NCAA hockey tournament

Additionally, the crowd in Fargo will likely be a hostile one that includes lots of Sioux, um, Fighting Hawk fans who will still attend to boo the Gophers even though North Dakota didn't make it.

The college hockey schedule at the end of the year really is kind of messed up. Minnesota had a bye in first round of Big Ten playoffs, and then a single game each of the last two weekends; were they to win both games this weekend they then would have 12 days off before the Frozen Four. That's six games in five weeks, after a regular season routine of playing twice weekly all year long.

 

They used to have the Frozen Four the same weekend as the Final Four, on Thursday-Saturday. The NCAA doubtless for TV related reasons then moved the hockey tourney finals back a week.

 

Once upon a time Holy Cross was that sacrificial lamb facing Minnesota in this identical situation . . . and they beat a Gopher team that had Phil Kessel, Alex Goligoski, and Blake Wheeler.

 

I know that TV thing is purportedly the reason, and I think it's a dumb one. They could find a way to stagger it - hockey semis on Thursday or Friday, and then final Sunday afternoon. Additionally, it rests on a state of denial as to the nature of the college hockey fanbase, which is intensely devoted to its sport but not all that large; there are just not that many people who would watch college hockey if only they weren't watching basketball.

I will readily admit that it would create headaches for the NCAA to have the men's and women's basketball Final Fours, and the Frozen Four, all on the same weekend, and would spread them awfully thin, which I find a much better justification for the hockey delay.

 

One time in high school I got caught up watching a Frozen Four game that I found riveting (couldn’t tell you who.) Finally that was done and I turned the channel - to discover Duke was wrapping up its upset of what was supposed to be an invincible UNLV. I hadn’t watched because I expected a rout.

 

That was the Northern Michigam-BU 3 OT game.

 

And the heart and soul of the last great Buffalo Sabres teams. One period away from the Finals.

 

Buffalo to Fargo on a charter is actually not a bad flight. BUF to MSP is only about two hours, so add another 30 minutes for the 200 more miles to Fargo.

DU has the crappiest trip, DEN to Manchester. Here's your reward for winning the national title.

 

Pierre McGuire’s son is a centre on Colgate.