Brian: We are now less than 24 hours away from game time, so Jeff and I preview the Frozen Four matchup with the Fighting Sioux with a game of toss up ...
Toss Up - Tougher Frozen Four opponent - Michigan or North Dakota?
Jeff: North Dakota is tougher because North Dakota is Boston College's opponent! A team you don't have to play is not difficult.
Brian: I think the question was more about which opponent left do you think is the tougher competition ... I initially thought Michigan, but I've now turned the corner and am going with North Dakota. I am BUYING the WCHA and selling the CCHA teams.
Toss Up - More impressive "ironman" streak - Muse's 42 of 42 starts and 2605:05 in net this season, or senior captain Mike Brennan who played in 175 games (never missed a game in 4 years)?
Brian: I'm going to go with Brennan. Not missing a game in 4 years is pretty impressive, even if he does play on the defensive side of the puck. I don't want to take anything away from Muse here, who's had an incredible freshman season and is largely responsible for getting this season's Eagles to where they are today.
Jeff: You are absolutely correct in going with Brennan. A goaltender plays as many minutes as his coach allows or makes him. That is no ironman streak. Goalies are rarely injured and college teams do not play nearly as many games as NHL teams so the rest that goalies typically get once in a while is not as necessary.
Toss Up - Better freshman OT game-winner - Beanpot hero Nick Petrecki's or Whitney's Northeast Regional winner?
Jeff: Whitney's regional winner. The regional was nationally televised so more people got to see it and the NCAA tournament is far more important. Lose in the NCAAs and your season is over, lose in the Beanpot and you still have bigger fish to fry. It is important to note though that both made SportsCenter.
Brian: The better, more incredible goal was Whitney's, but if you are going for style points, nothing tops Nick Petrecki's game winning celebration. The rowboat?! Style points, creativity and form all far surpassed Whitney's game winner. So I'm going with Whitney's goal as more important/impressive, but going with Petrecki for the better celebration.
Last one, Toss Up - Who ya got? BC - North Dakota, and Michigan - Notre Dame?
Brian: I am nervous about the Eagles matchup tomorrow. It's REALLY hard to beat a team 3 years in a row in the national semifinals, but I'm going to go with my heart here and say that the Eagles keep things rolling. For the other matchup, again it's really difficult to beat a team 3 times in the same season ... ask this year's version of the Dallas Cowboys. I'm going to go the other way on this. I'm going with Notre Dame with the major upset, if only because Notre Dame survived the West regional of death, and Michigan had, by far, the easiest road to the Frozen Four. All Catholic final, let's do this.
Jeff: Notre Dame beat New Hampshire easily and then went on to beat Michigan State in this tournament. I don't know a lot about hockey but I know UNH had a good season so Notre Dame is clearly playing well and I give them the edge. Michigan expects to win and therefore has pressure, ND has no pressure on them to win. In the important matchup, I'm going with BC, obviously. What difference does it make that we've beat North Dakota the last two years? 3 times in one year might be a big deal but 3 times in 3 years ... no big deal. In 2001 North Dakota scored two late goals to force OT but then somehow BC regained composure and won the game. If BC could beat them under those circumstances I certainly expect them to win before the game starts tomorrow!
Brian: Jeff agreed to most of what I said in typical, boring fashion. Therefore, I win (again). But enough blog games, it's almost game time ... Go Eagles!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
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8 comments:
You guys are absolutely right in going with Brennan. I love Muse, and hope his success grows and continues, but Brennan has meant so much to the school and the team over such a long period of time. His is an unbelievable streak, he continues the great line of captains we have had recently, and we'll certainly miss him next year (any thoughts on who will be captain next year? gerbe, even though he takes so many penalties? I would have thought Bradford, but now he has missed a whole season i doubt it)
Can't wait til tomorrow! Go BC!
Purely speculating, I think the captains and assistants next year will be Gerbe, Ferriero and Bradford/Aiello, in no order.
Guys, usually your analysis is great, but come on- you're both taking ND over Michigan?! Did you see how Michigan played this year? Not just in the regional, but all season they dominated the opposition. I'd love nothing more to see an ND-BC final (with a BC victory, of course), but I don't see it happening. Barring an epic fail from their goaltender, Michigan will cruise past ND. As for our game.....I've got to go BC, but I've been kept up at night just thinking about this game. Lamoureux can take a game by himself, so we need a hot Gerbe, because we all know he can take a game as well. I cannot wait til game time. Go Eagles!
maybe we are overanalyzing this, but you gotta go out on a limb some time. plus michigan dominated all season, but it was the ccha, and bc just dispatched one of the best ccha teams. anything can happen in a single elimination tournament ... go bc!
i have a question but you guys might be too young- who is better, Muse or Clemmensen as a freshman when he basically carried the team on his back to a runner-up finish to michigan in OT and set the record for scoreless streak?
we were only around for clemmensen's senior year on the heights.
OK, I'm eating my words. You guys are clairvoyant. ND in the final? Another Holy War?! Bring it on!!!!
Go Eagles!
sometimes we surprise even ourselves
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