FanHouse brings you full coverage of the 2009 NCAA Men's Frozen Four in Washington, D.C.Like Bemidji State and Miami, Vermont was not considered a serious threat to advance out of their NCAA hockey regional. Unlike those two, Vermont is not getting much attention heading into the Frozen Four this week.
The Catamounts aren't quite the Cinderella story of Bemidji or Miami, and they're playing a fellow Hockey East team, Boston University, that's been among the top-ranked teams in the country all season. What people don't realize - or completely forgot about - is that Vermont went 2-1 against BU this season.
Similar to Miami, the Catamounts were able to use their week off well. Vermont lost to UMass-Lowell in the Hockey East quarterfinals, and with their spot in the NCAAs relatively safe, they prepared for the tournament while many other college teams finished up their conference championships.
Vermont then headed to the East Regional in Bridgeport, Conn., upset host school Yale in the first round, and withstood a great effort by Air Force to win a double-overtime regional final.
Why Vermont Will Win
The Catamounts boast one of the nation's top players in junior forward Viktor Stålberg. The Toronto draft pick has scored 24 goals in 38 games, easily topping the 17 career goals he had in his first two seasons (78 games). Stålberg was named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.
"He's been able to score in big playoff games," Vermont coach Kevin Sneddon said. "He's the best college hockey player out there right now."
Sneddon knows Stålberg's days in college hockey could very well be numbered, but he says he'll "cross that bridge when we come to it."
Linemates Justin Milo and Brian Rohloff are each in double-digits in goals, and Vermont knows they can go with that threesome when they need a big play.
Senior defenseman Dan Lawson has a huge shot, as evidenced in the regional final when he sent the game-winner through the net. The Catamounts also have some size on the blue line, especially with Patrick Cullity and Kevan Miller.
Sneddon makes no bones about what has to happen for the Catamounts Thursday.
"Our task is to make sure our team is playing up to our potential on Thursday against BU," he said. "Defensively we've got to be excellent, and offensively we've got to solve Kieran Millan."
Why Vermont Won't Win
Freshman goalie Rob Madore was very good in the regional, holding Yale and Air Force to three goals and making some huge saves. However, he allowed 14 goals in his previous three starts. If he and his defense don't play well Thursday, it could be a long day.
Vermont does not have the firepower to get in a shootout with Boston University, but they do have the confidence of owning two wins over the Terriers. It's going to take Madore and his defense limiting BU's chances, something not many teams have been able to do this season. As Sneddon said, they also have to solve Millan.
What Will Happen
Vermont has a star player in Stålberg who should shine under the bright lights. Madore was good in his only start against BU (38 saves on 41 shots in a 4-3 win). They have some defensemen who can bang.
I just don't think it's going to be enough. I see Boston University winning Thursday over Vermont, ending a fantastic run for the Catamounts.
