March Madness is usually reserved for upsets and buzzer-beaters on the basketball court, but the frenzy of NCAA tournament action is set to hit the ice on Friday night. Sixty-three British Columbia Hockey League graduates face off for a coveted berth in the Frozen Four, which unfolds April 8-10 in Detroit to crown a new college hockey champion.
Two regional games will be the focus of two opening-round match-ups that feature 11 former BCHL stars in each contest. In Albany, New York, Cornell University, boasting the most grads of all the competing schools with 10, will meet the University of New Hampshire. Meanwhile, in Worcester, Massachusetts, the University of North Dakota tussle with the Bulldogs of Yale, who sport seven strong.
Missing from the field is 2009 winner Boston University, but 16 other teams will compete for the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship and many of the BCHL grads are likely to impact how the tournament plays out over the next two weeks.
University of Denver goaltender Marc Cheverie headlines the tournament as one of the best in college hockey. The Nanaimo Clippers grad is a finalist for the 2010 Hobey Baker Award and is bidding to become the first goaltender to earn the honour as the nation’s best player. Cheverie posted six shutouts and helped the Pioneers to a 24-4-3 record in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association with a 1.94 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage in 2009/2010. The Pioneers open their Frozen Four bid on Friday night against Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).
In the other East meeting, ex-Salmon Arm SilverBack Riley Nash will bring his 12 goals and 34 points to the ice when Cornell University battles New Hampshire for the right to advance. The Edmonton Oilers’ 2007 first-round pick finished his most proficient season with the Big Red, averaging 1.17 points per game while missing seven contests. Riley and brother Brendon, both former SilverBacks, will team up with eight other BCHL grads.
For the No. 1-ranked University of Miami-Ohio, former Penticton Vees forward Curtis McKenzie is a player to watch. The Dallas Stars’ sixth-round selection in 2009 was sixth on the RedHawks in scoring with five goals and 23 points in 38 games as a freshman. McKenzie was an honourable mention for the Central Collegiate Hockey Association’s All-Rookie Team for his outstanding year.
Meanwhile, University of North Dakota captain Chay Genoway and his herd of BCHL grads lead the Fighting Sioux into battle with Yale University on Saturday. The one-time Vernon Vipers defenseman has 10 points in nine games in 2009/2010 after an injury forced him to sit out most of the season.
But arguably the biggest story is a pair of schools making their inaugural visits to the tournament. The University of Alaska-Fairbanks and RIT make their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearances, with 13 former BCHL players contributing to the historic moments in NCAA hockey. The No. 18 Nanooks open against the nation’s third-best team in Boston College, while RIT faces Denver.
Northeast: #1 – Boston College vs. #4 – Alaska-Fairbanks
Boston College Eagles
Season Record: 25-10-3 (2nd in Hockey East)
Postseason Finish: Hockey East Champions
Appearance: 29th (Last Appearance: 2008)
Boston College, the 2008 National Champions, did not earn the right to repeat at the 2009 NCAA Tournament but one of the top college hockey powers makes its triumphant return this season. The Eagles roll in as a tournament favourite fresh off the program’s ninth Hockey East conference title and fourth in the last six seasons. After finishing second during the regular season, they knocked off the University of Maine in a thrilling 7-6 overtime victory in Saturday’s championship game. Boston College will use offense to key another NCAA championship run after four six-goal games in their last nine outings. They are the only team in the tournament not sporting a BCHL grad.
Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks
Season Record: 18-11-9 (5th in CCHA)
Postseason Finish: Lost in CCHA Semi-finals
Appearance: 1st
The University of Alaska-Fairbanks represents one of two hockey programs that will play in their inaugural NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship. Eight former BCHL players contributed to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks team that made NCAA hockey history by securing their first tournament berth. The opening-round game against Boston College will hit another historical mark as the first-ever meeting between the two hockey schools. A challenge for the Nanooks — beyond playing the nation’s third-ranked team — is the week off they’ve endure after being swept by Northern Michigan two weekends ago. But the underdog squad put together a six-game winning streak prior to the series loss and have confidence facing the Eagles.
Cody Rymut, Senior (Chilliwack Chiefs)
Bryant Molle, Junior (Penticton Vees)
Kevin Petovello, Junior (Victoria Grizzlies)
Carlo Finucci, Sophomore (Burnaby Express)
Ron Meyers, Sophomore (Victoria Grizzlies)
Chad Gehon, Freshman (Westside Warriors)
Kaare Odegard, Freshman (Penticton Vees)
Colin Rundell, Freshman (Alberni Valley Bulldogs)
Northeast: #2 – North Dakota vs. #3 – Yale
North Dakota Fighting Sioux
Season Record: 25-12-5 (4th in WCHA)
Postseason Finish: WCHA Champions
Appearance: 25th (2009)
North Dakota was ousted in the opening round in 2009, but the program has aspirations to relive its tournament magic from 2005-2008, when the Fighting Sioux earned four straight Frozen Four berths. They come in with tons of momentum as the Western Collegiate Hockey Association champions after capturing the Final Five last weekend, winning 5-3 over St. Cloud State in the championship final. If the recent Frozen Four run is any indication, North Dakota will be a tough team to face in the Northeast Regional as the second seed. Two years ago, they were the first seed in the Midwest but lost to Boston College for the second consecutive season. Seniors Darcy Zajac (Salmon Arm SilverBacks) and Chay Genoway (Vernon Vipers) among others will take the Fighting Sioux into battle.
Darcy Zajac (A), Senior (Salmon Arm Silverbacks)
Chay Genoway (C), Senior (Vernon Vipers)
Evan Trupp, Junior (Penticton Vees)
Brett Hextall, Sophomore (Penticton Vees)
Yale Bulldogs
Conference Record: 20-9-3 (1st in ECAC)
Postseason Finish: Lost in ECAC Quarter-finals
Appearance: 4th (2009)
The Bulldogs are hoping to take a bite out of the competition and avenge last year’s first-round disappointment when Yale was taken down by Vermont. They entered last season as Eastern College Athletic Conference champs and return in 2010 on less of a high following a surprising quarter-final loss to Brown University. But a 20-win regular season was good enough to earn an at-large berth. Watch out for the Bulldogs’ underrated offensive attack that can hurt any team. Yale finished first in the NCAA in goals per game (4.08), power play goals (48) and power-play percentage (23.9).
Billy Blase, Senior (Salmon Arm Silverbacks)
Jeff Anderson, Junior (Cowichan Valley Capitals)
Brendan Mason, Junior (Nanaimo Clippers)
Kevin Limbert, Sophomore (Trail Smoke Eaters)
Chad Ziegler, Sophomore (Nanaimo Clippers)
Colin Dueck, Freshman (Nanaimo Clippers)
Jeff Malcolm, Freshman (Quesnel Millionaires)
East: #1 – Denver vs. #4 – RIT
Denver Pioneers
Season Record: 27-9-4 (1st in WCHA)
Postseason Finish: 4th in WCHA Final Five
Appearance: 21st (2009)
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