NCAA Frozen Four Update – BU takes Northeast Regional

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Boston University showed why they are the number one team in the nation by being the only team in the Frozen Four tournament to not lose in the first round of the tournament despite being a number one seed.
BU defeated Ohio State and New Hampshire to reach the Frozen Four in Washington DC. Here is a review of the Midwest Regional held in Manchester, N.H. this weekend. #3 seed New Hampshire vs. 2 seed North Dakota Junior forward Peter LeBlanc scored two goals, including the game winner in overtime, and junior netminder Brian Foster (Pembroke, N.H.) made 40 saves to propel the University of New Hampshire men’s ice hockey team to a 6-5 overtime win against the University of North Dakota. This was UNH’s fifth overtime game in tournament history, including it’s third in regional play. The last tournament overtime win for the Wildcats, who are now 3-2 in overtime games in the tournament, came in a 3-2 win against Harvard University in the Northeast Regional semifinal at the Mullins Center in Amherst, Mass. in March of 2005, which is also the last time UNH advanced out of that round. Trailing 5-4 with 5.7 seconds remaining in regulation and a faceoff coming up in the offensive zone, UNH pulled goaltender Brian Foster for an extra attacker. The Wildcats won the faceoff to defenseman Kevin Kapstad who moved the puck over to the other side of the blueline to forward Mike Sislo where Sislo fired a shot wide left of the net, but the puck came around the boards to forward Jerry Pollastrone who was behind the right side of the net. Pollastrone backhanded the puck in front o the net where Thomas Fortney knocked it into the net to tie the game with one-tenth of a second remaining on the clock. The Wildcats, whose six goals in the game are the second most ever in a Northeast Regional game, carried over the momentum into overtime, and scored their third unanswered goal just 45 seconds into overtime. Pollastrone skated into the left side of the UNH zone and fed Peter LeBlanc in the slot where he put a shot past the outstretched glove of North Dakota goaltender Brad Eidsness and into the upper right hand corner of the net to not only win the game 6-5, but it sent UNH into the regional final. (Original Prediction: Upset special. UNH wins in overtime 4-3.) # 4 seed Ohio State vs. # 1 seed Boston University BU, the number one ranked team in the country, and the only # 1 seed in the tournament to not be knocked out of the first round, had very little trouble with the Ohio State Buckeyes winning 8-3. The Terriers scored the first six goals of the game and never looked back in an easy win over the Buckeyes.

Senior Jason Lawrence and junior Zach Cohen each scored twice, while senior Hobey Baker finalist Matt Gilroy scored a career high four assists. Nick Bonino had a goal and two assists. Seniors Brandon Yip and Chris Higgins each had one goal and one assist. Luke Popko and Colin Wilson each had two assists. Goaltender Kieran Millan recorded 22 saves in the game. Millan was The Hockey East Rookie of the Year. Ohio State finishes the year with a record of 23-15-4. (Original Prediction: Bu wins in a high scoring affair over OSU 6-4.) #3 seed New Hampshire vs # 1 seed Boston University Jason Lawrence scored a power play goal with just 14.4 seconds left in regulation to send BU to it’s first Frozen Four apperence in 12 years as the Terriers defeated Hockey East rival New Hampshire, 2-1. The Terriers will go to D.C. with a 33-6-4 record, and a five-game winning streak against another Hockey East rival, the Vermont Catamounts, on April 9 in Washington. With the score tied 1-1 at 19:14 in the third period, UNH sophomore James Van Riemsdyk was whistled for hooking to give the Terriers a power play opportunity. Lawrence scored the game winner by taking a shot from left of the crease that was headed wide of the net, but a UNH defenseman slide on the ice in an attempt to block the pass, but instead knocked the puck into the goal. Lawrence was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Northeast Regional. Millan, Gilroy and and Bonino were all named to the All-tournament team. UNH’s Kevin Kapstad and Peter LeBlanc were also named to the All-Tournament Team. (Original prediction. BU wins over UNH 5-4 in overtime) Contact the author at Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com