16A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, April 2, 1998 No. 1Michigan St HOCKEY No. 4 Ohio Sate (31 5 4 No. 1 Boston Universiy New Hampshire NewHmsire No, 4 Wisconsin I (26=1311 No. S Yale (13-8-3) No. 3 Clakoo Ohio State -I 126-13=1) t.: No. 2 Boston, Co!ege N No4 2 .Noah Dakot \No. 5 New Hampshire _1 . (23-8-3) (25-875) Colorado V College a N No. 3 Mi( (301 chigan . v - a I Michigan No. 6 Colorado College No. 6 Princeton MMMMMMMMMMI (25-12-3) (1810=7 4 I Boston College aims to be first team to win championship in hometown in 26 years BOSTON (AP) - No men's hock- ey team has won an NCAA champi- onship in its hometown since 1972, when Boston University took the title at the old Boston Garden. The Terriers, who had been to five consecutive final fours; looked like a good bet to do it again this year in the tournament they are hosting. But it will be Boston University's Green Line rival, Boston College, trying to take the trolley to the title when the tournament starts today. "It's a unique experience for us, because we're three or four miles away. And we still have lobster sent to us" by the organizers, Boston College coach Jerry York joked yes- terday during a coaches' news con- ference. "We're excited about win- ning a championship. Certainly, to do it in our backyard would be a phenomenal thing for all of us." Boston College (26-8-5) will play Ohio State (26-12-2) in the late game tonight, with Michigan (3(- 11-i) playing New Hampshire (25- 11-1) in this afternoon. The champi- onship is Saturday night. Michigan, which won its eighth championship in 1996, is in its fourth consecutive final four and its sixth in seven years. New Hampshire is in its first. All three games at the 18,000-seat FleetCenter are sold out, and the crowd figures to be heavily favored toward the two New England teams. "We're going to be playing a very good hockey team in a hostile envi- ronment," said Ohio State coach John Markell, whose Buckeyes reversed last year's 12-25-2 record to qualify as the year's biggest sur- prise. "Playing in Boston against Boston College, with possibly 16,000 fans cheering against us, probably will wake us up pretty quickly." You'd think so, but that's not nec- essarily the way it's worked in the past. College hockey has gone 25 years without a local champion. And col- lege basketball hasn't had a team win in its home city since UCLA in 1972 and '68, although Kansas ('88), N.C. State ('74) and Kentucky ('58) all won in their home states. NCAA football titles are decided by bowl games and the polls, and the College World Series has stayed in Omaha, Neb., since 1950. The NFL is the only major professional sport with a rotating championship site, and no team has ever won the Super Bowl at home. The hockey final four was held in Colorado Springs, Colo., for its first 10 years before going to neutral sites in 1958. Over the years, teams have mustered significant home-ice advantages - BU won twice just across the state line in Providence, R.l., Cornell won in Lake Placid, N.Y., and Wisconsin won in Duluth, Minn. But, j.]ist as often, a "home" team failed to take home the trophy; Denver lost at home in 1964, and Minnesota lost the '81 game in Duluth and the '89 title in St. Paul. York said his team, which plays at the FleetCenter for the Beanpot and in Hockey Last tournaments, won't get any edge from. knowing the arena s quirks. But not having to travel. Plus having the students and alumni a "T" ride away, will help. "[very 24 yearswcevlsget it. I guess." he sof the city's last final four. "It's good to be at home. It cer- tainly is an advantage." AP PHOTO Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson has led his Wolverines with calm and poise throughout his career. This season may have been his biggest challenge in awhile, after losing a talented senior class to graduation last year. Wildcats hopeful for ultimate glory, finally know what it feels like' WI L DCATS Continued from Page 11A in 1996 when the Catamounts got into the final four. This is how it felt in Colorado Springs last year when No. 5 Colorado College made it into the final four. This is what it felt like in BU and Michigan and Maine and Lake Superior State all those years. Now, it'sanother hockey behemoth that lies ahead: Michigan, which is playing in its fourth straight final four. And maybe after that, Ohio State or Boston College for what one week ago seemed as likely as a UNH tuition decrease. With four of the greatest forwards in the nation. improved defense and big-time goaltending, UNH has put itself in position to match the Wildcat women with a cham- pionship of its own. If the Wildcats can win two games, and if they can silence each and every one of their critics, and if they can go where no UNH team has gone before, then this team will take its place where it belongs in men's hockey lore: on top of the world. BERENSON Continued from Page 11A And in response, he has shined. Throughout the season, Berenson's dis- position never wavered. When the media rained questions on him about the 'fall' of his mighty pro- gram, Berenson never changed his song. He continuously downplayed all the hype of Michigan's surprising start to the season, as he quietly watched his voung team grow. Berenson's mettle during what obvi- ously was a trying season for the Wolverines has brought Michigan to the NCAA semifinals. Where critics in the past may have solely credited Michigan's talent for its success - rather than its coaching - the same cannot be done this year. This time around, it has been Berenson that has made the difference for the Wolverines. "It used to be when you were a coach, you were the leader of the flock," Berenson said. "Now I find that I'm more of a shepherd, just walking behind, picking up the strays. "And. well, we have more strays now than we did before." It was a simple anecdote, yet all too appropriate. Never in the past has Berenson needed to play such a vital role, but the coach has responded strongly. This was the second time in Berenson's coaching stint at Michigan that the Wolverines' winning percent- age dropped from the previous season - but no one will remember that. What will be remembered is that this year's team made it to Boston. Yet of course, Berenson continues his stoicism - but what else would you expect ? "It's another game in another buil4 ing," Berenson said. Always focused on the task at hand, driven toward another goal, the coach's work isn't done yet -even though he has exceeded the expectations of many. But then again, that's what peo- ple have come to expect from Red Berenson. "We didn't come here to play not to lose," Berenson said. "We're not atea that does that, we're going to play o game. i. - - 0 Call your mom.Te everyone you're calling your girl. 4 .1