12~r- The Michigan Daily - Friday, April 7, 2000 North Dakota gets by Maine PROVIDENCE (AP) - North Dakota had to pick between the goaltender who set a school National champ record for shutouts in the regular season and the one who won all three playoff games after the Tomorrow starter suffered a concussion. 7:30 p.m. "I guess we chose the right one" coach Dean Providence Blais said Thursday after Karl Goehring stopped Civic Cente, 30 shots to beat defending champion Maine 2-0 ESPN and put North Dakota in the NCAA title game. (2) North Dakota (3 "He's been pretty much headache-free for the last week. Based on that, and what he's 4 Boston l ( alone when he's 100 percent, he was the guy,' Blais said. "But it was a tough decision goals-against average and se because (backup Andy Kollar) has played so with seven shutouts. This wa well." first shutout in the NCAA tou TJie Fighting Sioux advanced to the Frozen "I think he could tell he w IFotfr final on Saturday night, when they will Blais said. "And Andy co play Boston College, which beat St. Lawrence They're the best of buddies" 4-2. Blais didn't tell his goalies The leading goaltender in his conference dur- until the pregame meal on Th ing he regular season, Goehring was hit by a "I didn't believe it until he t iak during practice before the playoffs and said. "But I knew I had to be '.hadngt played since March 12. Kollar won three Kevin Spiewak had a shor K onsecutive games to help the Fighting Sioux Bryan Lundbohm scored on reh the Frozen Four and run his record to I I- North Dakota, which will pl 2-1. title. Only Michigan has won But for Thursday's opening semifinal, Blais hockey championships, with picked Goehring, who led the Western Matt Yeats made 32 saves Collegiate Hockey Association with a 1.95 lost for the first time in 14 agles advance tc nal with 4-2 win onship set a_ 0-8-5) vs. 29-11-1) t a school record as North Dakota's urnament. Mould be the guy," ngratulated Karl s who would start ursday morning. old me," Goehring ready to play." t-handed goal and a power play for ay for its seventh more NCAA ice nine. for Maine, which games (12-1-1)., Maine was 0-for-7 on power plays while giving up a power-play goal and a short-handed one. "It was the key to the game," coach Shawn Walsh said. "We didn't capitalize." The Black Bears missed the net twice from close in over the final 90 seconds as they tried desperately to come back. Maine, which was without its leading scorer because of a butt-ending penalty in the region- als, failed in a bid to be the first school to win consecutive NCAA ice hockey titles since Boston University in 1971 and 1972. The 28 years between back-to-back titles is the longest such streak in any NCAA sport. After a scoreless first period, North Dakota took the lead at 7:35 of the second. Lundbohm coasted across the blue line and wristed it past Yeats on the stick side. Spiewak made it 2-0 when he fought his way around on the left side and put the puck past Yeats low on the glove side at 13:35 of the sec- ond. With 2.27 left in the second, an apparent North Dakota goal was waved off when the replay official ruled that the whistle had blown. Maine was not without chances. It had 5-on- 3 advantages in the first and third periods. But the latter was cut short after 30 seconds when Brendan Walsh was whistled for a takedown, and the Black Bears couldn't score. AP PHOTO The Fighting Sioux denied Maine a chance for back-to-back national championships with a 2-0 victory over the Black Bears. I 2000 NCAA Ice Hockey Championship PROVIDENCE - Individual awards ill have to wait, because Jeff Farkas, Aike Mottau and Brian Gionta had jore important business last night. The three Boston College stars - all inalists for the Hobey Baker Award - cored in the third period of the NCAA ockey semifinals as the Eagles rallied ) beat St. Lawrence 4-2 and advance to uie championship game. "Good players play well in pressure ituations," Boston College coach Jerry 'ork said. "They thrive in big games." Scott Clemmensen stopped 26 shots >r Boston College, which will play in aturday night's title game against 4orth Dakota, a 2-0 winner over Maine n the early semifinal. The Eagles aven't won the championship since 949, the tournament's second year. The ballots are already in for the lobey Baker, which is awarded to col- -ge hockey's top player on the Frozen our off day on Friday. But the three andidates showed why they're just the econd trio of teammates in the award's 0-year history: Mottau hit the post on a slap shot, hen got the puck back at the middle of he blue line and wristed it between the egs of Saints goalie Derek Gustafson to make it 2-2 with 16.56 left in the game Farkas snapped the tie with an unas- sisted goal with just 1.57 left, skating in on Gustafson and beating him high on the glove side. Gionta added an empty-netter with no time left. "We're real proud of each other," Mottau said. "Brian and Jeff have made me the player I am because I have to go against them in practice. ... If one of those guys wins (the Hobey Baker), I'll be super excited for them." Farkas said that despite competing for the individual award, the three don't compete among themselves. But Gionta, whose 33 goals is two more than Farkas and tops on the team, is due for some ribbing about his empty-netter. "He's got two cheap ones in a row, Farkas joked. "I'm never going to catch him." . Jason Windle and Charlie Daniels scored for St. Lawrence. Gustafson stopped 28 shots in the loss.w "They've got some big-name players and they've done it all year," St. Lawrence coach Joe Marsh said. "It's a great BC team with outstand- ing talent." 1. ?Maine East Regional 1 .liIne 4. Colgate 5. Michigan 5. Michigan Championship Game 2. St. Law~rence East Re- 2 St. Lxrence 3. Boston Univerir 3. Boston Univer tv 6. St. Cloud State ,iona, .c 3. New Hamprehite 6. Niagara 6. Niagara West Regional 2 'onrth Dakota 4. Bston ColLie Providence Civic Center Providence Tomorrow, 7:30 p.m. ESPN 4. Boston College 4. Boston College 5. Michigan State West Regional 2. North Dikot 4. Boston College 2. North Dikota 1 Wisconsn Past National Champions Expand t *. 16 teams, get rid of the bye 1,o T oday I did something I've never done before. I entered an internet chat room. Now clear those sick thoughts from your minds, this was all innocent fun. While looking for the score of the Maine-North Dakota hockey game (North Dakota 2, Maine 0), I stumbled upon a chat about the possible NC tournament expansion from 12 to teams. The chat pushed towards the expan- sion, which was supposedly put on hold because of lack of funds in the league. There will be further review of this matter over the summer. But this chat, which took place right after Michigan lost sT-vfINI to Maine in the NCAA east FE regional, may Off the have been a lit- Record tle biased. Expanding the tournament, to include 16 teams would eliminateithe first-round bye which Maine received since the Black Bears were the top se in the regional. And it is no secret that the Wolverines lost because they ran out of gas in the third period, while Maine was still skating strong. But now, two weeks after that loss, I think a better perspective can be placed on the expansion. Even though he received a large amount of criticism, one chatter mad very good point. In the past, Michig has benefited from the first round bye. In 1996, the Wolverines won the NCAA tournament after only having to play in three games. The flip side? Michigan won the tournament two years later without the bye. But instead of that bye, the third- seeded Wolverines had home ice advantage. This year Michigan was byeless and 12 hours away from home. And maybe this just was Michigan's year, but if one looks ar the board, year in and year out, they will see just how few teams that don't receive that bye actually make it to the Frozen Four. The question surrounds fairness. Is it fair that one team is well rested while the other team is probably coming off the most grueling game of hockey it has played all year? My answer is no. After watchingl literally - a six-hour battle between St. Lawrence and Boston University before the Michigan loss in the West Regional, it was clear who was going to win. Boston University couldn'thandle playing for six hours after defeating St. Cloud St. the previous day. Even Joe Marsh, the St. Lawrence coach, reacted with amazement that Boston University was able to play continuously hard for six hours consid- ering the amount of hockey the teg had played over the weekend. But in the end, a team can only play so much hockey without getting worn out. If I am not mistaken, that is not the point of the tournament. The point is not to see what team gets worn down the quickest, or what team can play nine hours of its most competitive hockey of the season in two days. The point of the tournament isti the best team prevails. And the Boston University play two weeks ago, proved it was one of the four best teams in college hockey. Just worn out. And there are other ways to make sure the best team prevails. The hockey tournament mirrors the men's basketball tournament with regions, trying to send the top seeds to the region closest to their homes. This, like it did for Michigan in '98, gives a tremendous advantage. The h~e advantage proved more powerfulOn even the mighty bye for the Wolverines. Something else that everyone seems to forget is that these teams are already seeded. The reason for the seedings is to give the top teams in the NCAA an easy (or at least easier) first round game against a supposedly weaker team. Let the Wolverines receive a foeh seed and have to play a one seed in their first game in the tournament. Everyone says that the NCAAs are a different sea- son. If it is a different season then it should start on a level playing field and the best team, not the most rested team, Year Champion Runner-up Score 1999 Maine New Hamphire 3-2 (OT) 1998 Michigan Boston College 3-2 (CST) 1997 North Dakota Boston University 6-4 1996 Michigan Colorado College 3-2 (CST) 1995 Boston Maine 6-2 Year 1994 1993 1992 1991 Champion Runner-up Lake Superior Boston University Maine Lake Superior Lake Superior Wisconsin Northern Boston University Score 9-1 5-4 8-7 (30T) 1990 Wisconsin Colgate 7-3 -- iHobey today;' Michigan's Mike Comrie, wh Wolverines in points in his firs sons, will most likely not win t Baker Award - given to coll ey's most valuable player. The award, which will be a at 4 p.m., today, in Providen Frozen Four, was won by M Brendan Morrison in 1997. Comrie, just a sophomore, two more chances to win th Seniors have predominantly award in its 19-vear history. Comrie was drafted by the E Oilers in the third round (91sto the 1999 draft. On Wednesday, the speedy c The Michigan Daily that he return for his junior season. Michigan officials said yest Comrie will not travel to Provi the ceremony. Rensselaer g Joel Laing and Wisconsin forw Reinprecht are the current favo - By Mark Fr Baker to be awarded Comrie a longshot ho led the t two sea- he Hobey ege hock- nnounced ce at the lichigan's still has he award. won the Edmonton overall) in center told plans to erday that idence for goaltender iard Steve orites. uncescutti Going Hobey crazy USCHO 2000 FAN VOTE RESUI-S 1. Joel Laing, Rensselaer, G 2. Steve Reinprecht, Wisconsin, F 3. Andy McDonald, Colgate, F 4. Shawn Horcoff, Michigan State, F 5. Jeff Pat-er, North Dakora, F 6. Mike Mottau, Boston Colkee, D 7. Mike Conurie, Michigan, F. 8. Ty Conklin, New Hampshire, G 9. Brian (aionta, Bton College, F 10. Jeff Farkas, &)ston College, F ' Laing receives two points towards the Hooey iker halloting. Reinprecht of Wis onlsin r~ceies one .oinr1. The Hobey Baker winner wi be announced at a ceemmony today at 4 p.m. in Providence. &,urce:-wwwucolleeh ckecom Here is a look at the last 10 of 19 winners of the Hobey Baker Memorial Award presented each year to the best player in college hockey. Year 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 11990 Player Jason Krog Chris Drury. Brendan Morrison Brian Bonin Brian Holzinger Chris Marinucci Paul Kariya Scott Pellerin David Emma Kip Miller Pos. Yr. C Sr. C Sr. C Sr. C Sr. C Sr.: C Sr. LW Fr. LW Sr. C Sr. C Sr. Team New Hampshire Boston Univ. Michigan Minnesota Bowling Green Minn.-Duluth Maine Maine Boston College Michigan State Mike Comrie Comrie's first two seasons 1998-99 42 199900 40 19. 24. A 25 35 PTS 44 59 Comrie is Michigan's seventh Hobey Baker finalist since 1991. . , , ____ .1 _______ Nirigan ma Tau Beta Pi, the National Engineering Honor Society, was founded to mark in a fitting manner those who have conferred honor upon their Alma Mater by distinguished scholarship and exemplary character as students in engineering, or by their attainments as alumni in the field of engineering, and to foster a spirit of liberal culture in engineering colleges. We, the officers and faculty'advisors of the Michigan Gamma Chapter of Tau Beta Pi, wish to congratulate the following people who have achieved our high standards and have successfully completed the initiation rituals, thereby becoming active members of Tau Beta P1: 7^a . .. IV-.-,..L AM ;b,~ , ,.-I7r I I E.......... ...... i