As we wrap up our coverage of the 2008 Frozen Four, I wanted to add a few final thoughts.

First, thanks to everyone for reading and we hope you enjoyed the coverage we provided. But also, we hope you’ll check out the terrific coverage of our colleagues and friends at the other national sites, Inside College Hockey and USCHO. They’re also blessed with talented writers and photographers, and all of us do what we do for the love of the game. You could probably spend the next week at work poring over the incredible mass of work produced by all of us this weekend. But you could also find worse ways to spend your time than reading about college hockey.

Next, thank you to everyone associated with the 2008 Frozen Four for making it such an enjoyable time and helping us to do our job as best we could. There are too many people to thank all by name, but the people at the NCAA, the Pepsi Center and the University of Denver, all were so helpful and did a great job. 

Thanks also to the coaches, players and staff from the four schools this weekend. Both for the games on the ice and your help off the ice. There’s an immense amount of pressure and request for time from the teams that make it this far with the incredible quantity of media that covers this event, and to the last man or woman, everyone was as helpful as they could be and we thank you for that.

Finally, congratulations to the 2008 NCAA Champions, Boston College. This was an Eagle team that was a lot of fun to watch and cover, and they won this championship with a terrific mix of talent and hard work. After so many years of late getting close only to fall short, it was nice to see Jerry York and his team get to enjoy everything that comes with finally winning the title. They had to go through four very good teams to get there, and they wouldn’t have done it without playing as a team and working as hard as they did.

Thank you everyone, and we’ll see you this time next year in Washington, DC!

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Be sure to check out audio of Notre Dame defenseman Kyle Lawson talking about his goal that was disallowed against BC, the game plan of the team against the Eagles, and thoughts on the Irish’s season as a whole.

Among other things, Lawson makes it clear that contrary to some views, he was not trying to kick the puck to his stick. The play happened just too fast for that.

Notre Dame’s Kyle Lawson

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7:55 p.m. MDT — And the Eagles soar, for the first time since 2001 and third time in their history. All-Tournament Team: forwards Gerbe, Smith, Deeth, defensemen Lawson and Brennan, goaltender Muse. Most Outstanding Player: Gerbe. Good night from Denver and congratulations to Boston College, 2008 NCAA Champions!

7:39 p.m. MDT — Official quote via the NCAA’s Mark Bedics from video replay official Greg Shepherd: “The puck was kicked in the net by the Notre Dame player’s right skate. The skate was moving toward the goal line. There were sticks in the crease, and we needed to make sure there wasn’t a deflection off the sticks or the defender’s skates after it was kicked.” 4-1 BC now with under 4:00 to play.

7:19 p.m. MDT — The Irish just had a goal waved off that would have cut their deficit to one. This one will be talked about for a while. A pass from Ian Cole to Lawson hit both of Lawson’s skates and went in, but after a five and a half minute delay, referee Todd Anderson waved it off. It could have gone either way, but I think the fact that the replay seems to show Lawson’s right skate moving towards the net was what clinched it for Anderson. And now just after that, Gerbe feeds Smith from behind the net to make it 4-1, so with that two-goal swing, it looks like it’s just about over. I can’t see how any team could bounce back emotionally from that.

7:05 p.m. MDT — Special teams are the story so far (along with Nate Gerbe). BC 2-for-5 on the power play, Notre Dame now 0-for-6 after a Nick Petrecki penalty gave the Irish another opportunity that went by the boards. 16:21 left in the third, 3-1 BC.

6:46 p.m. MDT — End of the second now, still 3-1 BC.

6:39 p.m. MDT — That Irish goal has turned this into a pretty good game. It was looking like BC had it all but wrapped up, but Deeth’s goal gave ND life and they’ve dominated play since.

6:24 p.m. MDT — 10:53 left second, now 3-1 BC. Gerbe set up Smith on the power play for a slapper in the slot to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead, but the Irish responded less than a minute later to keep their hopes alive — Kevin Deeth taking a return pass from Kyle Lawson on a rush across the zone and lifting it over Muse’s glove. Needless to say, a LOT more action this period.

6:14 p.m. MDT — This is Nate Gerbe’s world. We’re just living in it. Gerbe has just scored two goals in 3:14 to give BC a 2-0 lead. First, Ben Smith worked it off the boards behind the net to Gerbe bottom of the left circle for a quick shot that beat Pearce far side. Then on the power play, a shot by Smith went wide, but Gerbe raced to the post and banged in the rebound short side. 14:23 left, 2-0 BC. Gerbe now has five goals in the Frozen Four — most since BU’s Dave Silk in 1977. He also has seven in the tournament, tied for the all time record with three others. Last to do it was Tony Amonte of BU in 1990. But Amonte did it in seven games, while Gerbe has only played four — back then during the 12 team tournament, the first and second rounds were both best-of-three series. BU played three against North Dakota and then three more against Michigan State before falling in the semifinals to eventual NCAA runner-up Colgate.

5:50 p.m. MDT — End of the first, no score. Shots favor BC 7-5 — but it was a very defensive period with few good chances. 

5:38 p.m. MDT — Another ND power play after Matt Greene cross-checks Garrett Regan into the crossbar on a rush and shot by Christian Hanson. Best chance of the period for ND came on that man advantage when Ryan Thang took a feed at the bottom of the left circle from Mark Van Guilder and fired it quickly on net — but Muse made a great right pad save. 3:24 left 1st, 0-0. We’ll keep an eye on BC D Carl Sneep, who went down after blocking a shot and seemed to be in some pain.

5:30 p.m. MDT — First power play of the game goes to Notre Dame, after Kyle Kucharski of BC goes for obstruction holding the stick. But the Irish aren’t able to land even a single shot on net. Still 0-0 with now 7:42 to play in the first.

5:12 p.m. MDT — The Irish have come out hitting. After Gerbe was checked effectvely in the ND zone, Brock Sheahan used the forearm to knock down Brian Gibbons in front of the Irish bench. 15:39 left 1st, 0-0.

4:58 p.m. MDT — Game time is 5:05 p.m. MDT. The Minnesota Wild are here — I passed a load of their bags in the hall on the way to the elevator to the press box. That Stanley Cup series is tied 1-1 and resumes Monday night here at the Pepsi Center.

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10:23 p.m. MDT — Irish win it on Calle Ridderwall’s goal from high in the slot, 5-4, at 5:44 of overtime. The Cinderella run continues! And for Ridderwall, who entered the game with three goals this year, it’s his second of the evening. You never know who the star will be. Good night from Denver.

10:21 p.m. MDT — Five minutes into OT and nothing decided yet. Both teams have played to win here early on — and Notre Dame has had the better of the play. Nothing to lose.

9:57 p.m. MDT — And we’re headed to overtime. It’s after midnight on the East Coast, but we’ve got all kinds of time here. Can’t really say how this one will go. It seemed as if the Wolverines had all the momentum and it was just a matter of time, but then the Irish got a big one from Deeth to regain the lead, and it had the feeling of them holding on for the win. But then Michigan ties it on a fluke goal and we go to OT. Shots in the third, 9-6 Michigan and 29-21 for the game. On another note, the maintenance guys here come out at every TV timeout and sweep up the snow — turns out it’s something they do at every Avs game and indeed according to the guys, it’s happening at every NHL rink as well. We just haven’t seen it in the college game — at the least, I haven’t seen it in college games played in NHL arenas before now.

9:45 p.m. MDT — Hold the phone! Michigan ties it on one Pearce would certainly like back. Carl Hagelin just throws it towards the net from below the goal line, and it hits the skate of Pearce and goes in with 5:21 left. That makes it 4-4, and it’s been a heck of a game.

9:38 p.m. MDT — Just as we were wondering if Hogan could possibly get the start Saturday if Michigan completes the comeback win, he gives one up as the Irish regain the lead. Nifty move by Kevin Deeth to cut in front on a rush and beat Hogan high stick side. That makes it 4-3 UND with 8:30 to play, and boy did the Irish need that goal. It certainly didn’t look good for them the way Michigan has carried play the last two periods. But Notre Dame just might pull this one out after all.

9:21 p.m. MDT — Wolverines tie it up, 3-3, as Kolarik knocks his own rebound out of the air for a power play marker at 2:16. Looks like Cinderella’s luck has run out.

9:03 p.m. MDT — Looks like we’re ready for a good third period. Michigan certainly did get a lift in that period, and it’s now a one goal game after two (3-2 Irish). Hogan hasn’t really been tested, but he’s done what he has had to do as his team forges the comeback. 

8:39 p.m. MDT — All similarities to Game #1 are over. Michigan strikes for two goals in :13 to cut the lead from 3-0 to 3-2. Chad Kolarik took a feed from Kevin Porter and scored his 29th from the high slot at 8:48. Then off the ensuing draw and a rush up ice, Matt Rust knocked in his own rebound. I’m a little surprised Jeff Jackson didn’t use his time out here, but he probably figures that with the change in tone this game has taken, he’ll need it later.

8:24 p.m. MDT — Sauer is replaced in net by freshman Bryan Hogan (5 GP, 3-1-1, 2.54, .904) for the start of the second. Red’s obviously looking for some sort of a spark and I have a feeling he’ll need to get it in a hurry. They need to turn this around quick. 

8:07 p.m. MDT — Are we watching a replay of the first game? It’s 3-0 Notre Dame after one, as Ryan Thang just scored another short side goal on Sauer. That came with just :34 remaining in the first on the shorthand. In both semifinals, the underdogs have taken a huge lead after one, and in both games, the favorite’s goaltender has not had his best period. If this one holds up too, who does God cheer for in the final? Shots in the first: 11-9 Michigan.

7:49 p.m. MDT — Two goals in :42 have given the underdog Irish a big 2-0 lead over top ranked Michigan. Mark Van Guilder just made it 2-0 at 5:42 when he scored short side on Sauer from the bottom of the left circle. That followed a shot from the slot on a rush by Calle Ridderwall at 5:00 that went over the shoulder of the Wolverine netminder.

7:34 p.m. MDT — Semifinal 2 is just about underway, with CCHA foes Notre Dame and Michigan facing off. Michigan owns a 2-0 record against UND this year. Jordan Pearce in net for the Irish and Billy Sauer for the Wolverines in a battle of the schools with two of the best fight songs in college sports.

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6:40 p.m. MDT — Eagles win, 6-1. North Dakota’s Jake Marto broke Muse’s shutout bid with 1:16 to play, firing the puck over the left shoulder of the BC dufflebag. BC goes back to the championship game for the third time in three years, and we will see if that third time is the charm. For the Sioux, possibly the most shocking and frustrating of the three straight semifinal losses to BC, as it didn’t look like any of the UND players had their best game. This will be the second straight year without a WCHA team in the final, following seven straight years with one from 2000-06 (and six titles). And, it will be the second straight matchup between BC and a team from the CCHA. That’ll do it for Semifinal One.

6:10 p.m. MDT — 14:17 left now and still 6-0 Eagles. A high-stick called on BC’s Carl Sneep gives the Sioux their sixth power play of the game. 

5:45 p.m. MDT — End of two now, BC ahead 6-0. In the department of “Stat of the night that doesn’t mean anything”, shots in the game are now 21-17 Eagles after an 8-5 edge in the second. This is only the second time all year that Lamoreux has given up five or more goals (UNH, 7-4 loss w/two empty-netters on Dec. 29) and just the third time he has even been beaten three times. I have to think even the most ardent Eagle followers didn’t see this coming. By the way, the Notre Dame-Michigan semifinal will start a half hour later than expected, at 7:30 p.m. local time (8:30 Central, 9:30 Eastern). This one should end around 6:45 and they’ll need about 40-45 minutes for the second game warmups and then to make ice. 

5:39 p.m. MDT — Not letting up, BC has gone up 6-0 now as Gerbe fed Ben Smith on a 2-on-1 for Smith’s 24th of the year. That came at 11:58, and we now have 2:05 left in the second. We’ve been poring over the record books, and the last time a team won by six or more goals in the semifinals was 25 years ago — ironically, BC lost to Denver, 10-4, in Boston on March 17, 1973.

5:19 p.m. MDT — It’s the Nathan Gerbe show. Mr. Hobey Hat Trick has seemingly dashed any hopes of a Sioux comeback by scoring his third of the game, a power play goal at 6:37, to make it 5-0. Gerbe lifted a backhander over Lamoreux’s stacked pads from the side of the crease for his 33rd of the year. He has a goal of each type in this game — shorthanded, even strength and power play. Of note, the Sioux lost junior D Taylor Chorney to a leg injury early in the period following a collision with an Eagle.

4:54 p.m. MDT — Mercifully for the Sioux and Lamoreux, the first period comes to an end with BC ahead by a commanding 4-0 lead. North Dakota had not allowed more than one goal in the first period all season. And, four goals is the magic number for the Eagles — scoring four or more, BC is 22-0 this year and 88-0-1 since Oct. 17, 2003. The last time BC lost when putting up four goals, the team that beat them was…you guessed it, North Dakota. 6-4 was the score. Shots in the first were 13-12 BC. 

4:51 p.m. MDT — Holy cow! Two more BC goals and it’s a one-sided game just like that. Lamoreux has had probably his worst period of the season. First it was Gerbe scoring again with a shot from the goal line extended that snuck through Lamoreux’s pads at 15:13 — the Hobey nominee tallied his second in less than two minutes. That came after a shot off the wing that hit Lamoreux in the shoulder, seeming to catch him by surprise. (Should have been a 4-on-4 situation — with the teams skating 5-on-5 but each with two players in the box, referee Shegos then sent off a player for each team at 14:59, but manpower didn’t change.) Then with just :15 remaining in the period, the Eagles’ Pat Gannon stole the puck behind the Sioux net and sent it out to Dan Bertram high in the slot for a quick one-timer that made it 4-0. 

4:37 p.m. MDT — BC has struck for two goals to take a 2-0 lead. Andrew Orpik converted a 2-on-1 feed from Kyle Kucharski at 7:08 to make it 1-0. Then Hobey Hat Trick honoree Nathan Gerbe scored on a shorthanded breakaway for a 2-0 lead at 13:14. That goal came just after some good chances on a Sioux power play — North Dakota’s power play has been very good this period, but they’ve hit a post and John Muse has been strong for BC.

3:53 p.m. MDT — We’re just about ready for the first semifinal here in Denver. John Muse gets the start in net for BC, while it’ll be Jean-Philippe Lamoreux for North Dakota. BC will start its second line with Dan Bertram centering Matt Price and Pat Gannon, and Nick Petrecki with Carl Sneep on defense. For the Sioux, it’ll be their second line as well, Rylan Kaip between Matt Watkins and Matt Frattin, and Joe Finley and Chay Genoway are the defensive pair. Matt Shegos of the CCHA will be the referee.

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I just recently started getting the NHL Network. First thing I noticed were these AMAZING promotional spots, featuring an old-school-style coach going on with numerous cliches. It’s hysterical, and a great dig at all those old cliches. There’s a number of spots. I tried to find them on YouTube, and I see I’m not alone. Here’s another guy’s blog about it.

http://jznole.blogspot.com/2008/03/nhl-network-commercials.html

Like him, I think the best one is the one he hasn’t found a video for yet. Which is too bad. But the text of the spot is at that page. If anyone finds the video, let us know.

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Unfortunately, it appears the mechanical issues affecting planes, such as American Airlines’, plus inclement weather — hey it’s snowing in Denver — are causing problems for fans trying to attend the games. In one particularly unfortunate story, a group of friends were all set to go, and everyone made it to Denver except one guy — the guy who has all their tickets.

By the way, I waited all year for it to snow — and I had to come to Denver in April for it to happen. Go figure. Wiped out plans of lots of people attending the Colorado Rockies game this afternoon, which was postponed.

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The CHN crew has arrived in Denver, and everyone had the same question: Where are the mountains? It’s been overcast although somewhat warm, but snow is expected tomorrow and possibly Friday. It feels like it’s been following some of us. This morning I left Manchester, N.H., where the all-time record for snow came close to falling this year. Maybe it’s me.

Michigan has won seven of its nine NCAA titles in Colorado — although the first six came in the opening ten years of the tournament when it resided each year down the road in Colorado Springs. Michigan also won in 1964 in Denver over the hometown favorite Pioneers.

It should be an interesting week. Even though Michigan is the favorite on paper, I can see any of the four teams winning it. North Dakota and BC have done just about everything but win another title since 2000 & 2001, when they faced off two consecutive years in the final with each school winning once. And with the way they have flown under the radar this season, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Notre Dame finally win its first championship. Yet Michigan has been so consistent and so good. Looking forward to three pretty good games.

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Hate to agree with the Sioux fans — who seem to believe that if a UND player doesn’t win the Hobey every year, there’s a conspiracy against them — but J.P. Lamoureux, I figured, would’ve been in the top three. Thing people have to remember is, you’re not voted into the top 3, per se. The vote is taken among the 10 finalists. The three highest vote getters are then announced as the Hobey Hat Trick. Technically, the winner is already known — they just announce the three highest vote getters, and bring them to the Frozen Four for drama. The actual winner is kept secret. But there is no vote among the top three — the voting is already done.

Anyway, I thought Lamoureux would’ve gotten in over Gerbe. Gerbe’s great, but his antics turns people off. Jones is helped by his leadership and off-ice stuff. Anyway, Porter’s gonna win it. First time since BC defenseman Mike Mottau in 2001 that a WCHA player will not win the award.

Sioux fans have also been blasting us all day over not putting T.J. Oshie in our All-CHN team. Thing is, I was backing Oshie most of the year in the Hobey race. I love watching him play. I’m sure he’ll be a very good pro, and probably a better pro than some of the people who made the list. I’m sure of that. But that’s not what this is about. At the end of the day, we just thought that some players made a bigger impact on their team for this season.

But really, it’s just the opinion of our panel. Everyone thinks their guy should be in there. We made the call best we could. It’s just our stupid opinion, after all. There’s lots of great players out there. We enjoy watching them all. The stuff about ‘bias’ really just isn’t true — certainly not moreso than the bias of a rabid fan of your particular team. And that’s the way it should be.

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7:35 p.m. — Joe Whitney is the hero, diving to swat a rebound past Zatkoff at 12:12 of OT to punch BC’s ticket to Denver. A heartbreaking loss for Miami, again so close to a Frozen Four berth, and after so many great chances. Good night from Worcester.

7:33 p.m. — 8:43 left, tied 3-3. BC coach Jerry York took his timeout midway through the OT with Miami dominating and outshooting BC 9-1.

7:24 p.m. — 13:01 left in OT. Muse had to fall on a loose puck after a shot from the point by Martinez. Miami with the better of chances here and outshooting BC 5-1.

6:58 p.m. — And we’re headed to the extra session for the right to go to Denver, tied 3-3. Shots are 38-27 BC. Miami is 3-0-1 in OT this year, including a win last night over Air Force. BC has much more OT experience, 14 games, and the Eagles are 3-3-8 including the triple overtime win over UNH in the HEA semis.

6:50 p.m. — 3:38 to play, tied at 3-3. Bertram had a golden opportunity on the rebound to regain the lead for BC near the end of a power play, but he shot it right into the pad of Zatkoff.

6:34 p.m. — Ryan Jones ties it for Miami with 10:58 to play! He scores on the doorstep, not much Muse could do. Looked like Jones may have taken his man down behind the net without a call just before the goal, but no complaining from the BC side. It comes after several good chances for Miami this period — Muse stopped Kaufman on a redirect early on, then Mercier point blank at the tail end of a Miami power play.

6:04 p.m. — 3-2 BC after two, as the Eagles completed the trifecta with their third in 1:58. It came with 1:14 left after a Miami mistake in the offensive end. BC’s Dan Bertram poked the puck away from a pinching D at the left hash mark and started off a 2-on-1, feeding Ben Smith for the sophomore’s 23rd. And just like that, everything Miami had worked to establish for nearly two periods was erased. Shots are 26-19 BC.

5:56 p.m. — Wow! The Eagles just struck for two goals :14 apart to tie the game. First it was Petrecki one-timing a feed from Gannon on the weak side on a delayed call against the RedHawks. Then off the center ice draw, Gerbe raced up ice and shot in a pass from Gibbons. 2-2, now 1:58 left in the second.

5:41 p.m. — Perhaps the key sequence of the game, as the RedHawks killed off a penalty with Zatkoff making several spectacular saves off the likes of Gerbe and Smith. Then :22 after the penalty expired, Kaufman brought it up ice on a rush and centered to an uncovered Nino Musitelli trailing the play, and the senior slammed it past Muse for his ninth of the year to make it 2-0 Miami. Shots 20-12 BC, 7-2 this period, but the RedHawks have a two goal lead which looks big right now the way Zatkoff is playing.

5:10 p.m. — Jeff Zatkoff is playing well, and Miami has a 1-0 lead on BC after one. The RedHawks are 22-0 this year when scoring first, and 20-0-1 leading after one. BC is 5-7-4 when scored on first, and 4-6-2 when trailing after one. Shots 13-10 BC.

4:54 p.m. — Midway through the first, Miami on top 1-0. The RedHawks got a goal just 1:20 in during a 4-on-4 when Jarod Palmer buried the rebound of a shot by Alec Martinez after both went hard to the net. This is going to be a hard-fought game.

4:20 p.m. — About to get underway here in Worcester. Miami’s Nathan Davis won’t dress with the shoulder injury he re-aggravated last night against Air Force. The big line should be Jones-Camper-Wingels for the RedHawks. Muse in net for BC and Zatkoff for Miami.

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