Faceoff Factor

Surprises Crop Up In NCAA Tournament; Two #1 Seeds Fall

Andrew Chiappazzi | College/NCAA

Mar 31, 07:06 PM | Hype this story!

Let no one tell you that the NCAA Tournament isn’t full of surprises. While it’s basketball counterpart may be sending four #1 seeds to the Final Four, college hockey has a hodge-podge of Frozen Four contestants. Two number one seeds have been knocked out, and a two and a four seed are suddenly looking very good to win it all.

Let’s go region by region and see what happened to give us Michigan, Notre Dame, North Dakota, and Boston College in the Frozen Four in Denver.

EASTERN REGION
#1 Michigan 5, #4 Niagara 1
Michigan had no problems as the top seed in the easiest region, and Niagara can take solace in the notion that Kyle Rogers was able to move on to the NHL. Purple Eagles would have liked a better showing, but when you’re up against the juggernaut, it’s rough.
#3 Clarkson 2, #2 St. Cloud State 1
The Eastern mid-major was able to sneak past the Midwestern mid-major, and it had a lot to do with Shea Guthrie and Grant Clitsome. Those two get the all-tournament nod for their performances…

#1 Michigan 2, #3 Clarkson 0
...but Kevin Porter proved to be just too much. Six goals in two games, including four in that win above and the only two here, and the Wolverines continue their march as the favorite.

WEST REGION
#4 Notre Dame 7, #1 New Hampshire 3
So much for avoiding that one-and-done philosophy that UNH was trying to avoid. Horrible showing, especially by Kevin Regan in net, and get three assists from Van Guilder to mark the upset of the Tournament.
#3 Michigan State 3, #2 Colorado College 1
Home cooking? Who needs it. The defending champs marked their territory and Jeff Lerg was fantastic in net. Colorado College has to be disappointed with an early exit, considering they had so much going for them with the games being held in Colorado Springs.

#4 Notre Dame 3, #3 Michigan State 1
Van Guilder gets the winner, and little known Teddy Ruth gets just his second goal of the YEAR to clinch a Cinderella run for the Irish. I hadn’t expected the Spartans to be able to challenge for a repeat, thinking Colorado College would get in their way first, but a relatively successful season can be marked by this Elite 8 appearance.

MIDWEST REGION
#1 North Dakota 5, #4 Princeton 1
Like the Niagara Purple Eagles, Princeton didn’t have a chance. They’re just happy to be in the tournament, and when you face a tough team like North Dakota, it’s a rough ride. They did avoid the shutout, though, with a goal with just 33 seconds remaining in the 3rd period.
#3 Wisconsin 6, #2 Denver 2
For sheer improbability, this might have been the shocker of the tournament. Notre Dame winning gets the upset special because of the 4 v 1 issue, but this was just a shellacking handed down by the Badgers. It was a team effort, too, with ten players getting points.

#1 North Dakota 3, #3 Wisconsin 2 in OT
It took 41 saves from Jean-Philippe Lamoureux and some overtime drama, but the Sioux were able to march on as the other favorite behind Michigan. TJ Oshie helped out in a big way, helping to set up Andrew Kozek for the winner. Oh, and Wisconsin had a two-goal lead to start the third period. Worst. Lead. In. Hockey.

NORTHEAST REGION
#1 Miami 3, #4 Air Force 2 in OT
Now this would’ve been the upset of the Tournament had the Falcons pulled it off, but, alas, the Redhawks prevailed. This should have been a sign, though, that Miami was going to have issues in the Tournament. Only potential Hobey Baker candidate and Erie native Justin Mercier were able to stave off elimination with a game winning goal.
#2 Boston College 5, #3 Minnesota 2
What’s this? A defensive juggernaut in BC exploding for five goals? Perhaps more evidence that Minnesota didn’t really belong, especially as a three seed. For all their maladies, however, the Eagles do have two tremendous goal scorers in Ben Smith and Nathan Gerbe.

#2 Boston College 4, #1 Miami 3 in OT
They barely think of these finishes in Hollywood. The long-time Eagles fan, now skating as a talented but out-of-the-limelight freshman, scoring the game winner to propel his down-and-out team into the Frozen Four. Yes, Joe Whitney pulled off the fluttering shot while in an adrenaline induced haze – he didn’t even see the puck go in – and the Eagles knocked off the Hawks to move on.

Conference awards will be handed out tomorrow here on Faceoff Factor.