating PC in the semifinals. Not much the Friars can do there besides pray and hope an at-large spot remains for Providence. It's just best to avoid. 

Quinnipiac: 

Point out: Of the remaining ECAC teams, Quinnipiac is by far the most deserving to make the NCAA Tournament. Even without an automatic bid. QU's 17-6-4  record stands out in most conferences. Leaving the Bobcats out if St. Lawrence wins pushes the boundaries of how many Eastern teams can make the 16-team NCAA Tournament.

Avoid: Mentioning that Bowling Green sweep. Yes, it keeps coming up, but the Bobcats are one of the few teams who played a true non-conference schedule, which includes a two-game sweep over three-loss AIC. Normally, that would be a good thing. This year? Take the gift and discuss the ECAC.

St. Lawrence:

Point out: A top-two ECAC conference tournament finish for future generations. The ECAC automatic bid if the Saints defeat Quinnipiac for its fifth win of the season. 

Avoid: Failing to win the ECAC automatic bid. Yes, it's a weird year. No, it's not that weird.

Related: 

2021 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament Bracket 3.0

Bracketology 101: Five More Selection Questions + NCAA Tournament Locks & Bubble Teams

Bracketology 101: How Many Teams From Each Conference Make The Men's NCAA Hockey Tournament?

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College Hockey is Back (or) A Sense of Normalcy

At 7:08 pm ET Friday, roughly three hours after Alaska Anchorage announced it would not compete, Notre Dame's Jake Pivonka won the opening faceoff of the 2020-21 season.

College hockey was back after 250 days away.

It's fitting Notre Dame, one of the final teams to play in a pandemic-shortened season, and opponent Wisconsin were first with the puck. Facing the Badgers, Compton Family Ice Arena had two of the rare teams who saw their seasons end on the ice.

Each had some sense of normalcy finishing their season days before the Ivy League decided to cancel the rest of theirs, followed by several others and eventually the NCAA. Both got some afterward.

And for two hours inside a 200x90 feet ice sheet, watching the Fighting Irish and Wisconsin face off on national television actually felt normal. A pair of new starting goalies. The return of Cole Caufield. A talented Badgers team trying to end years of underperforming against a perennially disciplined Notre Dame.

November aside, for two hours the Fighting Irish and Wisconsin were figuring out what works without a preseason. The offenses were not quite up to speed, but the Badgers, wearing a "21" patch to honor the late Rob Andringa, were able to pull off a five forward power play unit. Both goaltenders made some solid saves.

At 9:12 pm ET, the game ended. Any sense of normalcy went away with it. If anything, it only existed inside the boards at Compton Family Ice Arena.

Watching on NBCSN, there was nothing normal seeing Tony Granato and Jeff Jackson wearing masks, or being without a band and thousands of fans in South Bend. Same goes with what players needed to do to get to this point. Months of not skating. Individual workouts. Small practices. 

Paused workouts, as was the case for Wisconsin in September due to COVID-19 issues on campus. 

So it was no surprise the day of college hockey's first game was also college hockey's first postponed game. Long Island University's first in program history was moved after an outbreak at opponent Army. The same day where normalcy was celebrated also saw Alaska Anchorage announce it was joining seven other schools in not playing this season, essentially ending the Seawolves program.

Balancing the two is difficult but needed this season. The story of college hockey in 2020-21 will be the crazy and unpredictable. It's impossible to talk about a game without talking about the games not being played.

(Sometimes the crazy and unpredictable also happens on the ice, such as a day later when Michigan and Arizona State kicked off eight months of rust with a first-year showcase for the Wolverines rookies.)

Eight months and 250+ days later not much has changed from March. COVID cases are going up again.  Most teams continue to figure out their seasons being played, going on wondering how many opportunities will end on the ice. 

Once again, the Ivy League canceled its season before several others joined. RIT and RPI threw in the towel. (As of this writing, the ECAC has five teams playing.) Vermont is pausing winter sports prior to Hockey East opening play, as is the St. Cloud State women's hockey team after a number of positive cases. The third Monday in November canceled the Beanpot.

Games were played this weekend, but seasons were also canceled. That's the sense of normalcy which exists at the moment.

A prevailing thought back in March which sticks with me today is that if it feels like we overreacted to the pandemic, then it's a sign we did things right. 

Eight months later it does not come close. Even worse, the Ivy League making the same decision in November as March cannot be seen in any context as an overreaction. The time for it has long passed. 

As nice as it is to spend two hours feeling normal watching college hockey back, and writing about college hockey, it will be a different season. When the only sense of normalcy happens on a sheet of ice with months of precautions and leadups, that can no longer be considered the normal thing.

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College Hockey Stock Report: November 11, 2019

Sometimes the best-laid plans do not work out.

Before the season began, the entire WCHA women's league scheduled itself to be idle this weekend. The idea was that since many teams would be missing players for the Four Nations Cup,

Turns out, no team was missing players for the Four Nations Cup. The annual tournament ended up canceled by host Sweden after its national team declared its intentions to boycott as part of an ongoing dispute over equal pay and conditions. Instead, only a few players are in Pittsburgh playing in a USA-Canada rivalry series with most of them being on teams playing.

Another team with changing plans was Denver, whose 44-0-0 dream came to an end in Duluth. Kobe Roth and Noah Cates erased a 3-1 third period deficit Friday in a battle of NCHC contenders before the Bulldogs became the other one in Denver's 8-1-1 record.

Each weekend sees ups and downs as players and teams adjust to new situations. That's the fun and joy of the sport and one that bodes well for a handful of new trends on a weekend where not everything went to plan.

As always, here's what is going on throughout the college hockey landscape. This week's stock report recaps who is doing well, who is on their way down, and what trends should be followed.

College Hockey Stock Report: October 28, 2019

It's hard to believe October is already nearly over! At this rate, the season will fly by. Heck, even the Ivies finally started to play! (Well, the women's teams did. The men still wait until next weekend.) October ending means the start of full conference play is around the corner, as teams begin to discover their identities and contenders start to emerge.

As always, here's what is going on throughout the college hockey landscape. This week's stock report recaps who is doing well, who is on their way down, and what trends should be followed.

Photo credit: Ohio State Hockey

Up: Being Able To Read Ohio State's Numbers

For a second consecutive year, Ohio State unveiled black sweaters against Minnesota. For a second consecutive year, Ohio State wore the black sweaters in both October games.

And for the first time, I can read the numbers on Ohio State's black sweaters.

After last year's illegal uniforms (link), the Buckeyes made sure version 2 can be read. Ohio State can continue to want to be Darth Vader (Link) and pull off continuing to give Minnesota fits on and off the ice. (The Gophers also wore gold third sweaters in Friday's game, which saw OSU defeat the previously undefeated Gophers.) At this point, I wouldn't expect anything other than these every time Ohio State faces Minnesota.

After all, it's working.

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Notre Dame

Notre Dame

2018-19 Record: 23-14-3 (11-11-2, 2nd in Big Ten)
Head Coach: Jeff Jackson, 15th Year
Top returning scorer: Cal Burke (12G-18A)
Top returning goaltender: Cale Morris (Sr.)

Only Cale Morris can make a .930% save percentage seem like an off-year.

The Fighting Irish goaltender regressed slightly to the mean after his Mike Richter Award-winning 2017-18 season (AKA the one where it became apparent no goaltender will ever win the Hobey). So did Notre Dame, going from the national championship game to losing in the NCAA regional championship.

If it's difficult to go two steps in college football circles without discussing Notre Dame, you almost need to be in South Bend or an undersized walk-on football player to hear the Fighting Irish's recent run of success discussed. Back-to-back Frozen Fours were followed up by Notre Dame winning its second straight Big Ten conference tournament title.

However, Jeff Jackson's biggest under-the-radar win would be getting back Morris for his senior season. He's not alone. Cam Morrison also returns instead of signing with Colorado.

What's New: A home-and-home series with Boston College. Really.

Notre Dame and Boston College plan on attending each other's rinks on the weekend of December 6-8. That despite being separated by four states and 900 miles. It makes the home-and-home series with Bowling Green the week before seem almost like a trip down I-80 to grab some sugar and Waffle House. The Fighting Irish also play a home-and-home series with Western Michigan, but not Michigan as has been the case in recent years.

Incoming freshman forward Trevor Janicke was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the fifth round of June's NHL Draft. The Maple Grove native is one of two first-year Minnesotans on the Notre Dame roster (Medina's Ryan Bischel), continuing the state's pipeline straight out to Compton Family Ice Arena. Among the eight first-year players are five forwards, two D and Bischel in goal.

Besides several seniors like Dylan Malmquist finally graduating, the Fighting Irish suffered one early departure. Defender Andrew Peeke signed with Columbus following his junior season.

Closing Thoughts: At this point, the rest of the Big Ten knows what to expect from Notre Dame. It'd be kind to say the Fighting Irish is not the most flashy team, but that's exactly how the gold-helmeted group finds success. The team plays a suffocating system and one that keeps shutting down an offensive-friendly conference. (Other than the 9-1 loss at Penn State.) It's no surprise to see Jeff Jackson's team lead the conference in goals against per game (2.27) or have the second-best PK (81.9%).

Notre Dame loses its top defensive pair in Bobby Nardella and Peeke, however, everyone else on the blue line comes back. For all the defensive talk, I'm intrigued whether another underclassman takes off like Colin Thiessen and Michael Graham did the past two seasons. Graham, who led all Big Ten freshmen in goals, was a force in the second half with 11 of his 12 goals happening after mid-January.

Adding them, along with Morrison and Cal Burke to the returning goaltender and defensive core quietly keeps Notre Dame in the Big Ten and national conversation. That's the way to expect a team backed by Morris. Nothing gets past the now-senior.

As another school mentioned frequently, #HockeyNeedsMoreCale. Notre Dame agrees wholeheartedly and, for for a final year, happily (re)takes up the mantle.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
AIC
St. Cloud State
Minnesota State
Clarkson
Every Team So Far

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NHL Draft 2019: The Rest of The Big Ten and Upper Midwest

Friday's first round was a big night for the Big Ten.

Five of the nine players with college ties selected in the 2019 NHL Draft's first round will be attending Big Ten programs this fall. That total includes two players apiece from the University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin, which had the highest drafted player in forward Alex Turcotte, chosen 5th overall by the Los Angeles Kings.

Overall, 19 players at or heading to Big Ten schools were drafted this weekend as all seven programs had at least one player hear their name called.

Additionally, 11 players either attending Upper Midwest schools or from Minnesota and attending schools outside the region were drafted this weekend.

All can be found below. For a summary of the University of Minnesota's NHL Draft weekend, click here.

BLOG: Analyzing the Big Ten's 2019-20 Non-Conference Schedule

Wednesday (June 5, 2019) saw most of the Big Ten teams announcing full 2019-20 schedules.

I already wrote some thoughts on Minnesota's schedule, but one that continues to stick is the Gopher non-conference schedule. From a name value and competition standpoint, Minnesota's foes outside the Big Ten hit on both. The Gophers will be tested.

So with the idea that, on (digital) paper, Minnesota's non-conference schedule should be tough, I wanted to see how it compared to the rest of the conference.

Turns out, of the six Big Ten schools who ended up releasing full schedules, Minnesota faces the toughest set of teams based on last year's Pairwise. That makes sense. The Gophers play two of the top three overall teams and are the only school who released a schedule to not play a team finishing in the bottom-10.

Minnesota's schedule also falls in line with other Big Ten trends, however. The Gophers scheduled nearby schools and old foes. There's little traveling - several schools only take one trip outside its home state - and a slant towards home games in the home/road split.

Each Big Ten non-conference schedule can be found below:

Column: The Year That Was 2018

A quiet Xcel Energy Center post-UMD's
Frozen Four championship in April 2018
(Photo: Nathan Wells)

Another year has come and gone in men’s college hockey. At least, calendar-wise.

December 31st ends up being a strange time to reflect over the past 365 days. Where it’s easy to turn the page to new on January 1st for most aspects of life, when it comes to college hockey, late December marks a midway point through another season. It makes sense to stop and take stock yet doing so for two halves of two different seasons? That can be tricker.

Still, as we try to make sense of the year that was 2018, several lessons seem to arise.

Podcast: That Gopher Hockey Puckcast Episode 28

On episode 28 of That Gopher Hockey Puckcast, the 2017-18 season comes to an end.

This week, Nate Wells, Drew Cove and producer Tom Schreier discuss the men's Frozen Four fallout that saw Minnesota Duluth win the 2018 national championship over Notre Dame. The three look at the event in St. Paul, what Minnesota can learn from UMD's run to a second national championship and Nate gives his two big takeaways of the weekend.

Also discussed are Gophers in the NHL playoffs, new coach Bob Motzko's past success getting the most out of recruits and offseason podcast plans. Plus: Which Gopher do they think starts a club bass fishing team?

Those who think age is just a number can directly download here.



As a reminder, if you subscribed to our old podcast, that feed will no longer work. You need to subscribe to the 'Cast In Gold feed wherever you listen to podcasts. Here it is on iTunes. While you're at it, please leave a review and give us five stars. It helps out the podcast.

Plugs and stuff

-Drew can be found on Twitter @covedrew and covers Minnesota men's hockey, softball and football for the Minnesota Daily.

-Nate can be found here on this website and at The Athletic (as well as every other website if the various links here don't make clear). You can follow him on Twitter @gopherstate and like/subscribe to his Facebook page. His latest feature is on 2018 Humanitarian Award winner Sidney Peters.

Radio: This Week in College Hockey with Zig Fracassi (February 26, 2018)

I appeared as a guest on "This Week in College Hockey" on Sirius XM's ESPNU Radio channel. Host Zig Fracassi and I discussed Ryan Lindgren, who went from Boston to New York as part of the Rick Nash trade, as a prospect, Minnesota's season, covering a game at Penn State, how the Big Ten looks entering the playoffs and Notre Dame's season.

A subscription is required, but you can find it here - https://www.siriusxm.com/espnuradio

Podcast: That Gopher Hockey Puckcast Episode 17

On Episode 17, Drew Cove hobnobs with celebrities while the Gophers add another resume-building win (and loss).

Two artists putting in work: Drew Cove and JB Smooth pic.twitter.com/DaVPYrdbf8

— Jack White (@JackWhiteMN) January 30, 2018

Drew comes back from covering Super Bowl Opening Night and running into JB Smoove to tell Nate Wells and producer Tom Schreier about the experience. The group also discuss the Minnesota series they covered - the Gophers splitting against then-No. 1 Notre Dame - and all the fallout. Casey Mittelstadt's OT winner, Mat Robson in goal both games, the Gophers matching Notre Dame one night before the Fighting Irish took over Saturday and another weekend with a lack of scoring all get discussed. Plus: Can a 0-0 game going into overtime be entertaining?

In addition, they answer a couple questions on the correct way for college hockey to end overtime and how many Big Ten teams will make the NCAA Tournament. Thanks Pat Micheletti!

Those too young to watch Donovan McNabb mix up NFL rules on ties can directly download here.



As a reminder, if you subscribed to our old podcast, that feed will no longer work. You need to subscribe to the 'Cast In Gold feed wherever you listen to podcasts. Here it is on iTunes. While you're at it, please leave a review and give us five stars. It helps out the podcast.

Plugs and stuff

-Drew can be found on Twitter @covedrew and covers Minnesota men's hockey and football for the Minnesota Daily. His Super Bowl story on Damarius Travis can be read here.

-Nate can be found here on this website and at The Athletic (as well as every other website if the various links here don't make clear). You can follow him on Twitter @gopherstate and like/subscribe to his Facebook page.

After another top-five win, Gopher hockey eyes a consistent formula for the season (The Athletic)

At his end of the ice, playing in a scoreless game that had gone into overtime, Mat Robson had one thing in mind.

“Make the next save,” he said.

Matching Notre Dame’s Cale Morris save for save, the Gopher goaltender did just that Friday. Robson stopped all 25 and was rewarded when Casey Mittelstadt, on a point of emphasis from the last time the two teams met, crashed the net and tapped in a Rem Pitlick rebound for a 1-0 victory over a No. 1 Fighting Irish team that swept the Gophers (and every other Big Ten team) earlier this season.

“Don’t give up the first one. You can’t think about losing or winning, you just have to make the next save and keep yourself composed,” said Robson, who for the first time this season started both games in a weekend.

When that doesn’t happen, as was the case in Saturday’s 4-1 loss to snap a three-game winning streak, it leaves Minnesota searching.

3M Arena at Mariucci has seen its share of highs and lows during the month of January. The Gophers have now twice shut out the then-No. 1 team in the nation. Sandwiched between was a 15-minute postgame players-only meeting at home, necessitated by a lifeless 3-1 defeat to Michigan.

Click here to read the rest (subscription required)!

Podcast: That Gopher Hockey Puckcast Episode 16

On a nearly two hour long episode 16 of That Gopher Hockey Puckcast I got sent to Grand Forks.

The "world famous" Nate Wells sits down with Drew Cove and producer Tom Schreier to tell the story of his delayed trip back from New York City, where the Gophers defeated Michigan State. They break down the highs and lows of the weekend before turning focus to Minnesota hosting #1 Notre Dame. Plus: We answer your questions, including our Hobey Baker candidates and crowd atmosphere at Mariucci over the last couple seasons.

Those counting the number of times we name drop Eric Vegoe can directly download here.





As a reminder, if you subscribed to our old podcast, that feed will no longer work. You need to subscribe to the 'Cast In Gold feed wherever you listen to podcasts. Here it is on iTunes. While you're at it, please leave a review and give us five stars. It helps out the podcast.

Plugs and stuff

-Drew can be found on Twitter @covedrew and covers Minnesota men's hockey and football for the Minnesota Daily.

-Nate can be found here on this website and at The Athletic (as well as every other website if the various links here don't make clear). You can follow him on Twitter @gopherstate and like/subscribe to his Facebook page.

Facebok Live: Discussing Minnesota hockey's split Saturday (1/27/18)

Once again from the Mariucci Arena pressbox I went on Facebook Live to discuss the day that was in Minnesota hockey. I touched on key points in the Gopher men falling 4-1 to #1 Notre Dame along with some takeaways in the Gopher women's 2-0 shutout win over Minnesota State.



Remember you can like/subscribe to my Facebook page here.

Game Story: Undisciplined play costs Gophers against No. 1 Notre Dame

MINNEAPOLIS- After a hard-fought win Friday, undisciplined play cost No. 13 Minnesota a chance to sweep the top-ranked Fighting Irish at 3M Arena at Mariucci.

The Gophers put Notre Dame on the power play six times and paid dearly. Entering Saturday having been shut out in back-to-back games following a 16-game winning streak, the Fighting Irish scored three power-play goals en route to a 4-1 win and series split.

“We took some undisciplined penalties tonight. Against a good quality team like that you can’t,” Minnesota head coach Don Lucia said. “We got down 2-rip and you’re chasing. Against them that’s not the team you want to chase the scoreboard against.

“(Notre Dame has) got the record they do for a reason so we’ll continue the learning process. It was important for us to get a win this weekend.”

Brannon McManus scored the home team’s lone goal late in the second period to get the Gophers within a goal. Skating down the ice on an odd-man rush with Rem Pitlick, he made a move around a defender and buried the puck past goaltender Cale Morris.

“Any time you can go in with any sort of momentum it’s obviously big,” McManus said about his team entering the third period. “They’re the number one team in the country and they don’t take losing easily. It showed tonight.”

Click here to read the rest!

Facebook Live: Notre Dame at Minnesota 1/27/18 Postgame

From the Mariucci Arena press box I went on Facebook Live to discuss Casey Mittelstadt's OT winning goal, Mat Robson's 25 save performance that matched Cale Morris, Minnesota's standing in the Big Ten and nationally, beating the #1 team in the nation for the second time this month and much more.

Game Story: Mittelstadt magic gives No. 13 Minnesota OT win over No. 1 Notre Dame (Zone Coverage)

MINNEAPOLIS- There was nothing pretty about the goal Casey Mittelstadt scored other than it giving Minnesota its second shutout victory over a No. 1 ranked team this month.

Known for his highlight-reel plays that are replayed on television and internet, the freshman forward made one for himself Friday. Mittelstadt, just as he imagined himself as a kid growing up in Eden Prairie, scored his first-ever collegiate overtime winning goal.

Mittelstadt crashed the net in front of Fighting Irish goaltender Cale Morris. Being at the right place, he tapped in a Rem Pitlick shot that Morris could not quite control and sent the 3M at Mariucci crowd into celebration 3:35 into OT in a 1-0 win.

“That’s a pretty special moment,” he said. “Being a Gopher is something that I’ve always dreamed of. Now that I’m actually here I get to make plays out here and wear the jersey and it’s pretty special.”

The victory gives No. 13 Minnesota (16-12-1, 7-9-1-1 Big Ten) a three-game winning streak and breathing room in the Pairwise rankings, which mimic the criteria used to select the NCAA Tournament field. The team also earned three much-needed points in the Big Ten conference standings. One point separates third and sixth place in the Big Ten with the Gophers, Wisconsin and Penn State all tied for fourth with 23 points.

Click here to read the rest!

Feature: Gopher hockey runs into hot goalie and a great team in South Bend (The Athletic)

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Solving Cale Morris and Notre Dame’s defense is easier said than done.

For most of its weekend series against the fourth-ranked Irish, Minnesota’s offense happily executed its game plan, sustaining pressure in the offensive end while the entire lineup put shots on goal.

Morris and company were up to the challenge, however, in a battle between the Big Ten’s best at Compton Family Ice Arena. He stopped 84 of 86 shots, not allowing an even-strength goal on the weekend, as then-No. 6 Minnesota lost 1-0 Friday and 5-2 Saturday, the difference between good and great on full display.

“It’s frustrating because we did some good things, and I’d say five of our six periods were pretty good,” Gophers head coach Don Lucia told The Athletic following Saturday’s defeat. “(Notre Dame)’s a good team. We didn’t do enough to give ourselves a chance to win.”

Click here to read the rest!*

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