NCAA Frozen Four Tournament Preview
MIDWEST REGIONALS – CINCINNATI, OHIO
(2) Ferris State University Bulldogs vs. (3) Colgate University Raiders (Mar. 28 – 4:30 p.m., ESPN3/WatchESPN)
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The Midwest bracket kicks off with a battle between the WCHA runners-up from Ferris State in Big Rapids, Mich., against the Hamilton, N.Y.-based Colgate Raiders, representing the ECAC.
Ferris State won five of its last six games before falling to Minnesota State-Mankato in the WCHA championship tournament.
Junior goaltender C.J. Motte was among the best in the WCHA between the pipes, leading the conference with 27 wins, and posting a .926 save percentage while facing more shots than any other goaltender in the conference.
The Bulldogs boast a collective offensive effort, as 14 players had 14 or more points this season, though none scored over a point per game. Yet, Justin Buzzeo and Garrett Thompson each finished top 15 in WCHA scoring with 32 points.
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Colgate has a similar approach offensively, as sophomore Tyson Spink led the Raiders with 33 points in 38 games, good for 14th in ECAC scoring. Meanwhile, Darcy Murphy is the team’s leading goalscorer with 19, while four of Mike Borkowski’s eight goals were game-winners.
The Raiders have relied on their youth to get where they are, as you have to go down to Mike McCann to find the highest-scoring senior on the team. He was 10th, with six sophomores, two freshmen, and a junior ahead of him.
In the crease, Colgate’s Charlie Finn had a solid season. Though he didn’t lead the ECAC in any one statistic, the freshman played well enough to give his team chances to win, posting a .916 save percentage to go with a 16-7-4 record and 2.40 goals-against average.
(1) University of Wisconsin Badgers vs. (4) University of North Dakota (Mar. 28 – 8 p.m., ESPNU/WatchESPN)
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Much like the Boston College and Denver University matchup we’ll see later, Wisconsin vs. North Dakota will be a clash between two collegiate hockey titans, with 13 national titles between them. The rivalry goes back to their WCHA Final Five days, including Wisconsin beating North Dakota for the conference championship in 2000.
This game will also feature 25 players whose rights are owned by NHL clubs, more than any other first-round game.
Wisconsin comes in as the Big Ten conference champion, having defeated Ohio State 5-4 in the final. The Badgers are led up front by senior Mark Zengerle, Anaheim Ducks prospect Nic Kerdiles, and Kings draft pick Michael Mersch.
In goal, Joel Rumpel is the man for the Badgers, winning eight of his last nine starts; the only loss came in overtime to Michigan State. Overall, he’s been a winner, going 21-5-1 with a .930 save percentage and two shutouts.
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Meanwhile, the team formerly known as the Fighting Sioux features a tournament-high 15 NHL prospects, led by diminutive Florida Panthers prospect Rocco Grimaldi, who’s dangerous is just about any situation. In addition to leading North Dakota in goals and assists, Grimaldi also had three shorthanded goals, three game-winning goals, and he won a team-best 59.1 per cent of his faceoffs.
That said, North Dakota does have balance, with 14 players posting 10 or more points.
In goal, Boston Bruins prospect Zane Gothberg was solid for his team this season, posting three shutouts and an 18-9-3 record with a NCHC-leading 2.05 goals-against average.
This could be one of the best games in the opening round, and many scouts will likely be present to see how their team’s picks are doing. With the history of both programs, this is one to watch.