Ferris State defies expectations, convenient narratives

by Bob Herpen
Phanatic Hockey Editor

Last night's NCAA men's ice hockey final...Boston College vs. Ferris State.

David vs. Goliath.

Man vs. Machine.

Hammer vs. Nail.

Ice cube vs. blow drier.

All wrong. All wrong.

While it was the convenient way for the talking heads to frame Saturday's championship contest, it couldn't have been further from the truth.

Though FSU was a Frozen Four neophyte, it was the champion of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association -- you know, the one with Michigan (most NCAA hockey titles), Michigan State (three crowns, last won in 2007), Notre Dame (2008 final appearance), Miami-Ohio (2009 runner-up) and Western Michigan (2012 conference playoff champs).

They did so with a smothering defense that included a 2.10 goals-against average and three shutouts from senior goaler Taylor Nelson and a total of 94 scores allowed all season. Recognizing that fact, was praise from Caesar...er...BC head coach Jerry York.

"We knew Ferris State was going to be outstanding. They might not have the name recognition, but we knew how good they were. We stayed patient through the first two periods," said York on his opponent's method of good, technical hockey.

The Bulldogs spent some time during the middle portion of the regular season as the #1 team in the country, until they were unseated by their final Tampa foes who were steamrolling the competition. They won a CCHA regular-season title, and despite being toppled by WMU in the quarterfinals, regrouped to win the Midwest Region of the NCAA tournament.

No slouch in his 20th year at the helm of the small school tucked away in central Michigan whose closest neighbor is a state forest, Bob Daniels took home CCHA coach of the year AND national coach of the year honors after guiding his charges to the second-most wins in school history (26) and its first attempt at a Division I title in any sport.

"This team has really blazed a trail," Daniels said on Saturday night. "This team broke some new ground for us and this senior class will leave with three straight winning years and three really great seasons. I think it will give us confidence moving forward that we can be successful on a national stage and with that hopefully we'll continue to grow."

And that's saying something. Daniels presided over the best team in school history back in 2002-03 -- one which went 31-10-1 with a 22-5-1 league mark. That club featured current Pittsburgh Penguins forward Chris Kunitz, but their trek to glory was derailed in the West Regional by eventual champion Minnesota.

FSU finished sixth in the PairWise rankings to end this season and earned a second-seed in its region, hardly the stuff of the legendary basketball upsets that NC State pulled off against Houston or Villanova did against Georgetown in the 80s.

It doesn't even pass muster as a work of fiction, since the Hickory Huskers facing South Bend Central for the Indiana state title takes the cake there.

This was a case of two strong teams -- albeit one with a better pedigree -- battling for national supremacy. Ferris State belonged.

Just don't tell that to anyone in charge of what you see and hear.

BC downs Ferris State, caps dream season with NCAA crown

by Bob Herpen

Phanatic Hockey Editor

Steven Whitney tallied twice and Parker Milner stopped 27 shots as Boston College downed Ferris State, 4-1, in the NCAA men's ice hockey championship game on Saturday night at Tampa Bay Times Forum.

"We've always tried to have excellent defensemen, and our forwards have been very explosive, but they all share great team bonding," said BC head coach Jerry York, whose senior class finished their careers an impressive 22-2 in the postseason.

Paul Carey and Johnny Gaudreau also scored for the Eagles (33-10-1), who claimed their fourth national crown in the last 12 seasons by winning their 19th straight game.

The streak began following back-to-back losses at Maine on January 20-21 and grew to be the longest in the country. Only Cornell, which took all 29 of its games in 1969-70, won more in a row to cap a title season.

Milner earned most outstanding player honors by only giving up two goals in four tournament games as BC took home its fifth championship in program history. The Eagles turned in a rare quintuple triumph, taking the preseason Icebreaker Tournament, the Beanpot, the Hockey East regular-season and playoff titles as well as the national championship.

"It's incredible. It's everything you dream about," said the junior netminder.

Garrett Thompson notched the lone goal for the Bulldogs (26-12-5), who were bidding for the school's first ever Division I title in any sport.

Taylor Nelson was dented three times on 33 shots for the loss, FSU's first since suffering CCHA quarterfinal defeats to Western Michigan.

"This team has really blazed a trail," said Ferris State head coach Bob Daniels, who nonetheless took home national coach of the year honors after battling atop the national rankings with BC during the middle part of the season. "This team broke some new ground for us and this senior class will leave with three straight winning years and three really great seasons. I think it will give us confidence moving forward that we can be successful on a national stage and with that hopefully we'll continue to grow."

Both goaltenders were on their game as time ticked away in a one-goal contest.

Milner dove from right to left across his crease to deny Travis Ouellette's one-timer with 7:07 left in regulation, and Nelson flashed his right pad to deny Chris Kreider less than two minutes later.

Gaudreau then salted away the title with 3:02 on the clock, beating a defender with several stick moves and lifting a backhander under the crossbar.

"I just went with it, and luckily it happened to work for me, and luckily it went in," said the freshman winger and Flames draft pick.

Nelson was pulled for an extra skater 1:28 remaining and Whitney hit the empty net to clinch it.

"I think it's the quality of kids that we have in our program," said senior captain and defenseman Tommy Cross, who leaves The Heights as one of six players to win it all twice in the last three years. "There's a huge trickle down effect here. It's 25 brothers."

Whitney opened the scoring just 3:18 after the opening faceoff. A Ferris State turnover deep in its own endended up on the stick of BC's Barry Almeida on the right wing, and he dished across the crease for an easy tap-in.

The Bulldogs equalized at 5:19 when Thompson followed up an Andy Huff shot and scored inside the right post.

BC moved ahead on a power play with 9:27 to go in the opening period, when Brian Dumoulin's left-point floater changed direction off the edge of the blade of Carey's stick in the slot. A brief review revealed the stick was well within the legal height.

Milner stayed in position to stone Kyle Bonis on a breakaway with 5:22 remaining, then made a pad save on his belly to deny Huff at the right post in the final seconds of the first.

Bonis was hooked on a breakaway just after the midway portion of the second, and on the ensuing advantage, Nelson turned away an Almeida shot off a 2-on-1.

"What a year," said Nelson. "I'm extremely proud of every individual in that locker room. All season long, we sacrificed for one another and bled for one another. And, as far as what it means to the program, I think in our minds, it made history."

Notes: BC ended the year 25-0-1 when leading after two periods...Cornell had future Montreal Canadiens Hall of Famer Ken Dryden in goal in that perfect season...RPI finished the 1984-85 campaign 32-0-1 in its final 33 games en route to the crown, with the tie part of a two-game opening-round series where the winner advanced on total number of goals...York won his fifth career national title (four with BC, one with Bowling Green)...The Eagles' only two playoff losses in four years came in the 2009 Hockey East semifinals to eventual champion Boston University and to Colorado College in last year's first round...FSU defenseman Scott Czarnowczan left the game in the second period with a knee injury and did not return...Four of the last five NCAA titles have been won by Boston-area schools with BC winning three times (2008, 2010, 2012) and Boston University in 2009...Attendance was 18,818.

Tampa Titletown: 2012 Frozen Four preview

by Bob Herpen
Phanatic Hockey Editor

Originally released through The Sports Network

Two schools which are no strangers to success and two programs new to the national stage comprise the field for the 2012 Frozen Four, set to kick off Thursday afternoon at Tampa Bay Times Forum.

In the late semifinal, a marquee matchup finds the Boston College Eagles squaring off against the Golden Gophers of Minnesota.

Boston College (31-10-1) Head Coach: Jerry York (444-222-60); Captain: Tommy Cross

For BC, the Frozen Four is old hat, thanks to the consistent plan for success implemented by York, now in his 18th season on The Heights. This will be the school's eighth trip to college hockey's final weekend since 2000 and their third in five seasons. The last two berths -- 2008 and 2010 -- resulted in national titles, and it may be expected again from this year's journey.

Boston College enters the semifinals with a whole host of honors trailing behind it: Beanpot champion, Hockey East regular-season and playoff champion, and riding a 17-game win streak. It arrives on the Gulf Coast fresh from dispatching Air Force and defending-champion Minnesota-Duluth in the Northeast Regional final.

Junior goaltender Parker Milner has yet to allow a goal to this point, having blanked the Falcons and Bulldogs, respectively. Freshman Johnny Gaudreau is turning into a bona-fide threat, armed with 20 goals, as well as Hockey East most valuable player honors. New York Rangers prospect and junior forward Chris Kreider leads the way with 23 scores and 44 points.

The Eagles previously won it all in 1949 and 2001.

Minnesota (28-13-1) Don Lucia (317-171-54); Captain: Taylor Matson

The Gophers are seeking their first championship game appearance since winning the second of back-to-back titles in 2003. Their quest may be buoyed by sending home their WCHA rivals, North Dakota, in the West Regional final -- sweet revenge for sure after the Sioux prevented them from appearing in the conference title contest. Minnesota had an easier time against Boston University in the tourney opener, winning by a tournament-high margin of four goals in a 7-3 triumph.

Minnesota is out to recapture the glory of its past -- both distant and recent. Despite winning twice last decade, the storied program hasn't made the Frozen Four since 2005, when it lost to eventual runner-up UND, and this year marks the first time since 2008 it has even graced the 16-team NCAA bracket.

Sophomore Nick Bjugstad leads a whopping six players in double figures with 25 goals, while fellow second-year man Erik Haula leads the team with 48 points. Senior netminder Kent Patterson has been in goal for all 28 wins thus far and carries a 2.23 goals-against average.

The terror of the Twin Cities took home the title in 1974, 1976, and 1979 under the legendary Herb Brooks, and Lucia was at the helm for the 2002-03 victories.

Union (26-7-7) Rick Bennett (26-7-7); Captain: Nolan Julseth-White

Ferris State (25-11-5) Bob Daniels (333-361-79); Captains: Tommy Hill, Chad Billins

A pair of newcomers to the slippery dance, the Dutchmen and Bulldogs have both surfed waves of unprecedented success to arrive on Florida's Gulf Coast.

Like BC, Union pulled off the rare double, finishing atop the ECAC in both the regular season and postseason. Ferris State, on the other hand, finished first in the CCHA for the regular season and battled BC atop the national rankings, but fell to Bowling Green in a best-of-three quarterfinal series.

The Dutchmen brushed off Michigan State and UMass-Lowell with a pair of two- goal decisions to take the East Regional, while the Bulldogs dispatched perennial power Denver and slipped by Cornell in the Midwest to reach the terminal weekend.

Daniels, the CCHA coach of the year, leads a crop of talented forwards -- senior center Jordie Johnston (20G, 16A) chief among them -- for the most explosive offense since the 2002-03 squad featured three 20-goal scorers including current Pittsburgh Penguin Chris Kunitz. Ferris State spent a good part of the middle portion of the season atop the national rankings before being overtaken by Boston College late in the year.

The Dutchmen are led by a player (Julseth-White) who has yet to score a goal in 99 collegiate appearances over four years. No matter, since junior forward Jeremy Welsh has netted a team-high 27 goals, while Daniel Carr (19) and Wayne Simpson (18) provided additional scoring punch.

Backing that up is sophomore puck-stopper Troy Grosenick, who has yielded but three goals in the tourney to aid his school in attaining their first semifinals as a Division I program, and first since 1985, when they competed in Division III. Along with freshman Colin Stevens, the tandem recorded the lowest combined goals-against in the country at 1.80.

Ferris State's last line of defense is Taylor Nelson, who, if not for Milner, would be regarded as the best netminder in the tournament. He allowed just two goals en route to the Midwest Regional crown, part of a season in which his GAA was lowered to 2.10 and save percentage raised to .923.

Predicted Outcomes: Minnesota 4, Boston College 3 (OT); Union 2, Ferris State 1 (OT) Minnesota 3, Union 2 (OT)