With the 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship set to start Friday, FanHouse is taking a look at each of the four regionals.You have to feel for Ohio State, even if only a little bit. After all, Boston University has 20 Frozen Four appearances. North Dakota has gone four years in a row and 18 overall. New Hampshire hasn't been to the Frozen Four since 2003, but they have gone seven times and played in the championship game twice. Ohio State has made exactly one Frozen Four appearance in their program's history, and it ended with a semifinal loss. It's a regional full of traditional powers, and Ohio State is the odd man out.
1. Boston University Terriers (31-6-4)
Hockey East Association
Automatic bid
Simply put, it was a slam-dunk to award Boston University the top overall seed in the tournament. Not only did BU win the Hockey East regular season and tournament titles, but they built up an impressive array of non-conference wins, including drubbings of fellow NCAA top seeds Michigan (7-2) and Denver (4-1).
Team Leaders
F Colin Wilson, 15-35-50; F Nick Bonino, (16-28-44); G Kieran Millan, 25-2-3, 1.84, .923 saves
NHL Fans Should Watch
It starts and ends with Wilson (Nashville) and Bonino (Anaheim). Wilson (pictured above) is a Hobey finalist (for what it's worth, I think he should win the award) who has had an outstanding winter. Not only was he consistently BU's best player, but he was also Team USA's best player in the World Juniors. Bonino was part of a deadline deal with the Sharks and Ducks, and his two-way skills will fit Anaheim very nicely.
Under The Radar
I'm not quite sure how senior forward Jason Lawrence went undrafted, but I'm sure he'll find a place to play once BU's season is over. He's been durable, can score goals, and is a great example of how some players can truly benefit from a four-year college career.
Fun Fact
New York Ranger Chris Drury continues to hold the career record for goals at Boston University, with 113. Drury also has the distinction of being BU's last Hobey Baker winner (1998), though Wilson is a legit threat to win this year.
2. North Dakota Fighting Sioux (24-14-4)
Western Collegiate Hockey Association
At-large bid
A week ago, North Dakota looked almost unstoppable, as they entered the WCHA Final Five on a 15-2-3 run. The Sioux were tripped up in St. Paul, however, losing twice and scoring only one goal in the two games. Did this sudden slump happen at the right time, or is it a precursor to an early exit? History suggests the Fighting Sioux will be just fine, as they have been to four straight Frozen Fours.
Team Leaders
F Ryan Duncan, 19-19-38; D Brad Miller, 6-29-35; G Brad Eidsness, 24-11-4, 2.47, .908 saves
NHL Fans Should Watch
UND has two freshmen - Jason Gregoire (N.Y. Islanders) and Brett Hextall (Phoenix) - who have developed into offensive threats. They skate as wingers on Duncan's line. Gregoire is more of a skill player, while Hextall is an absolute pest who possesses a ton of skill to go with it. He's a fearless player who probably needs to cut back on his penalty minutes (team-high 91 this season).
Under The Radar
Duncan won a Hobey Baker Award two years ago, and has proceeded to not be a finalist either of the last two seasons. He's averaged over a point per game in his four years at UND. Duncan is undersized, has a huge heart, and will score goals at any level.
Fun Fact
An incredible eight current North Dakota players have relatives who played for the Fighting Sioux (talk about building a legacy). Included in that are Darcy Zajac, brother of current New Jersey Devil Travis, and David Toews, whose brother Jonathan is captain of the Chicago Blackhawks.
3. New Hampshire Wildcats (19-12-5)
Hockey East Association
At-large bid
With college hockey quite a regionalized sport, there is tremendous risk taken when deciding to host an NCAA regional. If a school hosts, but doesn't qualify for the tournament, it can be a financial fall. If the host school makes the tournament, there are no such problems. Pressure was on New Hampshire this year, and the Wildcats delivered, fielding a team that was good enough to make the national tournament.
Team Leaders
F James van Riemsdyk, 17-22-39; F Mike Sislo, 18-10-28; G Brian Foster, 18-10-4, 2.63, .910
NHL Fans Should Watch
van Riemsdyk (Philadelphia) is UNH's most dynamic player. After a solid World Junior tournament, van Riemsdyk had a bit of an up-and-down campaign with the Wildcats. The jury is out on whether he'll sign with the Flyers after this season (he's a first-round pick), but a big performance in the NCAA Tournament could certainly make that decision easier for both sides.
Under The Radar
Sophomore Mike Sislo doesn't get the hype of van Riemsdyk, but the undrafted forward has had a very good second season at UNH. Sislo leads the Wildcats in goals, and he's got seven special-teams goals (five on the power play, two short-handed). He's likely a four-year player in college, but if Sislo keeps developing, there's a good chance he'll have an opportunity to play in the pros.
Fun Fact
Sislo (Superior) and defenseman Blake Kessel (Verona) are both from Wisconsin. Kessel's older brother, Phil, is having a pretty good season with the Boston Bruins.
4. Ohio State Buckeyes (23-14-4)
Central Collegiate Hockey Association
At-large bid
Youth has been served in Columbus this season. The Buckeyes have nine freshmen and sophomores among their top ten point producers this season. Experience is often an overrated component of postseason play in every sport, but does that mean a team full of young pups can be successful on the big stage?
Team Leaders
F Corey Elkins, 18-22-40; F John Albert, 18-22-39; G Dustin Carlson, 21-11-3, 2.40, .920
NHL Fans Should Watch
Albert (Atlanta) is a very nice young talent. He is a center who possesses the kind of vision and sense you look for. He's also proven he can score goals. A three-point game in a win over Notre Dame February 8 showed he can produce against the best in the country.
Under The Radar
Carlson, a sophomore, has virtually no hype surrounding him. It's in stark contrast to his backup, Joseph Palmer, a former U.S. World Junior team member who was drafted by Chicago. Palmer is winless in three starts, with a save percentage of .836, and Carlson has a stranglehold on the job entering the NCAA Tournament.
Fun Fact
Current Columbus Blue Jacket R.J. Umberger spent three years at Ohio State, amassing 129 career points and earning a spot on the finalist list for the Hobey Baker Award in 2003.
