The best College Hockey coverage is at CollegeHockeyNews.com http://www.collegehockeynews.com Fri, 09 May 2008 16:07:31 -0400 RSSCreator 1.2 http://www.collegehockeynews.com/images/design/chn2006-text-180px.gif http://www.collegehockeynews.com College Hockey News http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/05/01_looking.php Another college hockey season is behind us, and [[Boston College]] won its third national championship [[/news/2008/04/13_ffgerbes.php]]with a 4-1 win over Notre Dame[\]. Overall, it was a great NCAA tournament, with just enough thrills and suspense, Notre Dame making its first Frozen Four, with a number of other teams finding it hard to shake their typical NCAA demons (New Hampshire, North Dakota ... Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/04/13_ffheartbreaking.php It's hard enough to lose in the national championship game. Getting asked for interviews after that loss must feel like rubbing salt in an open wound. But so is the nature of the beast -- players must play and, well, writers must write. And so with a heavy heart, and visible dejection on his face, Notre Dame assistant captain Dan VeNard pulled himself together to offer his thoughts on his team's ... Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/04/12_replay.php Notre Dame had a goal disallowed midway through the third period, which would have made Saturday's NCAA final a 3-2 game in Boston College's favor. Instead, moments later, the Eagles scored to make it 4-1. Kyle Lawson accepted a cross-ice feed, turning his left skate to try to corral the puck before tapping it into an empty net. He then knocked it back towards his stick the other way with his ... Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/04/12_ffcommentary.php It's one of those years where, despite the fun and greatness of another NCAA tournament, we leave having to address the most controversial play of it. Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson and defenseman Kyle Lawson were both extremely gracious after the game, a 4-1 win by Boston College in the NCAA final. But the play of the game, midway through the third period, a disallowed goal by Lawson, was a huge ... Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/04/12_ffputting.php It will be the play Notre Dame fans talk about for years. Trailing 3-1, Irish sophomore defenseman Kyle Lawson appeared to have scored to pull his club within one with 15:04 to play, hoping for one more miracle against favorite Boston College. Instead, the goal was disallowed. And just :35 later, Ben Smith put the finishing touches on the Eagles' third NCAA title -- a two goal swing. Instead ... Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/04/11_ffwho.php Michigan's senior captain Chad Kolarik had played him twice in the regular season, but he didn't know his name. He scored twice, including the game-winner in overtime to lift his Norte Dame team over the Wolverines, 5-4, in Thursday night's semifinal game at the Frozen Four, but still, Kolarik didn't know his name. "Number 22, I don't know his name, but he played a heck of a game," said Kolarik. His ... Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/04/11_ffwelcome.php Whatever your allegiances, consider it a treat to have someone like Jeff Jackson back on this stage. Jackson won two national titles with Lake Superior State, in 1992 and 1994. Now he'll get another shot, with Notre Dame, thanks to a thrilling 5-4 overtime win against Michigan on Thursday. There are so many great coaches in college hockey these days, and so many of them are such great people ... Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/04/11_ffnotre.php After the exhilaration of Friday's win over Michigan, it was right back to work for Jeff Jackson and his staff, as it looks for an edge against Boston College. "After having a bite to eat the whole coaching staff was (examining BC)," said Jackson. "I am fortunate to have a tremendous staff. I knew that when we brought in Paul Pooley, and keeping Andy Slaggert. It boils down to the coaching staff. ... Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/04/11_ffccha.php Last year, Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson [[/news/2007/04/06_jackson.php]]broke down how Michigan State could defeat heavily-favored Boston College[\] in the national championship game. Patience, he said, was key. A highly-skilled team like Boston College loses its patience playing against a team like Michigan State, and tries to do too much. As it turned out, of course, Jackson's words were prophetic ... Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/04/10_ffredemption.php For Frozen Four finalists Boston College and Notre Dame, two Catholic institutions, the idea of redemption never seemed so appropriate. It's the first time in the 61-year history of the NCAA Division I Ice Hockey Tournament that the championship will be contested by two Catholic schools. And besides going for a title, both have something to prove -- a reason to redeem themselves. Last year looked ... Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/04/09_ffunderdog.php Notre Dame finds itself on the short end of most pundits' predictions as the biggest underdog in the 2007 NCAA Frozen Four, going against top seeded Michigan in one semifinal. But the Fighting Irish have already dispatched fellow CCHA foe Michigan State, the defending NCAA champion, on the road to Denver. And drawing Michigan next -- the Wolverines swept Notre Dame, 3-2 and 5-1, back in January ... Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/04/08_ffnotre.php Notre Dame could not have been any closer to falling off the cliff without going over. A sub.-500 second half of the season followed what was a 16-4 start. The team barely won its quarterfinal playoff series, limped into The Joe, where it promptly lost two games -- including a 2-1 OT loss to Miami in the semis, when the RedHawks tied it in the closing seconds. Somehow, things broke right for the ... Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/04/07_ffnotre.php A list of players to watch on Notre Dame as we reach the Frozen Four. **Mark Van Guilder, Senior Forward** Van Guilder was one of the biggest beneficiaries of Jeff Jackson's system when he came to Notre Dame three years ago. Combined with his natural leadership ability, 6-foot-2 frame, and all-around skills, Van Guilder blossomed. Van Guilder went from eight goals as a sophomore, to 18 goals ... Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/04/07_fffighting.php It was a season with wide momentum swings for the Fighting Irish. These are their defining moments: **November split with Miami** Notre Dame had a magical run in 2006-07, but with goalie David Brown graduated and other changes, no one knew what to make of this season. The Irish's start to this season was a bit uneven, but on Nov. 9, it was clear that Notre Dame wasn't going to be a one-hit wonder. The ... Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/03/30_weunderdog.php The West Regional did not disappoint this year, and neither did Notre Dame. On paper, Notre Dame was an underdog and a big underdog at that against the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday night. Of course, no moreso than the bigger underdog it was against New Hampshire the night before. But the Irish were strong of heart and true to their name; the Irish battled, scrapped, and fought for every ... Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/03/28_wenotre.php While every NCAA hockey tournament has its fair share of upsets, it didn't take long for this year's Cinderella to emerge. Heavy underdog Notre Dame had come into the game having won only three of its last 10 games and was without the services of its leading scorer, Erik Condra. But the Fighting Irish lived up to their nickname as they fought their way to an eye-popping 7-3 victory over No. 1 seed ... Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/03/27_weregional.php At World Arena -- Colorado Springs, Colo. Friday, March 28 * Notre Dame (24-15-4) vs. New Hampshire (25-9-3), 6:30 p.m., ESPN360.com (tape delay on ESPNU, 1 a.m. on 3/29) * Michigan State (24-11-5) vs. Colorado College (28-11-1), 10 p.m., ESPNU Saturday, March 29 Regional final, 10 p.m., ESPNU **1. New Hampshire Wildcats (25-9-3)** Despite a loss in a triple overtime thriller to Boston ... Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/03/22_bubble.php The TUC Cliff is rearing its ugly head today, in a bad way. And it's indicative of the major thing that's wrong with the [[Pairwise]] system. (Thanks to some alert readers for pointing some of this out.) In this case, here's the bottom line: Notre Dame is better off losing today's consolation game than tying. As we've written so many times over the years, the Pairwise system the NCAA uses ... Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/03/22_notredame.php After Notre Dame lost a 2-1 heartbreaker Friday to Miami, its focus immediately turned to the third-place consolation game. Beating Northern Michigan the next day would essentially guarantee the on-the-bubble Fighting Irish a spot in the NCAA tournament. So after the game, all [[Notre Dame]] senior center Mark Van Guilder discussed was recovering from the loss, refocusing and redeeming the team's ... Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/03/21_closeto.php Jordan Pearce was 3.4 seconds away from the perfect game. Against a Miami offense that currently ranks No. 1 in the nation with 4.3 goals per game, the Notre Dame goalie turned in 59 minutes and 57 seconds of the best hockey in his career, completely denying the RedHawks' forwards a good look at the net. But those extra ticks on the clock were all Miami needed. Down 1-0 with 40 seconds left in ... Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT