>Just a few things to pass along about the page here…on the right side menu, you’ll notice a new poll about who the starting goaltender should be. I’m curious to hear your opinions! Also, just below that you’ll find the “Tournament Central” section. There are brackets, a game preview, and TV listings for the tournament coverage.

In addition, I have added the “2008-09” tournament banner further down on the left side of the page.

Enjoy! Go RedHawks!

>NCAA Championships: Seven (1958, 1960, 1961, 1968, 1969, 2004, 2005)
NCAA Appearance: 19th (most recent, 2008)
Head Coach: George Gwozdecky (Wisconsin ’78)

What You Need to Know: The Pioneers have been dealing with injuries, especially in the second half of the season. The good news is that Tyler Bozak is expected to return to the lineup, giving DU a much-needed boost at center. Tyler Ruegsegger is out for the season. Even when players are missing, there is sufficient, talented depth to make a difference for the Pioneers. Freshman Joe Colborne really came on in the second half of the season. Denver holds a record of 23-11-5 and a mark of 16-8-4 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). The Pioneers are coming off a 4-0 loss to Minnesota-Duluth in the championship game of the WCHA tournament. Denver also finished second in the WCHA regular season, two points behind North Dakota. The Pioneers are led by Anthony Maiani who has 41 points (11-30-41) on the season. Denver also features three 15-goal scorers in Rhett Rakhshani, Tyler Guegsegger and Luke Slasar.

How They’ll Advance: You don’t win 23 games in a year, including 16 in the WCHA, by accident. The Pioneers are a very good skating team and are the best suited team of the four in the Minneapolis regional to playing on the huge ice at Mariucci Arena, although they’ll be taking that particular surface for the first time this year (and were 0-3-1 in four games on big sheets at Colorado College and St. Cloud State). Freshman defenseman Patrick Wiercioch has 12 goals and is a difference maker from the blue line.

What Might Trip Them Up: The Pioneers were 6-5-1 against NCAA Tournament teams this season, but just 1-4-1 in those games in the second half of the year. Consistency in taking care of the wins you’re supposed to get is a key to success in the regular season, but there has to be some concern about how Denver plays when good teams start to push back at this time of the year.

NCAA Championships: None
NCAA Appearance: Seventh (most recent, 2007)
Head Coach: Enrico Blasi (Miami ’93)

What You Need to Know: After a 6-0-1 stretch that put the Redhawks in a great position to finish at least second in the regular season, Miami finished the year 2-4-1, including a 3-game CCHA quarterfinal loss to Northern Michigan. Having played well most of the year, the Redhawks have to be alarmed that they’re not exactly on a roll headed into the national tournament.

How They’ll Advance: Miami has a very productive offense and two freshmen goaltenders who have been reliable for most of the year. With player like Carter Camper, Justin Mercier and Andy Miele taking the reins, the Redhawks have the ability to outscore anyone that they come across.

What Might Trip Them Up : Over the past few years it seems like the RedHawks complete great regular seasons but are incredibly inconsistent in the postseason. The team hasn’t shown that they have learned from past losses and suffered an early exit from the CCHA Tournament. Until they prove they can win in the postseason, you have to wonder if they’ll ever make a dent in the national tournament.

The Venue

Fourteen years after the new Mariucci Arena first graced the campus of the University of Minnesota, fans and players alike still are amazed by the breathtaking beauty of a sold-out Mariucci and the atmosphere it provides. In 1993, the old Mariucci Arena, located in front of Williams Arena, took on a whole new face when it relocated just north of its old home. The new Mariucci Arena brings a brand new look to Golden Gopher hockey, not only from the outside, but inside as well. With the best sight lines possible from every seat, no Gopher fan is ever disappointed with the view of the fastest game in town. The Olympic-sized (200 feet by 100 feet) ice sheet lends itself to the free-wheeling style of play of Minnesota’s “Pride on Ice.” With the capability to have ice year-round, the arena brings a truly state-of-the-art facility to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus.

This year marks the fourth time in 10 years that Mariucci Arena has hosted the NCAA West Regional, joining 2000, 2003 and 2005. In 2006, the facility welcomed the NCAA’s Women’s Frozen Four.

The 2001-02 season featured the introduction of 18 luxury suites, which increased the capacity of the building from 9,700 to 10,000. It was the third time that seating capacity has been increased, a testament to the support the Golden Gophers receive from the community.

Upon entering the building, fans immediately become part of the action as play on the ice can be heard from the George Lyon Lobby. The glassed-in entrance features a clear glass elevator, original brick from Memorial Stadium and a display dedicated to the legendary John Mariucci, for whom the building is named.

Escalators on either side of the lobby bring fans up to the concourse level where the fastest game in town can be seen. The open-bowl configuration allows fans to watch the game from anywhere on the concourse.

The arena seating capacity of 9,305 for the first three seasons increased to 9,700 before the 1996-97 campaign, continuing to make Mariucci Arena one of the premier collegiate hockey venues in the country. The nearly 500 person-per game average increase is due in large part to the 395 additional seats added between 1995-96 and 1996-97, the continued demand for standing-room only tickets and also to the continuous fan demand to watch a Gopher hockey game and take in the Mariucci Arena experience.

The last time these two teams met was during the 2006 Ice Breaker Tournament. Miami won the game 5-2, with defenseman Michael Findorff scoring the first ever goal at Cady Arena.

Box Score of 2006 Icebreaker Game vs. Denver

(Information in this post credited to INCH.com and MURedHawks.com)

>As the show progresses, I’ll be updating the official brackets. Boston University is the number one overall seed in the tourney.

Manchester: (Northeast)

(1) Boston University vs. (4) Ohio State
(2) North Dakota vs. (3) New Hampshire

Grand Rapids: (Midwest)

(1) Notre Dame vs. (4) Bemidji State
(2) Northeastern vs. (3) Cornell

Bridgeport: (East)

(1) Michigan vs. (4) Air Force
(2) Yale vs. (3) Vermont

Minneapolis: (West)

(1) Denver vs. (4) Miami
(2) Minnesota-Duluth vs. (3) Princeton

Click to view the Frozen Four bracket:

With the Miami bid, the RedHawks will play on Friday at 5:30pm on ESPN2. If they were to win that game and move to the regional finals, they would then play on Saturday at 9:00pm on ESPNU. Both games are available in HD. Below are the TV listings for each tournament game:

>The question now seems to be, not if the RedHawks will be in, but where they will play. Finishing 13 in the PWI earns the RedHawks a number four seed. CHN’s final projected bracket is as follows:

Minneapolis

(1) Denver vs. (4) Miami
(2) Northeastern vs. (3) Princeton

Obviously, a Miami/Denver matchup would be several things…emotional, due to George Gwozdecky’s MU connection, tough, given that the Pioneers are a national powerhouse, not to mention former national champions and one could even describe the matchup this way: winnable. While Miami had a tough second half of the regular reason, we’ve seen the Jeckel and Hyde personality that this team has. Remember the sweeps of Michigan and Notre Dame? Denver is vulnerable. Beaten by University of Minnesota-Duluth in the WCHA title game, the Pioneers could be doubting their game heading into the Frozen Four…lest we forget, they *are* a number one seed.

Remember, today is Selection Sunday! Tune in at 11:30 AM on ESPN2 to find out where the RedHawks land. I’ll be updating the blog here, as the show progresses.

>Quick update from work here…

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have defeated the Michigan Wolverines, 5-2, to win the Mason Cup. You’ll recall that Notre Dame won the regular season as well.

Back later with some bracketology on the eve of Selection Sunday. It looks good for now!

– INCH has released all the TV listings for the NCAA Frozen Four Tournament. Click Here to view them.

>Yes. Having worked out every conference tournament scenario, I was unable to find one that put Miami out of the top 14 in the PWI and a few, that placed the RedHawks as high as 12th, meaning the squad would, in all likelihood, earn a 3 seed. USCHO bracket guru Jayson Moy believes that there are already 14 teams “in” the tournament. Take a look:

There are 14 teams in the tournament.

BU, Notre Dame, Michigan, Denver, Yale, Northeastern, Minn.-Duluth, North Dakota, Vermont, New Hampshire, Cornell, Miami, Bemidji State and the AH winner.

Yale and Cornell clinched with wins today. The same for Minnesota-Duluth. Miami also clinches because of the math. The only teams that can pass Miami are Princeton and Mass.-Lowell, but even so, the RedHawks still get into the tournament.

There are 2 spots left.

The two easiest paths to these two spots belong to Princeton and UML. A win and they are in.

If UML wins, it gets one spot, but if it loses, it’s out.

If Princeton wins, it gets one spot, but if it loses, it’s out.

The other teams eligible for the final two spots are St. Lawrence, Minnesota and Ohio State.

You can follow all the thoughts and insight into the RedHawks tourney hopes on Twitter/miamiicehockey.

– In the CCHA consolation game at “The Joe,” Northern Michigan claimed third place with a 2-0 win over Alaska this afternoon. Michigan and Notre Dame will meet in the championship game tonight at 7:35.

>Click to view the CCHA tournament bracket:

– As day one action of “College Hockey at the Joe” has wrapped up, the quest for the Mason Cup is now down to two teams: Notre Dame and Michigan. The Irish played the early game on Thursday’s docket, beating Northern Michigan 2-1 with one minute left in regulation. And yes, Wildcat goaltender Brian Stewart was very good-again. For those wondering, next year will be his senior season at NMU.

In the night cap, Michigan faced a tough test in the Alaska Nanooks, the same Nanooks that claim both the CCHA Coach of the Year, Dallas Ferguson and the CCHA Player of the Year, Chad Johnson. On this night, even the Justice League wouldn’t have helped UAF, as Michigan added two power play goals and an empty net goal to seal the 3-1 victory.

With the Wolverines’ advancement to the finals, Northern Michigan will take on Alaska today at 3:35pm, in the third place/cohsolation game. U of M and Notre Dame will meet in the finals for the second time in three years, at 7:30pm.

– All of this is occurring just hours before the NCAA hockey selection committee announces their field of 16 teams to compete in the 2009 Frozen Four tourney. As of right now, all scenarios seem to include the RedHawks in the field of 16. Let’s hope there are no “burst bubbles” come Sunday at noon-time. The Selection Show will air on ESPN2, on Sunday morning at 11:30am, with a bracket to follow on this web page.

– Finally tonight, some Ryan Jones news. He was listed at number 41 on TSN’s ranking of the top 100 NHL rookies. Here’s what they had to say about the former Miami captain:

Hard-working winger who was acquired in the Marek Zidlicky deal and spent some time in the AHL this season. Willingness to go to the net could make him a 20-goal scorer.

Jones currently has seven goals and nine assists in his rookie season. You can view the rest of the list by clicking this link..

>Click to view the CCHA Tournament Bracket

With many at a loss for words over the RedHawks Sunday night ousting from the CCHA tournament, the Miami Icers now find themselves as a bubble team, hoping to get into the NCAA Frozen Four Tournament. As of this writing, Miami’s PWI is currently tied with St. Lawrence at 14, a little on the high side…So…we need a little luck come Selection Sunday.

As the quest for the Mason Cup continues, Alaska defeated Ohio State on Sunday with a late third period goal to punch their ticket to the Joe. They’ll join Northern Michigan, Michigan, and Notre Dame when action kicks off on Friday afternoon.

Selection Sunday is this week, March 22.

>Click to view the CCHA tournament bracket:

One game on the docket today would decide two second round playoff series’ as the first round of the CCHA playoffs came to a close. In Sunday’s only match up, Western Michigan defeated Lake Superior 3-1 to win the series against the Lakers and move into a second round matchup with the University of Michigan next weekend. With the Broncos win, Nebraska-Omaha also found out what awaits them in just six days-a trip to South Bend to take on the number one seed Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.

As you can see on the bracket above, Ohio State travels to Alaska and Northern Michigan will make their second trip into Oxford this season, to once again battle the RedHawks.

Here now, this blogger’s official predictions for next weekend’s action. Don’t play these odds in Vegas, please:

(8) Nebraska-Omaha at (1) Notre Dame: UNO showed some fire against a bad Ferris State team, but the Irish sweep the best of three series.

(5) Ohio State at (4) Alaska: OSU will be without Ian Boots this weekend, due to his involvement in a second period fight against Bowling Green on Saturday night. This was his second game disqualification of the year. Zach Pelletier will also be out Friday night for his involvement in the BGSU tussle (automatic one game suspension). I take the Nanooks to sweep on their home ice.

(6) Northern Michigan at (3) Miami: The RedHawks will have to be ready as the Wildcats beat Miami and tied during their weekend series just a few weeks ago. I think it will take Miami three games to punch their ticket to the Joe. Northern takes the Friday night game, but Miami wins the series.

(7) Western Michigan at (2) Michigan: Michigan in the post-season? Thanks for playing, Western. U of M with the sweep.

>Click to view the CCHA Tournament Bracket

Saturday Night Scores:

Final at Columbus, Ohio
(12) Bowling Green 1
(5) Ohio State 7

Ohio State wins the series 2-0, will face Alaska next weekend.

Final at Marquette, Michigan:
(11) Michigan State 2
(6) Northern Michigan 8

Northern Michigan wins the series 2-0, will face Miami next weekend.

Final at Omaha, Nebraska:
(9) Ferris State 2
(8) Nebraska-Omaha 5

Nebraska-Omaha wins the series 2-0, will face either Notre Dame or Michigan next weekend.

Final in 2OT at Kalamazoo, Michigan:
(10) Lake Superior 3
(7) Western Michigan 4

Series tied at 1 game each. Teams will play Sunday to decide a winner. If Western wins, the Broncos will travel to Ann Arbor to face the University of Michigan. If Lake Superior wins the series, the Lakers will lay Notre Dame and Nebraska-Omaha will face Michigan next weekend in Ann Arbor.