NCAA 2009 Men’s Division I Frozen Four Championship

Tonight on ESPN, Miami (OH) and Boston University will play for the  NCAA 2009 Men Division I Frozen Four Championship at Verizon Center in Washington DC.  It is Boston University championship to lose, so I expect a good game from both teams.  How Boston University has played in their NCAA tournament games, I expect them to win tonight.  But, I will not count out Miami (OH).  They may play well enough to pull an upset tonight.

I will be blogging between periods and at the end of the game.  Come back later tonight for my thoughts on the game.

Update 11 April 19:43:

Well, after one period, Boston University leads Miami (OH) 1-0.   Boston University got their goal from Chris Connolly off a redirected shot.  It was a tough break for Miami (OH) as they were playing well up to that point.  For the rest of the first period, Boston University seem to control the game.  With a penalty time going over into the second period, Miami (OH) needs to kill the penalty and get back to what they were doing successfully in the first ten mintues of the first period.  Again, this is Boston University championship to lose.  Both young goalies are playing well. With the exception of the lone goal, this has been a even game.  Second period should be entertaining.

Update 11 April 20:40:

After two periods, it is tied at 1-1.  Miami (OH) was able to kill the penalty at the start of the second period, and got a hard hitting goal from Gary Steffes to tie it up.  Both teams were able to play their game in this period which was made it an entertaining period.  There were a lot of shots hitting the post and some great saves as well.  Should be an interesting third period.

Update 11 April 21:40:

Wow!  It was an interesting third period.  It is going to overtime tied at 3-3.  Miami (OH) seem to be played well for the first eighteen minutes of the period.  They were able to get another hard hitting goal by Tommy Wingels and a nifty goal off a turnover at the Boston U blue line by Trent Vogelhuber to give what appeared to be a solid lead at 3-1.  But, somehow Boston U overcame it all.  They pulled the goalie with over three minutes and was to score 2 goals with less than a minute to play by Zach Cohen and Nick Bonino.  It was unbelievable.  This is going to be tough one for either team to lose tonight.  But, Miami (OH) being 0 for 7 on the power play may become the difference.  Yet, the next goal wins.  So anyone can win it now.

Update 11 April 22:08:

Colby Cohen scored the winning goal with a deflected shot from the point.    Boston University seem to dominate the play but both sides had chances to win it. It was tough way to lose the game for Miami (OH).  Boston University is the NCAA Men’s Hockey Division I Champion.

Congrats to Boston University.

The three stars of the game:  Colby Cohen (Boston U), Nick Bonino (Boston U), Tommy Wingels (Miami)

Miami (OH) & Boston U. advance NCAA 2009 D1 Men’s Frozen Four

Well, I predicted that Miami (OH) and Boston University would advance to  NCAA 2009 Men Division I Frozen Four  this Saturday at Verizon Center in Washington DC.  Although I was only able to watch the first half of the Miami-Bemidji State game, all the scoring happened during a six minutes span in the second period which  gave Miami (OH)  the momentum to win the game.  The Boston-Vermont game was exciting.  After jumping to 2-0 in the first period, Vermont turn the game into a battle by tying the game at 2-2 and taking the leading several times in the final half of the game.  But, Boston U fought back to win it with over 5 minutes left in the game.  With the way the Boston U has been battling in all their games to the Frozen Four Final, so they have experience and ability to win the title this year.  But, Miami (OH) looks like they will Boston U yet another battle this Saturday.  Check out this stories for more details on the semi-finals:

ESPNU Wilson Leads BU past Vermont | Miami (OH) trumps Bemidji State

NCAA.com Miami (Ohio) Ends Bemidji State Run, Boston Holds Off Vermont

NHL.com On Campus: BU, Miami Advance

The schedule for the final game:

Saturday, April 11, 7 p.m. Eastern time, ESPN HD/ESPN360.com
National Championship

Miami (OH) vs. Boston University

The full bracket can also be found here.  Visit the official ESPN schedule.

Be sure to visit the official site of this year’s tournament.

NCAA 2009 Men’s Division I Frozen Four Weekend

The NCAA 2009 Men Division I Frozen Four weekend starts this Thursday at Verizon Center in Washington DC.

Here is the schedule:

Thursday, April 9, 5 and 8:30 p.m. Eastern time, ESPN2 HD/ESPN360.com
Game 1: Miami (OH) vs. Bemidji State
Game 2: Boston University vs. Vermont

Saturday, April 11, 7 p.m. Eastern time, ESPN HD/ESPN360.com
National Championship

The full bracket can also be found here.  Visit the ESPN schedule to watch your favorite team this weekend.

Be sure to visit the official site of this year’s tournament.

This weekend should be an exciting to watch.  Will the favorite, Boston U, win it or will there be a surprise champion this year?

I see a Miami (OH) and Boston University final on Saturday.  Who do you think will make to the Finals?

NCAA 2009 Men’s D1 Frozen Four Set

The NCAA 2009 Men Division I Frozen Four teams are set to met next week in Washington DC.

A lot of surprises this weekend.  I figured that one or two  top seeds were lose in the first round, but only one made it through, Boston University.  However, they did have problems in the regional final against New Hampshire.  It is their tournament to win.  They are definitely the favorites.  I thought Minnesota-Duluth would make it as well, but Miami (OH) proved to be playing well at the right time.  Vermont was a surprise out of the East region, but I believe that  Bemidji State is the biggest surprise of all the teams in the Frozen Four.  They will be a team to watch.

Here is the schedule:

Men’s Frozen Four, April 9 and 11
Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.

Thursday, April 9, 5 and 8:30 p.m. Eastern time, ESPN2 HD/ESPN360.com (order of games TBD)
Boston University vs. Vermont

Miami (OH) vs. Bemidji State

Saturday, April 11, 7 p.m. Eastern time, ESPN HD/ESPN360.com
National Championship

The full bracket can also be found here.  Visit the ESPN schedule to watch your favorite team this weekend.

Be sure to visit the official site of this year’s tournament.

This year’s tournament is proving to be an exciting event.

Boston College Wins NCAA Division I Frozen Four Championship

They finally did it. After two unsuccessfully consecutive attempts, Boston College won the 2008 NCAA Division I Frozen Four championship game defeating this year’s Cinderella team, Notre Dame, 4-1. ESPNU story here. Video review of the game here and analysis of the BC win here. NCAA Story here.

It was a great game.  At the start, it appeared that Notre Dame may control this game with the style they needed to play to win as the two teams battled to scoreless tie.  But everything changed in the second period when BC scored and entered the second intermission with a 3-1 lead.  The turning point of the game happened in the third period when Notre Dame’s apparent second goal of the game was disallowed for a kicking motion.   I saw this goal and had original thought that too, but after seeing the replays it appeared to be a failed attempt to kick in by the Notre Dame player.  But that was all for not as shortly later in the period, BC scored their fourth goal and sealed the game.

No doubt that Nathan Gerbe was the Most Outstanding Player of this tournament. His hat trick in the semi-final game against North Dakota and his two goals and two assists in the championship game propelled BC to their third championship.  His efforts in the tournament landed him the nation’s leading goal scorer and point leader for the 2007-2008 campaign.

Congratulations to BC!

Photo: Courtesy of Larry Radloff at Inside College Hockey

NCAA Division I Men Ice Hockey Frozen Four

The teams are set for the NCAA Division I Men Ice Hockey Frozen Four. The games are to be played April 10 and 12 in Denver, Colorado. The semi-finals to be broadcast on ESPN2 at 6 PM and 9 PM ET and the championship game on ESPN at 7 PM ET. Check schedule here.

Here are the pairings for the semi-final games:

Michigan vs Notre Dame

North Dakota vs Boston College

Update: 31 March 2008 4:35 PM ET:

Times have been announced for the semi-final games at ESPNU.  Update schedule is here.  North Dakota-Boston College will be the first semi-final game followed by the Michigan-Notre Dame semi-final game.  ESPN360.com will also broadcast the games.