North Dakota, Wisconsin Play for Midwest Regional Title, Berth in NCAA Frozen Four Sunday Evening
March 30, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
MADISON, Wisc. - Western Collegiate Hockey Association rivals University of North Dakota and University of Wisconsin will face-off Sunday (March 30) evening at 6:00 pm CT at the Kohl Center in Madison in the championship game of the Midwest Regional, with the winner advancing to the 2008 NCAA Men's Frozen Four.
The Fighting Sioux (27-10-4), the No. 1 seed in the Midwest, and the Badgers (16-16-7), the No. 3 seed, both won their semi-final matchups on Saturday (March 29), with North Dakota defeating Princeton, 5-1, and Wisconsin upending conference opponent Denver, 6-2. The Sioux, seeking their fourth consecutive Frozen Four berth under fourth-year head coach Dave Hakstol, are also marking the program's 23rd national tournament appearance overall and sixth straight. UND is now 39-17-0 all-time in NCAA tourney play. Wisconsin, meanwhile, is marking the program's 22nd national tournament appearance overall and the Badgers stand currently at 34-18-0 all-time in the national tournament. The Badgers won the 2006 NCAA Frozen Four title in Milwaukee under head coach Mike Eaves.
On Saturday in Madison, North Dakota received a three-goal hat trick from left winger Ryan Duncan, including the eventual game-winner at 16:18 of the second period, a goal and two assists from defenseman Chay Genoway, a pair of helpers from center T.J. Oshie and 38 saves from goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux in their 5-1 Midwest Regional semi-final triumph over Princeton before 9,968 at the Kohl Center. The Sioux were actually outshot, 39-18, but connected on two-of-four power-play attempts and scored two empty-netters in the third.
In Wisconsin's 6-2 Midwest Regional semi-final victory over Denver on Saturday evening in Madison, the Badgers were led by two goals and an assist from left winger Michael Davies, a goal and an assist each from defensemen Jamie McBain and Davis Drewiske, and 30 saves from Shane Connelly. Scoring the winner for the UW was defenseman Cody Goloubef at 9:19 of the third period. For the Pioneers, right wingers Dustin Jackson and Tom May scored goals while Peter Mannino had 20 stops in goal.
Four of the WCHA's record six NCAA tournament qualifiers had been eliminated from the championship round through Saturday evening. Colorado College (28-12-1), winners of the WCHA regular season title and MacNaughton Cup and the No. 2 seed at the West Regional in Colorado Springs, fell to defending national champion Michigan State, 3-1, on Friday evening. No. 2 Midwest Regional seed Denver (26-14-1), champions of the 2008 Red Baron WCHA Final Five and Broadmoor Trophy winners, fell to Wisconsin, 6-2, on Saturday evening in Madison. St. Cloud State (19-16-5), the No. 2 seed at the East Regional in Albany, dropped a 2-1 decision to Clarkson. And Minnesota (19-17-9), the No. 3 seed at the Northeast Regional in Worcester, Mass., lost by a 5-2 count to Boston College. For the Golden Gophers in that game, left winger Mike Howe contributed a goal and an assist, left winger Ben Gordon had one goal, and Alex Kangas made 27 saves between the pipes.
The four regional winners earn a trip to the 2008 NCAA Men's Frozen Four, set for Thursday, April 10 through Saturday, April 12 at Pepsi Center in Denver, Colo. Through March 29, Notre Dame and Michigan had earned berths while the other two spots will come from the winners of the North Dakota vs Wisconsin and Boston College vs Miami regional finals on Sunday. The host institution for this season's Frozen Four is the University of Denver. The WCHA is home to a record 36 national championship teams since the league's founding in 1951, including five of the past six.
This Week in the WCHA • NCAA Div. 1 Men's Ice Hockey Regionals
Results of Friday, March 28: *Clarkson 2 vs St. Cloud State 1 @ East Regional; #Michigan State 3 at Colorado College 1 @ West Regional.
Results of Saturday, March 29: * Princeton 1 vs North Dakota 5; # Air Force 2 vs Miami 3 ot; * Wisconsin 6 vs Denver 2; & Clarkson 0 vs Michigan 2; # Minnesota 2 vs Boston College 5; % Notre Dame 3 vs Michigan State 1. (* NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinal @ Madison, WI; # NCAA Northeast Regional Semifinal @ Worcester, MA; & NCAA East Regional Final @ Albany, NY; % NCAA West Regional Final @ Colorado Springs, CO)
Games for Sunday, March 30: * Boston College vs Miami, 4:30 pm ET; # Wisconsin vs North Dakota, 6:00 pm CT. (* NCAA Northeast Regional Final @ Worcester, MA; # NCAA Midwest Regional Final @ Madison, WI)
|
|
 |
