MANCHESTER, N.H. – The NCAA Frozen Four Northeast Regional starts this Saturday at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire and will involve the top team in all of college hockey, Boston University, as well as North Dakota, Ohio State, and the host team of the regional, the New Hampshire Wildcats. Here is a preview of the regional and our bold predictions on who we think will win the regional. #3 seed New Hampshire (19-12-5) vs. 2 seed North Dakota (24-14-4), 2 p.m. (ESPN2) New Hampshire was ranked 12th in the country and are a member of Hockey East. UNH is 12-22 in the F4 tournament. This is the eighth straight season the Wildcats have earned a bid into the tournament. It is the second longest streak behind Michigan’s 19. It is also the schools third time they have hosted the Northeast Regional. Players to watch – James Van Reimsdyk, the Philadelphia Flyers first pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft (second overall) is the teams leading scorer with 17 goals and 22 assists. He was also Team USA’s top scorer during this years World Junior Championships. This is North Dakota’s seventh straight NCAA appearance and 24th in program history. UND’s seven-straight tourney appearances are third to Michigan (19) and New Hampshire (8). The Fighting Sioux have advanced to the Frozen Four in each of the past four seasons. UND is 10-3-2 all time against the Wildcats, but the first time ever in tournament history. Players to watch – Ryan Duncan, a senior and the 2007 Hobey Baker Award winner, leads UND with 38 points (19 goals and 19 assists). WCHA Defensive Player of the Year Chay Genoway has 32 points in 39 games this season. Freshman Brad Eidsness, a fifth round pick in 2007 of the Buffalo Sabres, has a record of 24-11-4, and has a 2.47 GAA and a .908 save percentage. Prediction: Upset special. UNH wins in overtime 4-3. # 4 seed Ohio State (23-14-4) vs. 1 seed Boston University (31-6-4), 5:30 p.m. (ESPN2) The Buckeyes are the nations 14th ranked team in the country. This is Ohio State’s sixth appearance in the Frozen Four tournament. Their first appearance was in 2005. This will be their first ever appearance in the Northeast Regional. They are one of four teams from the CCHA to have made the tournament, one in each regional, and is the fourth straight season that the CCHA has had four teams make the tournament at the same time. Players to watch – Corey Elkins led the team in points with 40 and 18 goals, while John Albert, a sixth round pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2007, was second on the team with 39 points. Goaltender Dustin Carlson had a save percentage of .920, and a goals against average of 2.69. BU are the Hockey East champs and are the top seed in the regional, and are the #1 ranked team in the country. The Terriers are 2-0 all time against the Buckeyes. This will be the school’s 31st appearance in the Frozen Four tournament and first since the 2006-07 season. Hockey East also has four teams in this years tournament. Players to watch – Colin Wilson is a former first round pick of the Nashville Predators and is a finalist for this years Hobey Baker award given to the top college hockey player in the nation. Wilson was tied for third overall in the nation in scoring with 50 points, and tops in Hockey East. Nick Bonino is a sixth round pick of the San Jose Sharks in 2007, and was tied for 16th with 44 points. Freshman goaltender Kieran Millan was fifth in goals against average (1.84). Prediction: Bu wins in a high scoring affair over OSU 6-4. Northeast Regional final prediction – BU wins over UNH 5-4 in overtime. Contact the author at Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com
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