March 24, 2025 • 55 mins
Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) review games of the weekend and news of the week.
We begin with the unexpected firing of North Dakota head coach Brad Berry following his team's loss in the NCHC semifinals. The discussion highlights Berry's impressive career and the pressures inherent in coaching at North Dakota. We then shift focus to the NCAA Men's Division I Tournament, analyzing each regional matchup and sharing insights on top teams, players, and possible upsets. We also discuss the Hobey Baker Award top 10, debating snubs and standout players. And Ed goes on an unusual (for him) rant.
This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Division I Frozen Four, April 10 and 12 in St. Louis. Get your tickets now at ncaa.com/frozenfour
Times are approximate:
00:00 Introduction and sponsorship announcements
00:40 USCHO Bracket Challenge
01:07 Breaking News: Brad Berry's departure
02:21 Brad Berry's legacy and iImpact
02:43 Coaching challenges at North Dakota
07:19 Potential candidates for North Dakota coaching job
13:41 NCAA Tournament Regionals Preview
13:53 Toledo Regional breakdown
17:39 Fargo Regional breakdown
20:27 Manchester Regional breakdown
26:30 Allentown Regional breakdown
31:15 Rejuvenation of Top Programs
34:31 Women's National Championship Recap
35:52 Hobey Top 10 Discussion
50:14 Ed's Hobey Baker Award rant
54:58 Regional Winners Predictions
56:45 USCHO Bracket Challenge
We begin with the unexpected firing of North Dakota head coach Brad Berry following his team's loss in the NCHC semifinals. The discussion highlights Berry's impressive career and the pressures inherent in coaching at North Dakota. We then shift focus to the NCAA Men's Division I Tournament, analyzing each regional matchup and sharing insights on top teams, players, and possible upsets. We also discuss the Hobey Baker Award top 10, debating snubs and standout players. And Ed goes on an unusual (for him) rant.
This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Division I Frozen Four, April 10 and 12 in St. Louis. Get your tickets now at ncaa.com/frozenfour
Times are approximate:
00:00 Introduction and sponsorship announcements
00:40 USCHO Bracket Challenge
01:07 Breaking News: Brad Berry's departure
02:21 Brad Berry's legacy and iImpact
02:43 Coaching challenges at North Dakota
07:19 Potential candidates for North Dakota coaching job
13:41 NCAA Tournament Regionals Preview
13:53 Toledo Regional breakdown
17:39 Fargo Regional breakdown
20:27 Manchester Regional breakdown
26:30 Allentown Regional breakdown
31:15 Rejuvenation of Top Programs
34:31 Women's National Championship Recap
35:52 Hobey Top 10 Discussion
50:14 Ed's Hobey Baker Award rant
54:58 Regional Winners Predictions
56:45 USCHO Bracket Challenge
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Usccho dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Welcome to us CHO Weekend Review from Monday, March twenty fourth,
twenty twenty five. I'm at Trefsker alongside Derek Scooley and
Jim Connolly. We'll give Derek first billing this time. This
episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Division One Frozen
four April tenth and twelfth in Saint Louis. Get your
tickets now at NCAA dot com slash Frozen four. Before
(00:39):
we get started, a quick reminder that us Cho's Bracket
Challenge contest is open. Go to uscho dot com and
click on Bracket Challenge. You can sign up a group
with all your friends and compete against each other and
compete on the national stage. There will be three prizes,
gift card and merchandise available to those top winners, so
(01:04):
go on over to usccho dot com. We were planning
from our special episode last night to dive right into
the NCAA tournament today. However, three or four hours after
we got done recording, some bombshell news that North Dakota
head coach Brad Berry was relieved of his duties after
(01:26):
his team fell in the NCCHC semifinals. Now just to
show you I always thought Minnesota was the toughest place,
but it's got to be North Dakota. In ten years
behind the North Dakota bench, his team never finished with
a record below five hundred five regular season titles, in
one postseason championship in the NCCHC five NCAA tournaments, and
(01:50):
he won the national championship in his first season. That
was twenty sixteen, and I remember right, that was a
sixteen year drought leading to that. By most, if not all, measures,
a pretty successful career there, And so a couple of
things struck me from that. One some really great numbers,
(02:11):
great record there in North Dakota, and then also the
outpouring of really praise for him as a coach and
is a really great human being.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
But if this is a pro coach, we're talking about
a Hall of Fame resume. That's a fantastic ten years
right there. College, it feels a little bit different, and
certainly at North Dakota it's really what did you.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Do this season?
Speaker 3 (02:35):
He's measured and I think any coach that goes there
will be measured by NCAA tournament appearances and NCAA tournament wins.
Throwing the NCC postseason, and that's probably something that's stuck
in their car. I guess as well, to not make
the championship game this season a tough place to coach.
(02:56):
I don't think what's kind of being the pupe. Nobody
anybody that wants it, probably for the wrong reason. This
will be a great job for the right person. It
is just going to be hard to find that person.
Speaker 5 (03:11):
All I have to say is, Wow, that was completely unexpected.
You talk about a Friday after five news dump. It
was seven and seven pm on a Sunday where the
NCAA Women's game is going on, and cut everybody off guard.
And I guess shows you like what the expectations are
(03:31):
like you just said you got to win a national
championship or being the picture every year there, and that's
their expectations. I mean, all the winning years never had
under five hundred season one hundred plus games over five hundred,
a national championship. It's really the what have you done
for me lately? And really really surprising. I think the
(03:56):
world was a little shocked yesterday at least if you
go online and read people's comments, and I will say
thank you for first building this week. Ed first time ever,
so it must be a special occasion show. But I
will tell you my first thing when you texted me
and Jimmy texted me last night was wow, because that's shocking.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
I mentioned some of the outpouring people sharing anecdotes about
various levels of kindness, neighborhood kids that he was nice too,
and I guess giving one kid a stick when the
kid moved out of town, and people in the media
during COVID getting a meal sent to their hotel. And
(04:40):
I remember my first encounter with Brad Berry was at
the twenty sixteen Frozen four in Tampa, and our friend
Jess Myers, who writes for the Pioneer Press and a
longtime hockey writer, head the same memory. The press conference
after the I guess they were still the fighting Sue
back then, but after they won the national championship and
(05:03):
it was time for the players to get up, after
their questions had been answered, and it was just left
for Brad Barry, he said to hang on a second,
hang on a second, and he got up and gave
each of them a hug as they went off, and
that was a warmth that you don't always see, and
maybe a contrast from his predecessor, who never exuded that
(05:24):
although privately was probably also a pretty good guy for
the players in Dave Haxall, but there was a contrast
at the time in kind of the outward demeanor from
the two different guys in it. That was a huge
celebration for North Dakota fans. They're in Tampa.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
Yeah, I think the one thing that people don't understand
is obviously they're put on in that town. Especially everybody
talked about Minnesota and Bob and being a tough job.
Everybody in college hockey's fairly human. Everybody's fairly a really
good guy at their moments. I remember playing almost like
(06:04):
a whiffleball game in Naples with with the North Dakota staff,
but it was Dave hacks Dollar and Brad Berry, And
obviously I've got a little bit of a relationship with
someone because they all played for Frank's territory. But everybody's
it's we do a job that's very public, but we
also have our private life that we'd like to keep private.
(06:26):
And everybody sees Brad Berry as the face of the
North Dakota Fighting Sue you see him or I'm sorry
that the Fighting Hawks. You see him as a person,
really good guy, and I'm not I don't. I don't
profess to know him as well as I know others,
but I will tell you he's always been very kind,
(06:49):
very appreciative, very talkative. And there was a shock and
I think that it's the same thing like Dave Hacksaw.
Everybody had that same opinion of Dave being really gruff.
David the National Women's Championships when our daughters were both
there and we had a long conversation. So it's the
(07:09):
coaches are people too, but they're in tough markets. And
that's a tough That shows you are in tough market.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
I think now for me, the question is who's next.
This is not a program that has really gone into
the natural national coaching search market often. Obviously Brad Berry
was elevated on an associate head coach position.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
You have Dane Jackson who's been named interim coaching.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
He'll probably be a front runner to potentially take this job.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
You mentioned ed Dave Pastell.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
I don't know if you go back to the well
on that he had some really good success there, didn't
win a national championship, And I think you want to
talk about a tough fan base, he got the Frozen Fours,
didn't win, and that that was it.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
That's the way people saw it. Is he getting a look?
Are there?
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I don't feel like this is a great job for
a young assistant coach to jump into.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
There's just too much pressure out of the gate.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
So we had talked on an earlier podcast about Jared
Demichael and all the success he had at UMass now
Michigan State.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Does he get a look? I don't think this is
the type of job.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
That you want to put yourself in, But schools I'm
interested in. You like, you must have some thought to
other candidates, But it doesn't feel like this is It
feels like a job that a lot of people would
say they like.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
But I'm not sure how many people actually want to
go and apply for.
Speaker 5 (08:42):
And I don't know anything I haven't I would just
say one you can do. Have Dave Hacksaw. I know
he does still have a house in Grand Forks. My
assistant coach just saw him in the press box prior
to our games when we played up there. You know
a name that will probably get some sort of banter
around because he did play at UND and was six
(09:04):
years as an assistant, an associate head coach. There is
Scott Sandlin. But then I think you're talking about somebody
that has got to be You're gonna have to have
dick skin, You're gonna have to go in, You're gonna
have to be able to turn that around. And I
don't know, like I said, when Greg Cronin came back
(09:26):
from pro hockey, is there a pro hockey guy out there?
Speaker 6 (09:29):
Is there a minor pro guy?
Speaker 5 (09:32):
I know John Marx for example, used to coach there
and then he was at North Dakota and played there
and then got into pro hockey. I think he came
back as an assistant. You're talking about a lot of
the guys that were under Dean Blaze. And because Dane
Jackson's been there forever, I was a little bit older
(09:52):
an agent. Scott Sandlin's sixty years old. So do you
go after a young guy with some ties to maybe
Minnesota area, a bed bar for example, being from Minnesota.
Speaker 6 (10:05):
And I don't, like I said, I don't know anything.
Speaker 5 (10:07):
I'm just that's probably the profiler looking at It's going
to be somebody with pro experience or head coaching experience,
or somebody that's at a high profile.
Speaker 6 (10:19):
Team and assistant that's having tremendous success.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
North Dakota has tended to have people who are alumni
of the program. When you look at that, does it
make it easier inevitably for an athletic director or an
administration if the person is not an alumnus and doesn't
have those ties in, if you have to move somebody on,
you don't have the emotional connection there.
Speaker 5 (10:44):
Well, I don't know. We started the same way, didn't.
You said maybe and I said no, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Yeah, I mean yeah, I mean.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Does that maybe take a little of the pressure off. Yeah,
but I think the pressure on that job is inherent.
Maybe the only thing about being in a lumb is
you understand the expectations having experienced the firsthand.
Speaker 4 (11:10):
That's the easiest way I could describe it.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
But I don't I think that when we look at
how many programs have gone the route of the alumni
as their head coach, it feels like it's the natural fit.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
That said, is there a.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Natural high end name alumni who wants to put up
with the scrutiny that goes with being North Dakota's coach.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
The one last thing on the topic of Brad Burry
ten seasons behind the bench at North Dakota. Look how
much different the landscape is now than it was just
ten years ago, between transfer portal and NIL and house
versus NCAA coming up. It's like a totally different job
(11:57):
now than it was ten years ago, especially at a
big program it is.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
And not to cry, you got to go back ten years.
They were brand new in the NCAA.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
We had just gone through restructuring when Brad Barry took
this job's pitt of tumultuous ten years to try to navigate.
Not just for Brad Berry, for every head coach out there.
But yeah, it's a good point that you make.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Let's take a quick break and we'll come back with more.
You're listening to USCCHO weekend reviews. Let's take a look
at the regionals, which was what was originally on our docket,
(12:46):
and maybe some more news will come in while we're recording.
I don't know, but all the different regions were announced.
Let's start out with Toledo, where Michigan State will take
on Cornell and BU will have Ohio State. Imagine a
Bu Cornell final. That's a big rivalry from years and
(13:07):
years back. Mike Schaeffer is trying to keep his coaching
career alive for another weekend. Michigan State versus Cornell. That's
one of the two matchups with two champions of their conferences.
What do you guys see out of this region?
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Really hard region? I guess we're saying that for all
four of them this year. I've always felt that usually
you can look at this and find one region that's
really hard, in one region that's not as hard, the
two that are right in the middle where I feel
like all four regions, if you had to grade them
on a one to ten scale of how hard they are,
(13:43):
I feel like they'd all be in e eighty five
somewhere like that. You've got bu a team basing Ohio
State that b is trying to turn something around. This
was a season with very high expectations that has not
lived up to them at this point. In that performance
last week in the Hockey's Tournament was just awful. And
(14:04):
then you know, obviously Michigan State and Cornell they're riding highs.
Cornell they're real high. They've been keeping Mike Shaffer's coaching
career going now for almost a month.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
This is pretty impressive.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
How long you can keep going, He'll be into almost
another career. Casey Jones might just have to wait. If
you win a national championship, what do you do then?
But no, this is awesome to watch the Shafe go
out on top in the way that this team has
responded and played for him. It certainly makes us reaching
a lot of fun and I think that this is
(14:39):
great theater to lead off with. This is the way
it all starts on Thursday.
Speaker 6 (14:44):
I'm sorry, I've been making puter issues. Here's where I'm
at with it.
Speaker 5 (14:48):
This is a I'm gonna throw some stats out for Cornell.
The Cornell level five goals against in their last six games.
That's the defensive stalwart team that you're expected from Cornell.
On the other end of this, doctor Michigan State nineteen
goals in their last six games.
Speaker 6 (15:08):
What's going to give? What's going to be the difference
in that one?
Speaker 5 (15:12):
That's going to be that And I think we talked
about it yesterday on our show, Be You a little disappointing.
How are they going to respond after being where they're at?
And I think that's going to be the big thing
is how are they going to respond?
Speaker 6 (15:30):
What are they going to do where are they going
to go with it?
Speaker 5 (15:33):
And how are you you know, is this going to
be a high octane regional? Is Ohio State going to
be able to continue playing like they're playing behind them
and all this?
Speaker 6 (15:46):
Or is it going to be a tight defensive regional.
Speaker 5 (15:48):
And if it's a tight defensive regional, I got Cornell
po winning tight hockey games. I've got Ohio State winning
a lot of tight hockey games. And that's probably not
the center of a lot out there. So I know
you're gonna make me take a pick, and I'm gonna
go away from that when I do it.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
But which and wait till We'll wait till the end
for that. Yeah, how about this?
Speaker 2 (16:12):
How about if that ends up being one of two
possible conference championship rematches in Michigan State and Ohio State,
which just had a double overtime championship game, meet up
again in the regional final.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
That's certainly a possibility.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
And that's a crazy way to do it. And that's
that's the type of.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Storyline you're looking for out of these regionals and some
of these great potential matchups, rematches, all that sort of stuff.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Let's take a look at Fargo. Western Michigan is the
fourth overall seed. They'll take on a hot Minnesota state team. Meanwhile, Minnesota,
which is had what nineteen days off something like that,
they'll take on UMass in the other regional semifinal. Both
of those teams lost in their conference core finals, and
(17:01):
Western Michigan is looking for its first ever Frozen four
and a matchup of a Hoby hopeful and a Hoby
snub between Col O'Hara from U mass and Jimmy Snuggerot
from Minnesota.
Speaker 6 (17:15):
I've got the.
Speaker 5 (17:15):
Game, the first game, the Western game, the tale of
the Alexes. That's going to be my call. Alex Bump,
Alex Tracy, who's going to be there. Not saying that's
all that Western has, but I think that's going to
play a big role. Alex Bump was the most outstanding
player of in the NCCHC final face off, whatever you're
(17:36):
calling it, but I think that how the team goes,
he goes. It's also going to be a rookie goaltender
against the guy that's on his first stage. And then
the Rust Belt game, who knocks the rust off quicker
between you Mass and Minnesota. And I don't mind the
dropt from Minnesota. I don't coming out having an a
(18:00):
team that's just as rusty. Give them a chance to
get their legs back under them and then be able
to go forward with another game. That's going to be
interesting because Minnesota State isn't your typical fifteen seed?
Speaker 6 (18:15):
Are you a typical four seed?
Speaker 3 (18:18):
I'll start with that Minnesota UMass game. Minnesota better be
ready for a hard fucked game, because you mass will
play this game.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
Part they did.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
They were one of the better teams, playing great hockey
down the stretch, probably even outplayed BU in the game
they lost in the Hockey East Tournament. So I think
that's going to be an absolute battle. The Western Michigan
Minnesota State game. What intrigues me is I want to
see where Western Michigan's defense lands in this one. They've
given it up a lot of goals late. That was
(18:48):
the staple was that they weren't giving him a ton,
and now that they've gone with Lukanusky as their number
one goaltender, the goals against have actually continued to bop
a little bit. So little concerned, but I really like
Western the way they're playing right now, and that Saturday
night comeback and championship in the NCC at last one
(19:08):
in Saint Paul. What a way to turn the lights
out because that was a great championship game. How much
confidence you think they have right now?
Speaker 5 (19:15):
They've got to be just riding high because they beat
hot teams coming down the stretch and then to comeback.
You've got to really believe right now if you're a
Western fan.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
An let's take a look at Manchester number one overall.
Boston College will take on Atlantic Hockey's Bentley the first
time in the postseason tournament for the Bentley Falcons under
second year head coach Andy Jones, and Providence takes on Denver,
so you could see a national championship game rematch from
(19:49):
last year of BC and Denver. Providence beat Denver on
the way to their national championship in twenty fifteen. Connor
Hasley from Bentley, the goaltender has eleven shutouts and I
think three of them are in his last four games
they're in the playoffs. Something like that. Eleven on the season.
The record is twelve set by Greg Gardner. I think
(20:12):
it was in two thousand for Niagara. He's now the
associate head coach at Mercyhurst. And Bentley's Andy Jones I
mentioned him he's seeing a familiar team in Hockey East
opponent Boston College, as he was an associate head coach
at UMass Lowell. And incidentally, Bentley has a two to
(20:33):
zero all time record against BC, beating them at Conti
Forum two in twenty eighteen and then in the brand
new Bentley Arena in twenty twenty one. So I know
there was some talk, oh boy up against the big boys,
it's going to be a thing for Bentley.
Speaker 6 (20:51):
No, it's not.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
They are one of the most confident and poised and
structured teams and every year there's a chance of upset
in that one sixteen match and we've seen what three
four of them over the last decade. Bentley's built to
be that kind of a team with BC. I'm not
saying they're gonna do it, but they could put a
little bit of a scare in the Eagles.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
They will put a scare in the Eagles, I think.
I guess it's all about the start for that one.
Bentley can survive the first ten minutes and make sure
you stay out of the box, don't give BC any opportunities.
Not that PC's power player has been deadly. It's actually
been pretty calm. But you still can't give that many
offensively talented players good opportunities. So if Bentley goes and
(21:36):
plays a good road game and I don't know what
it'll feel like a road game, and I think this
will actually feel like a neutral ice game.
Speaker 4 (21:44):
I think that they've got a shot.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
All that said, this is BC is typed to bounce
back after getting knocked out of the Hockey East tournament.
On the other side, if Providence can muck it up
against Denver, they have a chance.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
But I think that sometimes Denver doesn't mind.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
Playing those low scoring two one three two type of games.
I know Providence is very comfortable in them, but I
I feel like that collision course of Denver BC is
just sitting right there for us.
Speaker 5 (22:13):
This is a team Bentley that's built for. This is
what they're built for right now. They're heavy, they're old,
they've got good depth, structured, they're tough to play against.
They've got a goalie that's got a tremendous amount of confidence.
If BU plays free and loose, they're going to make
them pay. Obviously, the best, the best talent is coming
(22:34):
out the boss, which is at the Boston College. But
I will tell you free end loose BC is not
going to beat a hungry, tight Dentley team. There is
a makings for an upset knock on Wood because they
hate to predict that this is a Bentley team that
could be hard to knock out. I'd like I want
(22:56):
to see how Davis responds for down to Denver because
I don't think the goals were great when in Western's
come back. I want to see how he responds. But
he's got history on his side. Unbelievable with the Frozen four.
Not many goalies can say they won a national championship.
I really think that this is Those are some the
(23:18):
tales of that weekend.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
One other thing I'll throw in about Bentley. You talk
about how they start out in the first ten minutes.
There's two out of the last three games where they
didn't start out so well in the first ten minutes.
They won on the road, both games at Sacred Heart
in the semi finals, and then won the championship on
the road at Holy Cross. The first game at Sacred
Heart and the championship game, they went down to nothing
(23:42):
in both of those games and came back to win.
So I don't even think they'll be faced if they
go down a couple.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
Of goals, maybe not be You can't dig a hole
like that against the Boston collegea tournament. If they're down
to nothing in the first t final score will be
north of eight to one. Ohoh, eight to one if
they go down to nothing in the first ten minutes. Yes,
he hasn't given up eight goals in six months. Basically,
(24:14):
I'm not saying I'm not saying that's going to happen,
but Ed's giving a scenario of them falling behind two nothing.
Speaker 4 (24:19):
You do the ADVA against Boston College.
Speaker 5 (24:21):
I think that there's a that's where I think people
are going to This Bentley team was down to nothing
is Sacred Heart. They were down to nothing to Holy Cross.
Nothing phases this group, and I think that their Ed's
throwing these scenarios out there to probably get a little.
Speaker 6 (24:39):
Riled up between us.
Speaker 5 (24:41):
But you're right because Ed saw it last year with
our I t R A T was a juggernaut last
year and they got down and then they tried to
open it up and it got bad. But I think
this Bentley team shit a little bit different. They're not
relied upon their offense. They're not relying upon scoring six
seven balls. Agame really comfortable in a tight game. Now
(25:03):
I'm starting to talk myself into an upset, which it's
it's interesting, we'll say about it.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
We've just been We've just spent more time talking about
the sixteen seat than any other team at the turn.
Speaker 6 (25:16):
That's because we've seen them. I've coached against them, I've
seen them.
Speaker 5 (25:19):
Unfortunately, I know this will be the Atlantic Hockey bias
portion of the show.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
There have been so many of those upsets in the
past few years, you got to get it some consideration.
Let's go to Allentown. Number three main takes on Penn
State and Yukon versus Quinnipiac, and we talked about that
in our special episode. Yukon and Quinnipiac faced off earlier
this year in the Connecticut Ice Tournament and Maine versus
(25:47):
Yukon was the championship in Hockey East. So Penn State
looking for its first Frozen Four bid. It's their fourth
tournament appearance, first time for Yukon, and we talk about
different coaches. What a job Mike Cavanaugh has done gradually
building the program to where he's wanted it to be.
We talked about Yukon and Quinnipiac. Maine swept Quinnipiac in
(26:12):
an earlier series the season two to one in six'
five in, overtime And maine lost the regular season To
yukon despite beating them for The Hockey East. Finals so
these are teams that are largely familiar with each, other
especially the ones coming From New.
Speaker 6 (26:28):
England.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
YEAH i think that's one thing that stands out is
that there is some familiarity Among, Maine, quinnipiac And.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
Yukon Penn state.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
A little bit of the outlier, here but they what
Does Penn state? Have they have the, Backyard they're going
to have a lot Of Penn state faithful rooting for
them In, allentown and that's IT'S i feel Like Black
bear fans would actually try to travel, here maybe more
so than they even did last year To, springfield and
(26:59):
they did it a decent job a getting To springfield last,
year just because there's more excitement right now For maine,
hockey even more than there was a year. Ago so
the whole thing From maine is where are the? Tickets
are there tickets available to? Buy if there, are they'll take.
THEM i think That Yukon quinnipiac game five o'clock On.
(27:21):
Friday that might be the number one matchup for me
in the first. Round and it's not because their big
time name that you, Know i've been going against each
other in battling in THE ncaa tournament for. Years they've
never done it, before but they've had some unbelievable in
state battles in The Connecticut Ice tournament prior to, that
(27:43):
in the days Of Atlanta cocke and The. Mac we're
both remembers. There i'm really interested in That Yukon quinnipiac.
Speaker 5 (27:51):
BATTLE i didn't even think about the history that they
have between each other way back in The mac and
Early atlantic. Hockey that's an historical, summer historical lead into
that game because of their.
Speaker 6 (28:06):
HISTORY i. THINK i look this morning at.
Speaker 5 (28:08):
Tickets there are a lot of one tickets all over Except.
Manchester manchester has a lot in the upper. Areas there's
a lot of one seats. Left In, toledo there's a
lot of one. Seats and WHEN i say a, lot
you're talking two three hundred for the semi final. Games
so there's a lot of sprinkled seats of. ONE i
(28:30):
think you're going to see The Black bears travel. THERE
i think they see that this is their time and
maybe they've held back.
Speaker 6 (28:37):
Before this is back to the glory.
Speaker 5 (28:40):
DAYS i think they're going to try to come in
and overtake the noise Of Penn state and it could
be a battling fan.
Speaker 6 (28:49):
SECTION i like this. MATCHUP i think this is going
to be this is one.
Speaker 5 (28:53):
Of the bigger, days bigger games, here both of. Them, actually,
WAIT i said the last nine on our, podcast this
is the tightest field in a long, time the. Lowest
the lowest is twenty second in the, pairwise this is.
Tight there's not much. Difference so when we're arguing about
upsets of where it is not that big of an
(29:14):
upset because of how tight these teams. Are so this
will be an interesting. Field main will, Travel they're going
to be High Penn. State they weren't supposed to be,
here they were. Struggling they and they've had a great
second half and and thinks. Outstanding they've got a goalie
that's making. Saves they're just this team of. Depth and
(29:37):
then you got the two, others The yukon and you've
seen numerous Times Mike kevin has done a great job with.
Speaker 6 (29:42):
Them and.
Speaker 5 (29:45):
How Is winnipeak going to bounce back from their loss last?
Weekend they always seem to do it in the, tournament
right do?
Speaker 6 (29:52):
It they do?
Speaker 7 (29:52):
It they lose, there and then they do. It win
the first game of the tournament every. Time that's. Subject
that's a staple for Ran. Pachnalt he wins his first,
game especially the last decade and a. Half it's after
that that's when things get more. Difficult but he's still
reached Three national championship.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
Games so before we, break one last thought THAT i
had looking at. This you've got four number one seeds
that are led by four head coaches that have brought
a rejuvenation to each of their. Programs you think Of
Boston college always being up. There they were in a downward,
situation good but not great As Greg brown took. Over
(30:36):
now they're back to. Prominence Michigan state back to prominence
Under Adam Nightingale Ben barr At, maine they have soared
right to the top Of Hockey east And Western. Michigan
Pat furschweiler has taken what has been middle of the
PACK ncchc team and made them dominant in That. League
(30:58):
just that story right there of those four number one
seeds is pretty cool too and shows you what a
difference just a couple three four years can make in
turning around a. Program and with that we do need
to take a. Break this episode is sponsored by THE
Ncaa men's d One frozen Four april tenth and twelfth
In Saint.
Speaker 8 (31:17):
Louis THE Ncaa Men's frozen four the pinnacle of men's
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Speaker 1 (31:33):
Question, PROFESSOR Ncaa Men's hockey is.
Speaker 4 (31:37):
Back are we? Ready you prepared to hype your squad
for all three? Periods bring glory home to your? Campus,
oh you're.
Speaker 8 (31:46):
Ready It's frozen four. Times THE Ncaa Men's frozen, Four
april tenth and, twelfth twenty twenty five And Saint. Louis
buy your seats today AT ncaaa dot.
Speaker 4 (31:54):
Com so That's frozen.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
Four welcome back to USC Cho Weekend. Review before we
jump into our scheduled topic of talking about The Hoby top,
ten how about a word about the Women's National championship game.
Speaker 5 (32:14):
Yesterday you talk about, Excitement you talk about down to
the wire, Enthusiasm everybody on the edge of their, seats
you've got too many men on the, ice penalty bringing
back shades of the.
Speaker 6 (32:30):
Seventies you've got it covering up the.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
Puck you've got a penalty shot Where Mark johnson just
casually throws out who wants, it And Kristin simms raises
her hand and then scores an unbelievable, move and Then
Kristen simms scores the.
Speaker 6 (32:46):
WINNER i thought that was great.
Speaker 5 (32:48):
DRAMA i thought it was a great, theater AND i
thought it was a great national championship for women's ice.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Hockey, yeah AND I i'll echo those, intiments BUT i
also want to tip my hat To Kelly coca And
amanda To. Sony nobody probably knows who those names, are
but those were the referees in that, game and that
was a very difficult call they had to. Make with
eighteen seconds left in, regulation When wisconsin already on the
(33:18):
power play down a goal, scramble Gold Mouth Ohio state
player touches the puck with her, hand moves it out
of the.
Speaker 4 (33:27):
Crease on video, review they awarded a.
Speaker 3 (33:30):
Penalty shot That wisconsin scored on to tie the. Game
that's that's, theater but it also Takes scotts as a
referee to make the right call there because you know
that it had such impact on the.
Speaker 4 (33:44):
Game hats off to.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
The officials for making sure that the integrity of that
game was.
Speaker 6 (33:50):
Held what a.
Speaker 5 (33:51):
Move THOUGH i, JUMPED i was, like, wow it WAS
i screamed at watching. It and you, know OBVIOUSLY i
have two daughters that, play one that's currently in college
and one that's going to be in, college and they
both have played against a lot of these, people SO
i know a lot of the. Names The, Golia, Wisconsin
avia mcnott and her parents are family. Friends so there
(34:12):
was a lot of rooting interests in the, game and
not just For. Wisconsin there WERE i, know we know
so many players in that, game and it was just
it was fun to.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
Watch let's talk about The Hoby top, ten which is
also going to be the topic of my rant after
we go through. It the RANT i advertised at the
end of yesterday's. Episode interestingly, enough three from The big,
ten two FROM ncchc And, atlantic and one each FROM,
Ccha Hockey east AND. Ecac and that's part of the
(34:46):
turmoil they'd erupted after. That but let's take a look
at the. Finalists if you're going to have a defenseman in,
there and this year we have. Too but if you're
going to have even one of, Them Zeve bulliam From
denver has to be in that.
Speaker 4 (34:59):
Group.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
YEAH a solid, Player, yeah, absolutely AND i think he
showed really well World junior stage and obviously last year's national.
Speaker 4 (35:09):
Tournament this season picked out where he left.
Speaker 6 (35:12):
Off, YEAH i can't argue with. That pick one.
Speaker 5 (35:14):
Bet there's no doubting that He's he's in my final
three potentially as.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
Well his Teammate Jack divine forward From denver is the
OTHER ncchc, nominee and he's put together another great.
Speaker 6 (35:28):
Season he's, elite, yeah he.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
Said he definitely isn't some day stood out on the
big stage last year in Frosen bour and now didn't
in a back to back seaton.
Speaker 4 (35:43):
Again, derek he is the right word.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
Elite Ayden think From Penn state isn't somebody that a
lot of people may have had on their. List but
he has put together a terrific here as, well.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
Especially a great second half as a drink has gone
so as his team popped onto a lot of radar
screens late this.
Speaker 5 (36:03):
SEASON i think it's no coincidence That Penn state goes
on a big. Heater when he goes on a, heater
you're talking about a sophomore that still he had thirty
four points a, freshmen but twenty three goals and fifty
two points in the Easy Big ten as an outstanding.
Speaker 6 (36:22):
Year he could.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
Almost say the same thing about the son Of Penn
state's Coach Mac, gadowski the defenseman From. Army he put
it together in the second half of the season and
after a nine game losing, Streak army went on a
tear and was one of the most successful teams in
college hockey the second half of the. Year this is
a guy who's playing way above what was expected of,
(36:47):
HIM i would, suspect and he put together some ridiculous.
Speaker 5 (36:51):
Numbers ridiculous numbers sixteen, goals a d forty two, Points
armies all time leading single season scorer for in The
division one.
Speaker 6 (37:01):
Era, big no doubt that he.
Speaker 5 (37:05):
Did he's on there and people all, say wir ed
To Arona cockey because of the, goals because of the.
Points he's second amongst all defensemen all of. Scoring it's
a this is a big year for a big. Player,
YEAH i think.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
This is the one WHERE i feel maybe the committee
Or i'm, sorry but coaches and then thus the hope
people that run the award got it. Wrong it's not
That max is not a great, player but you're talking
about a good player on the fifth best team in
the worst league and college, hockey you, know and some
(37:43):
REALLY i think it's more of the players that didn't get,
there and it's not a slight Against. MAX i think
he's a fantastic. PLAYER i saw him have a great
game over At bentley earlier this. Season he's a good.
Player BUT i think that when you're trying to find
the National player of The, Year i'm not sure that
he probably measures up in terms of when you look
(38:04):
at some of the guys that were left.
Speaker 5 (38:05):
Off i'm NOT i could argue with you all, Day
jimmy and will be The Atlantic Hockey bias. Again second
in the league and points forty one forty two points,
defenseman those are big.
Speaker 6 (38:17):
Numbers leave it at. That we're going rapid fire.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
Here Isaac coward From Michigan state is probably on most
people's lists as a top three, guy and he showed
why in the. Playoffs overtime game winner just has been.
Speaker 5 (38:35):
Terrific no. Doubter that's what that. Was that's a no,
doubter that's a no. Brainer that's a final three. Guy
that's one of the favorites probably With leonard and my
choice Of Zee william as a final three and in my, mind.
Speaker 4 (38:51):
YEAH i agree with.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
You if there's any one player who's going to Push,
leonard It's Isaac. COWARD i think that this is Probably
leonard's award to, lose and he has a regional to
win or lose it to maybe finalize. It BUT i
think that the way That Isaac howard has played down
the stretch and scoring the big goals in the big,
games that's proving what a clutch player he.
Speaker 2 (39:15):
Is and you Mentioned Ryan. Leonard he's the lone representative
From Hockey east six teams in the tournament won in
THE Hoby top, ten which is really the source of
some of the consternation that was out.
Speaker 6 (39:30):
There but.
Speaker 2 (39:33):
You've probably just made the case for, Him. Jim but
he's got to be a favorite for. Sure he.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
Is WHEN i think, it if he took his season
and took his first half and put it in the,
second and his second half and put it in the,
first we wouldn't even probably be talking because some of
his biggest, goals his big clutch goals come from behind
wins where he would score the tying and the winning.
Goals those all came in the first, half all in
(40:01):
the month Of. November since, then he's put up unbelievable.
Numbers but people the goals that people are remembering from the.
Season if you look At Isaac, howard they're remembering a
goal from The Big Ten. Championship i'm remembering a, goal
couple of, goals many goals actually From leonard that came From.
Speaker 4 (40:19):
November so, hey it's just.
Speaker 3 (40:21):
Timing DO i think that he absolutely wins the award
and should win the?
Speaker 6 (40:25):
Award?
Speaker 3 (40:25):
Yes DO i think that there's any room that he
could possibly lose?
Speaker 4 (40:30):
It?
Speaker 3 (40:30):
Maybe AND i Think i've mentioned Obviously howard's played down the,
stretch and then the fact that a lot of the
big moments For leonard they were early in the.
Speaker 2 (40:40):
Season that's what they call recency. Bias Artin, martino the
lone representative FROM, ecac a fifty one point season for
The Golden knights Of.
Speaker 5 (40:52):
Clarkson anytime you put a fifty points, up you're one
of the top ten in the. NATION i think this
all so comes back to this is THE i believe
the player of the year on THE. Ecac this is
a guy that's their best. Player and is is he
going to sign With dallas and play for The stars
(41:13):
or potentially maybe is he going to be back in.
College who, knows BUT i think that this is a
this is the representative of THE, ecac and this is
a good choice anytime you have fifty.
Speaker 4 (41:23):
POINTS i never.
Speaker 3 (41:25):
Saw him play until THE ecac championship, game and he
Was he was good in that. GAME i didn't know
a lot about, him SO i guess his numbers had
to speak to be good.
Speaker 4 (41:35):
Numbers decent numbers for. Sure a good team at THE.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
Easac another guy with an over fifty point season fifty
four on the season is the second representative From Atlantic
hockey Holy cross Is liam, mcclinsky who transferred after his
freshman year From quinnipiac and has been a key to
success at Holy.
Speaker 5 (41:57):
Cross best player on the best, team leading scorer in the,
league and his second time in The He'll Be Baker final.
Speaker 4 (42:06):
TEN i had no.
Speaker 3 (42:08):
PROBLEM i didn't maybe think That goodolski should have been in,
there BUT.
Speaker 4 (42:11):
I had no problem at all with.
Speaker 3 (42:14):
Mcclinsky he has been fantastic For Holy cross and has
watched that program build from a team that was at
the bottom Of Atlanta cockey to one that is now
perennially competing to try to get to that championship.
Speaker 2 (42:29):
Game minnesota Is. Jimmy Snugger root is the third representative
from The Big ten and a lot of people talk
about him in the same breath As leonard And howard
is the top.
Speaker 3 (42:42):
THREE i really Like Snugger root every, time and maybe
it's again the ability is probably guess his recency biased
BECAUSE i see them more often just being On Big
Ten network and getting to watch those. Games i've every
TIME i seem to turn on THE tv he's doing.
SOMETHING i think snugger is a really fantastic. Player i'm
(43:04):
really interested to see him go up Against cole, O'Hara
one of The Hoby snubs in the regionals this.
Speaker 5 (43:12):
Weekend in my, opinion If Ze builliam is in the final,
three this is the other guy in the final. Three
this IS i think it's A Howard leonard and then
you can toss two or three guys In william Or
Snuggar rood for, sure shooter for, score big pedigree probably
going to plan In Saint louis after they're, Done minnesota's.
Speaker 6 (43:33):
Done, YEAH i could see him being in the final.
Speaker 2 (43:36):
Three absolutely in the final top, ten member of The
Hoby top, ten and the only goalie among the bunch
Is Minnesota State's Alex. Tracy one point four to three goals,
against nine to forty five save percentage in thirty seven
games this.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
Season, yeah good numbers From Minnesota state. DO i don't want,
critis BUT i think IF i had to compare him
to a couple of goaltenders in hockeys that didn't make.
IT i feel like In, derek you AND i were
talking off the air last. NIGHT i don't know if
there's a mandate, now and there might be every league
(44:17):
to have a. Finalist it feels like there was BECAUSE
i feel like we've maybe pigeon pulled in all that
does certainly leave out the independent. SCHOOLS i just feel
like you had a couple of guys in hockey's At
maine And Boston college who probably didn't have the same,
numbers but IT'S i think that certainly put up great
(44:38):
seasons in tough.
Speaker 4 (44:39):
Schedules, yeah got.
Speaker 6 (44:42):
Is he the player of the year in the league
in THE.
Speaker 5 (44:44):
Ct, absolutely is he going to be the key to
Man cato success down the.
Speaker 6 (44:49):
Strutch, absolutely this is a very good.
Speaker 5 (44:52):
Goaltender the big question is does he win The Retro
award because that this is saying that he's in the,
hobby he's the only goalie that he should win. Director
so that's the question that you, have and, yes you.
Can there's always going to be. Debates there's debates every
year about. People SO i think that if there is
(45:13):
a mandate OR i think it needs to be no
BECAUSE i think it'll stop a lot of it and saying,
hey here's the. REASON i don't know if there. Is
i'm just guessing if there is because of THE Ccha
player of The year being a goalie and being this
one who, knows but he's he's definitely a very good
(45:34):
goalie and he is worthy of being in the top.
Speaker 6 (45:37):
Ten it's just somebody's. Opinion is there somebody?
Speaker 2 (45:40):
Better there were some emissions and people In Hockey east
were the most vocal about. It number one on that
List Umasses cole O'Hara fifty one point, Season Quinn hudson
bu forty seven points In Jacob foller with almost the
similar numbers As Alex tray playing against arguably some tougher
(46:03):
offensive competition nine to, forty save, percentage one point sixty
four goals against twenty four to six and two. Record
anybody else stand out that has been left out of this,
year they're undoubtedly people who were worthy who have been left.
Speaker 5 (46:18):
Out o'haro was outstanding AGAINST. US i was very impressed
when we saw him flight the other. Ones Obviously follers
has got the pedigree and had a great, Year hudson as.
WELL i Think jimmy can dive a little bit deeper
into some of. Them but o'haro was outstanding AGAINST. US
i was surprised that he wasn't in the final.
Speaker 6 (46:39):
TEN i was.
Speaker 3 (46:40):
Too your mass fans probably boreshocked what maybe wasn't going
to win the. AWARD i get, that but certainly had
made a good case for top. Ten but it's really
it comes down to points, now goals over. Assist we've
always known, that but it's really points and if you're
(47:01):
a defense spinneck can score, goals you will Get you'll
get on in goaltenders who are it feels like there's
always going to be one goaltender and it's looking At,
okay who had the best goals against average in the.
Speaker 4 (47:12):
Country there we, go that's our. Goaltender i'm going to
go one.
Speaker 5 (47:16):
More and we talked about him earlier as we talked
About alex Versus. Alex bumpet had forty six points on
a team that's the number one seed and twenty three.
Speaker 6 (47:27):
Goals SO i would say he's an omission in my.
Speaker 3 (47:31):
OPINION i did last night WHEN i was putting some notes,
TOGETHER i had memorized the ten. FINALS i looked to
see if bump was on the. LIST i thought that
was another potential. Admission so that brings me up to my.
Rant and you know, What i've.
Speaker 5 (47:48):
Been waiting twenty four hours for. This come, on don't
disappointment well whoever.
Speaker 2 (47:52):
Out so here's the. THING i have no problem with
people saying somebody's been, snubbed that somebody's been left. Out,
fine you're absolutely. Right but if you're a media person
with a big social media account and there are a
few of them out, there then you ought to know
how The Hoby Baker award is. Chosen so let me
(48:17):
give you the quick rundown on that starts. Out every
school can nominate up to three. Players that's where the
nominees come. From so you could have this, year you
could have had one hundred and ninety two. Nominees not
everybody nominates. Three someone nominate. One sometimes you don't get a,
Nominee so that's round, one and that's when the fan
voting comes, in and the coach is, voting and then the.
(48:39):
Coaches this, year sixty Four division one coaches all vote
for the three best players from their league and then
the three best players overall in the. Country that's ninety
nine percent of the. Vote one percent is reserved for
the fan, vote the vote For hobie, Vote so that
(48:59):
top ten and came not out of people sitting around a,
table not in a smoke filled. Room nobody was lighting up,
cigars nobody was, arguing nobody was playing twelve angry. Men
it was a tabulation of votes from all the. Coaches
yet THEN i start reading about it being criminal or
what a travesty it was that the committee shows this
(49:21):
and what a joke it, is and what the conference
calls are like with the. Committee the committee hasn't even
had any of that.
Speaker 6 (49:29):
Happen.
Speaker 2 (49:30):
Yet the voting committee has a conference call one week from,
today on the thirty, first after the, Regionals and that
conference call is not to pick the. Players that conference
call is an opportunity for the members of the voting
committee who represent print, journalists internet, journalists, broadcasters, head, coaches,
(49:50):
REFEREES nhl. Scouts they discussed the ten, players and it's
a time to go around the table and they bring
up comments about each. Player, YEAH i saw him, PLAY
yi coached against, Him, yeah he's in my. League. Whatever
everybody tosses around ideas about the. Players then the next
day those, people about thirty of, them all cast the.
(50:14):
Vote they cast a vote for three players, one, two
and three who they think their top three. Are from
that they tabulate the top three for The hobie hat,
trick and that same vote is the one that selects
The hobie. Winner so there's been no committee meeting on.
Things and for people to say that who have big
followings out there on their social, MEDIA i don't get
(50:37):
in there and reply to. Stuff we have, journalists we have,
writers broadcasters we respect who we know cover their sources
well and do an amazing. Job and then there are
people out there who are in the clickbait, business but
in any, CASE i don't respond to that very. Much
SOMETIMES i know they're full, BOLONIAN i don't. Respond but
on this ONE i responded to try to correct the.
(51:00):
Situation it was met with. Silence but you know, what
if you're going to bash this whole, thing at least
get the facts, right do your. Homework rant.
Speaker 5 (51:10):
Over But i'll tell you, this it's almost the same
as when you get when people criticize THE ncaa tournament
selection right and say that why didn't this team get?
In why didn't this team get? In why because of
a computer picked? It you knew who was getting in
going into the. Weekend there was no, hey Maybe Arizona
state can get. In, no they had to win in so.
(51:31):
There BUT i will tell, you AND i wish the
process was out there somewhere for all of.
Speaker 6 (51:37):
That it.
Speaker 4 (51:38):
Is it's out. There do Com, yeah it's the whole.
Speaker 3 (51:44):
Thing the process For hoby's, there the process for THE
ncaa tournament, there whether you want to read.
Speaker 4 (51:50):
It is another.
Speaker 3 (51:50):
THING i actually felt like, yesterday oh this, weekend people
actually got the fields right in, advance because, yes it
felt easy and there wasn't a lot of changes that
had to be, made but people understand what the committee does.
Now for so many years they, didn't AND i feel
like they they do. NOW i think that credit to.
(52:14):
Media i'm not patting myself or ourselves on the, back
but the college hockey body of media has collectively done
a good job of educating the.
Speaker 2 (52:23):
FANS i agree with, that and we have really put
together a long. Episode we have one thing, left and
that's to pick our four winners out of these. Regions
do you want me to go? First Since i'm all wound.
Speaker 4 (52:36):
Up go, ahead all?
Speaker 2 (52:37):
RIGHT i have three of the four number one seeds.
ADVANCING i Have Michigan, State Western, Michigan, denver And maine
as my.
Speaker 5 (52:48):
FOUR i SAID i was going to. WAFFLE i wouldn't
be surprised if it was all four number. ONES i
wouldn't be surprised if it was a whole bunch of reason. Porch,
Yeah i'm all over the. Place i'm going to Go Boston,
College i'm going to Go. Maine i'm gonna go oh,
GOSH i want to Go cornell just BECAUSE i worked
(53:11):
For mike and played For. Mike But i'm gonna stick
With Ohio, state and Then i'm gonna go Either Western
michigan Or. Minnesota there's my hand or.
Speaker 3 (53:22):
My hand or actually follows at the only One i'm
really waffling on Is denver And Boston.
Speaker 4 (53:28):
College Pick Boston.
Speaker 3 (53:29):
College how CAN i not be a hot HOCKEY tnk
IF i don't Pick Boston, College i'm going to stay
on the hockey'ast honk Trailer Boston university In maine as.
Well But i'm gonna Go Western michigan In. Fargo this
is the. Time this is going to be awesome to
see a first time team in.
Speaker 5 (53:48):
The party that The broncos alumni will have. There wait a,
minute are we not going to see you the whole?
WEEK i do my. Stuff they got to get. There
let's get there and then we'll worry about.
Speaker 2 (54:00):
THAT A Western michigan team In Saint louis with A
Western michigan alum in his hometown has a recipe for
fun all over.
Speaker 6 (54:11):
It, Nope i'm there to give my due.
Speaker 2 (54:14):
Dads before we, close a quick reminder that the US
Cho Bracket challenges. Open go on over and sign, up log,
in sign up your friends for your own internal, competition
and compete nationally for the bracket of. Sixteen you can
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(54:37):
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Speaker 2 (00:15):
Welcome to us CHO Weekend Review from Monday, March twenty fourth,
twenty twenty five. I'm at Trefsker alongside Derek Scooley and
Jim Connolly. We'll give Derek first billing this time. This
episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Division One Frozen
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(00:39):
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(01:04):
go on over to usccho dot com. We were planning
from our special episode last night to dive right into
the NCAA tournament today. However, three or four hours after
we got done recording, some bombshell news that North Dakota
head coach Brad Berry was relieved of his duties after
(01:26):
his team fell in the NCCHC semifinals. Now just to
show you I always thought Minnesota was the toughest place,
but it's got to be North Dakota. In ten years
behind the North Dakota bench, his team never finished with
a record below five hundred five regular season titles, in
one postseason championship in the NCCHC five NCAA tournaments, and
(01:50):
he won the national championship in his first season. That
was twenty sixteen, and I remember right, that was a
sixteen year drought leading to that. By most, if not all, measures,
a pretty successful career there, And so a couple of
things struck me from that. One some really great numbers,
(02:11):
great record there in North Dakota, and then also the
outpouring of really praise for him as a coach and
is a really great human being.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
But if this is a pro coach, we're talking about
a Hall of Fame resume. That's a fantastic ten years
right there. College, it feels a little bit different, and
certainly at North Dakota it's really what did you.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Do this season?
Speaker 3 (02:35):
He's measured and I think any coach that goes there
will be measured by NCAA tournament appearances and NCAA tournament wins.
Throwing the NCC postseason, and that's probably something that's stuck
in their car. I guess as well, to not make
the championship game this season a tough place to coach.
(02:56):
I don't think what's kind of being the pupe. Nobody
anybody that wants it, probably for the wrong reason. This
will be a great job for the right person. It
is just going to be hard to find that person.
Speaker 5 (03:11):
All I have to say is, Wow, that was completely unexpected.
You talk about a Friday after five news dump. It
was seven and seven pm on a Sunday where the
NCAA Women's game is going on, and cut everybody off guard.
And I guess shows you like what the expectations are
(03:31):
like you just said you got to win a national
championship or being the picture every year there, and that's
their expectations. I mean, all the winning years never had
under five hundred season one hundred plus games over five hundred,
a national championship. It's really the what have you done
for me lately? And really really surprising. I think the
(03:56):
world was a little shocked yesterday at least if you
go online and read people's comments, and I will say
thank you for first building this week. Ed first time ever,
so it must be a special occasion show. But I
will tell you my first thing when you texted me
and Jimmy texted me last night was wow, because that's shocking.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
I mentioned some of the outpouring people sharing anecdotes about
various levels of kindness, neighborhood kids that he was nice too,
and I guess giving one kid a stick when the
kid moved out of town, and people in the media
during COVID getting a meal sent to their hotel. And
(04:40):
I remember my first encounter with Brad Berry was at
the twenty sixteen Frozen four in Tampa, and our friend
Jess Myers, who writes for the Pioneer Press and a
longtime hockey writer, head the same memory. The press conference
after the I guess they were still the fighting Sue
back then, but after they won the national championship and
(05:03):
it was time for the players to get up, after
their questions had been answered, and it was just left
for Brad Barry, he said to hang on a second,
hang on a second, and he got up and gave
each of them a hug as they went off, and
that was a warmth that you don't always see, and
maybe a contrast from his predecessor, who never exuded that
(05:24):
although privately was probably also a pretty good guy for
the players in Dave Haxall, but there was a contrast
at the time in kind of the outward demeanor from
the two different guys in it. That was a huge
celebration for North Dakota fans. They're in Tampa.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
Yeah, I think the one thing that people don't understand
is obviously they're put on in that town. Especially everybody
talked about Minnesota and Bob and being a tough job.
Everybody in college hockey's fairly human. Everybody's fairly a really
good guy at their moments. I remember playing almost like
(06:04):
a whiffleball game in Naples with with the North Dakota staff,
but it was Dave hacks Dollar and Brad Berry, And
obviously I've got a little bit of a relationship with
someone because they all played for Frank's territory. But everybody's
it's we do a job that's very public, but we
also have our private life that we'd like to keep private.
(06:26):
And everybody sees Brad Berry as the face of the
North Dakota Fighting Sue you see him or I'm sorry
that the Fighting Hawks. You see him as a person,
really good guy, and I'm not I don't. I don't
profess to know him as well as I know others,
but I will tell you he's always been very kind,
(06:49):
very appreciative, very talkative. And there was a shock and
I think that it's the same thing like Dave Hacksaw.
Everybody had that same opinion of Dave being really gruff.
David the National Women's Championships when our daughters were both
there and we had a long conversation. So it's the
(07:09):
coaches are people too, but they're in tough markets. And
that's a tough That shows you are in tough market.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
I think now for me, the question is who's next.
This is not a program that has really gone into
the natural national coaching search market often. Obviously Brad Berry
was elevated on an associate head coach position.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
You have Dane Jackson who's been named interim coaching.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
He'll probably be a front runner to potentially take this job.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
You mentioned ed Dave Pastell.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
I don't know if you go back to the well
on that he had some really good success there, didn't
win a national championship, And I think you want to
talk about a tough fan base, he got the Frozen Fours,
didn't win, and that that was it.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
That's the way people saw it. Is he getting a look?
Are there?
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I don't feel like this is a great job for
a young assistant coach to jump into.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
There's just too much pressure out of the gate.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
So we had talked on an earlier podcast about Jared
Demichael and all the success he had at UMass now
Michigan State.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Does he get a look? I don't think this is
the type of job.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
That you want to put yourself in, But schools I'm
interested in. You like, you must have some thought to
other candidates, But it doesn't feel like this is It
feels like a job that a lot of people would
say they like.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
But I'm not sure how many people actually want to
go and apply for.
Speaker 5 (08:42):
And I don't know anything I haven't I would just
say one you can do. Have Dave Hacksaw. I know
he does still have a house in Grand Forks. My
assistant coach just saw him in the press box prior
to our games when we played up there. You know
a name that will probably get some sort of banter
around because he did play at UND and was six
(09:04):
years as an assistant, an associate head coach. There is
Scott Sandlin. But then I think you're talking about somebody
that has got to be You're gonna have to have
dick skin, You're gonna have to go in, You're gonna
have to be able to turn that around. And I
don't know, like I said, when Greg Cronin came back
(09:26):
from pro hockey, is there a pro hockey guy out there?
Speaker 6 (09:29):
Is there a minor pro guy?
Speaker 5 (09:32):
I know John Marx for example, used to coach there
and then he was at North Dakota and played there
and then got into pro hockey. I think he came
back as an assistant. You're talking about a lot of
the guys that were under Dean Blaze. And because Dane
Jackson's been there forever, I was a little bit older
(09:52):
an agent. Scott Sandlin's sixty years old. So do you
go after a young guy with some ties to maybe
Minnesota area, a bed bar for example, being from Minnesota.
Speaker 6 (10:05):
And I don't, like I said, I don't know anything.
Speaker 5 (10:07):
I'm just that's probably the profiler looking at It's going
to be somebody with pro experience or head coaching experience,
or somebody that's at a high profile.
Speaker 6 (10:19):
Team and assistant that's having tremendous success.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
North Dakota has tended to have people who are alumni
of the program. When you look at that, does it
make it easier inevitably for an athletic director or an
administration if the person is not an alumnus and doesn't
have those ties in, if you have to move somebody on,
you don't have the emotional connection there.
Speaker 5 (10:44):
Well, I don't know. We started the same way, didn't.
You said maybe and I said no, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Yeah, I mean yeah, I mean.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Does that maybe take a little of the pressure off. Yeah,
but I think the pressure on that job is inherent.
Maybe the only thing about being in a lumb is
you understand the expectations having experienced the firsthand.
Speaker 4 (11:10):
That's the easiest way I could describe it.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
But I don't I think that when we look at
how many programs have gone the route of the alumni
as their head coach, it feels like it's the natural fit.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
That said, is there a.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Natural high end name alumni who wants to put up
with the scrutiny that goes with being North Dakota's coach.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
The one last thing on the topic of Brad Burry
ten seasons behind the bench at North Dakota. Look how
much different the landscape is now than it was just
ten years ago, between transfer portal and NIL and house
versus NCAA coming up. It's like a totally different job
(11:57):
now than it was ten years ago, especially at a
big program it is.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
And not to cry, you got to go back ten years.
They were brand new in the NCAA.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
We had just gone through restructuring when Brad Barry took
this job's pitt of tumultuous ten years to try to navigate.
Not just for Brad Berry, for every head coach out there.
But yeah, it's a good point that you make.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Let's take a quick break and we'll come back with more.
You're listening to USCCHO weekend reviews. Let's take a look
at the regionals, which was what was originally on our docket,
(12:46):
and maybe some more news will come in while we're recording.
I don't know, but all the different regions were announced.
Let's start out with Toledo, where Michigan State will take
on Cornell and BU will have Ohio State. Imagine a
Bu Cornell final. That's a big rivalry from years and
(13:07):
years back. Mike Schaeffer is trying to keep his coaching
career alive for another weekend. Michigan State versus Cornell. That's
one of the two matchups with two champions of their conferences.
What do you guys see out of this region?
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Really hard region? I guess we're saying that for all
four of them this year. I've always felt that usually
you can look at this and find one region that's
really hard, in one region that's not as hard, the
two that are right in the middle where I feel
like all four regions, if you had to grade them
on a one to ten scale of how hard they are,
(13:43):
I feel like they'd all be in e eighty five
somewhere like that. You've got bu a team basing Ohio
State that b is trying to turn something around. This
was a season with very high expectations that has not
lived up to them at this point. In that performance
last week in the Hockey's Tournament was just awful. And
(14:04):
then you know, obviously Michigan State and Cornell they're riding highs.
Cornell they're real high. They've been keeping Mike Shaffer's coaching
career going now for almost a month.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
This is pretty impressive.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
How long you can keep going, He'll be into almost
another career. Casey Jones might just have to wait. If
you win a national championship, what do you do then?
But no, this is awesome to watch the Shafe go
out on top in the way that this team has
responded and played for him. It certainly makes us reaching
a lot of fun and I think that this is
(14:39):
great theater to lead off with. This is the way
it all starts on Thursday.
Speaker 6 (14:44):
I'm sorry, I've been making puter issues. Here's where I'm
at with it.
Speaker 5 (14:48):
This is a I'm gonna throw some stats out for Cornell.
The Cornell level five goals against in their last six games.
That's the defensive stalwart team that you're expected from Cornell.
On the other end of this, doctor Michigan State nineteen
goals in their last six games.
Speaker 6 (15:08):
What's going to give? What's going to be the difference
in that one?
Speaker 5 (15:12):
That's going to be that And I think we talked
about it yesterday on our show, Be You a little disappointing.
How are they going to respond after being where they're at?
And I think that's going to be the big thing
is how are they going to respond?
Speaker 6 (15:30):
What are they going to do where are they going
to go with it?
Speaker 5 (15:33):
And how are you you know, is this going to
be a high octane regional? Is Ohio State going to
be able to continue playing like they're playing behind them
and all this?
Speaker 6 (15:46):
Or is it going to be a tight defensive regional.
Speaker 5 (15:48):
And if it's a tight defensive regional, I got Cornell
po winning tight hockey games. I've got Ohio State winning
a lot of tight hockey games. And that's probably not
the center of a lot out there. So I know
you're gonna make me take a pick, and I'm gonna
go away from that when I do it.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
But which and wait till We'll wait till the end
for that. Yeah, how about this?
Speaker 2 (16:12):
How about if that ends up being one of two
possible conference championship rematches in Michigan State and Ohio State,
which just had a double overtime championship game, meet up
again in the regional final.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
That's certainly a possibility.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
And that's a crazy way to do it. And that's
that's the type of.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Storyline you're looking for out of these regionals and some
of these great potential matchups, rematches, all that sort of stuff.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Let's take a look at Fargo. Western Michigan is the
fourth overall seed. They'll take on a hot Minnesota state team. Meanwhile, Minnesota,
which is had what nineteen days off something like that,
they'll take on UMass in the other regional semifinal. Both
of those teams lost in their conference core finals, and
(17:01):
Western Michigan is looking for its first ever Frozen four
and a matchup of a Hoby hopeful and a Hoby
snub between Col O'Hara from U mass and Jimmy Snuggerot
from Minnesota.
Speaker 6 (17:15):
I've got the.
Speaker 5 (17:15):
Game, the first game, the Western game, the tale of
the Alexes. That's going to be my call. Alex Bump,
Alex Tracy, who's going to be there. Not saying that's
all that Western has, but I think that's going to
play a big role. Alex Bump was the most outstanding
player of in the NCCHC final face off, whatever you're
(17:36):
calling it, but I think that how the team goes,
he goes. It's also going to be a rookie goaltender
against the guy that's on his first stage. And then
the Rust Belt game, who knocks the rust off quicker
between you Mass and Minnesota. And I don't mind the
dropt from Minnesota. I don't coming out having an a
(18:00):
team that's just as rusty. Give them a chance to
get their legs back under them and then be able
to go forward with another game. That's going to be
interesting because Minnesota State isn't your typical fifteen seed?
Speaker 6 (18:15):
Are you a typical four seed?
Speaker 3 (18:18):
I'll start with that Minnesota UMass game. Minnesota better be
ready for a hard fucked game, because you mass will
play this game.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
Part they did.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
They were one of the better teams, playing great hockey
down the stretch, probably even outplayed BU in the game
they lost in the Hockey East Tournament. So I think
that's going to be an absolute battle. The Western Michigan
Minnesota State game. What intrigues me is I want to
see where Western Michigan's defense lands in this one. They've
given it up a lot of goals late. That was
(18:48):
the staple was that they weren't giving him a ton,
and now that they've gone with Lukanusky as their number
one goaltender, the goals against have actually continued to bop
a little bit. So little concerned, but I really like
Western the way they're playing right now, and that Saturday
night comeback and championship in the NCC at last one
(19:08):
in Saint Paul. What a way to turn the lights
out because that was a great championship game. How much
confidence you think they have right now?
Speaker 5 (19:15):
They've got to be just riding high because they beat
hot teams coming down the stretch and then to comeback.
You've got to really believe right now if you're a
Western fan.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
An let's take a look at Manchester number one overall.
Boston College will take on Atlantic Hockey's Bentley the first
time in the postseason tournament for the Bentley Falcons under
second year head coach Andy Jones, and Providence takes on Denver,
so you could see a national championship game rematch from
(19:49):
last year of BC and Denver. Providence beat Denver on
the way to their national championship in twenty fifteen. Connor
Hasley from Bentley, the goaltender has eleven shutouts and I
think three of them are in his last four games
they're in the playoffs. Something like that. Eleven on the season.
The record is twelve set by Greg Gardner. I think
(20:12):
it was in two thousand for Niagara. He's now the
associate head coach at Mercyhurst. And Bentley's Andy Jones I
mentioned him he's seeing a familiar team in Hockey East
opponent Boston College, as he was an associate head coach
at UMass Lowell. And incidentally, Bentley has a two to
(20:33):
zero all time record against BC, beating them at Conti
Forum two in twenty eighteen and then in the brand
new Bentley Arena in twenty twenty one. So I know
there was some talk, oh boy up against the big boys,
it's going to be a thing for Bentley.
Speaker 6 (20:51):
No, it's not.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
They are one of the most confident and poised and
structured teams and every year there's a chance of upset
in that one sixteen match and we've seen what three
four of them over the last decade. Bentley's built to
be that kind of a team with BC. I'm not
saying they're gonna do it, but they could put a
little bit of a scare in the Eagles.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
They will put a scare in the Eagles, I think.
I guess it's all about the start for that one.
Bentley can survive the first ten minutes and make sure
you stay out of the box, don't give BC any opportunities.
Not that PC's power player has been deadly. It's actually
been pretty calm. But you still can't give that many
offensively talented players good opportunities. So if Bentley goes and
(21:36):
plays a good road game and I don't know what
it'll feel like a road game, and I think this
will actually feel like a neutral ice game.
Speaker 4 (21:44):
I think that they've got a shot.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
All that said, this is BC is typed to bounce
back after getting knocked out of the Hockey East tournament.
On the other side, if Providence can muck it up
against Denver, they have a chance.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
But I think that sometimes Denver doesn't mind.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
Playing those low scoring two one three two type of games.
I know Providence is very comfortable in them, but I
I feel like that collision course of Denver BC is
just sitting right there for us.
Speaker 5 (22:13):
This is a team Bentley that's built for. This is
what they're built for right now. They're heavy, they're old,
they've got good depth, structured, they're tough to play against.
They've got a goalie that's got a tremendous amount of confidence.
If BU plays free and loose, they're going to make
them pay. Obviously, the best, the best talent is coming
(22:34):
out the boss, which is at the Boston College. But
I will tell you free end loose BC is not
going to beat a hungry, tight Dentley team. There is
a makings for an upset knock on Wood because they
hate to predict that this is a Bentley team that
could be hard to knock out. I'd like I want
(22:56):
to see how Davis responds for down to Denver because
I don't think the goals were great when in Western's
come back. I want to see how he responds. But
he's got history on his side. Unbelievable with the Frozen four.
Not many goalies can say they won a national championship.
I really think that this is Those are some the
(23:18):
tales of that weekend.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
One other thing I'll throw in about Bentley. You talk
about how they start out in the first ten minutes.
There's two out of the last three games where they
didn't start out so well in the first ten minutes.
They won on the road, both games at Sacred Heart
in the semi finals, and then won the championship on
the road at Holy Cross. The first game at Sacred
Heart and the championship game, they went down to nothing
(23:42):
in both of those games and came back to win.
So I don't even think they'll be faced if they
go down a couple.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
Of goals, maybe not be You can't dig a hole
like that against the Boston collegea tournament. If they're down
to nothing in the first t final score will be
north of eight to one. Ohoh, eight to one if
they go down to nothing in the first ten minutes. Yes,
he hasn't given up eight goals in six months. Basically,
(24:14):
I'm not saying I'm not saying that's going to happen,
but Ed's giving a scenario of them falling behind two nothing.
Speaker 4 (24:19):
You do the ADVA against Boston College.
Speaker 5 (24:21):
I think that there's a that's where I think people
are going to This Bentley team was down to nothing
is Sacred Heart. They were down to nothing to Holy Cross.
Nothing phases this group, and I think that their Ed's
throwing these scenarios out there to probably get a little.
Speaker 6 (24:39):
Riled up between us.
Speaker 5 (24:41):
But you're right because Ed saw it last year with
our I t R A T was a juggernaut last
year and they got down and then they tried to
open it up and it got bad. But I think
this Bentley team shit a little bit different. They're not
relied upon their offense. They're not relying upon scoring six
seven balls. Agame really comfortable in a tight game. Now
(25:03):
I'm starting to talk myself into an upset, which it's
it's interesting, we'll say about it.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
We've just been We've just spent more time talking about
the sixteen seat than any other team at the turn.
Speaker 6 (25:16):
That's because we've seen them. I've coached against them, I've
seen them.
Speaker 5 (25:19):
Unfortunately, I know this will be the Atlantic Hockey bias
portion of the show.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
There have been so many of those upsets in the
past few years, you got to get it some consideration.
Let's go to Allentown. Number three main takes on Penn
State and Yukon versus Quinnipiac, and we talked about that
in our special episode. Yukon and Quinnipiac faced off earlier
this year in the Connecticut Ice Tournament and Maine versus
(25:47):
Yukon was the championship in Hockey East. So Penn State
looking for its first Frozen Four bid. It's their fourth
tournament appearance, first time for Yukon, and we talk about
different coaches. What a job Mike Cavanaugh has done gradually
building the program to where he's wanted it to be.
We talked about Yukon and Quinnipiac. Maine swept Quinnipiac in
(26:12):
an earlier series the season two to one in six'
five in, overtime And maine lost the regular season To
yukon despite beating them for The Hockey East. Finals so
these are teams that are largely familiar with each, other
especially the ones coming From New.
Speaker 6 (26:28):
England.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
YEAH i think that's one thing that stands out is
that there is some familiarity Among, Maine, quinnipiac And.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
Yukon Penn state.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
A little bit of the outlier, here but they what
Does Penn state? Have they have the, Backyard they're going
to have a lot Of Penn state faithful rooting for
them In, allentown and that's IT'S i feel Like Black
bear fans would actually try to travel, here maybe more
so than they even did last year To, springfield and
(26:59):
they did it a decent job a getting To springfield last,
year just because there's more excitement right now For maine,
hockey even more than there was a year. Ago so
the whole thing From maine is where are the? Tickets
are there tickets available to? Buy if there, are they'll take.
THEM i think That Yukon quinnipiac game five o'clock On.
(27:21):
Friday that might be the number one matchup for me
in the first. Round and it's not because their big
time name that you, Know i've been going against each
other in battling in THE ncaa tournament for. Years they've
never done it, before but they've had some unbelievable in
state battles in The Connecticut Ice tournament prior to, that
(27:43):
in the days Of Atlanta cocke and The. Mac we're
both remembers. There i'm really interested in That Yukon quinnipiac.
Speaker 5 (27:51):
BATTLE i didn't even think about the history that they
have between each other way back in The mac and
Early atlantic. Hockey that's an historical, summer historical lead into
that game because of their.
Speaker 6 (28:06):
HISTORY i. THINK i look this morning at.
Speaker 5 (28:08):
Tickets there are a lot of one tickets all over Except.
Manchester manchester has a lot in the upper. Areas there's
a lot of one seats. Left In, toledo there's a
lot of one. Seats and WHEN i say a, lot
you're talking two three hundred for the semi final. Games
so there's a lot of sprinkled seats of. ONE i
(28:30):
think you're going to see The Black bears travel. THERE
i think they see that this is their time and
maybe they've held back.
Speaker 6 (28:37):
Before this is back to the glory.
Speaker 5 (28:40):
DAYS i think they're going to try to come in
and overtake the noise Of Penn state and it could
be a battling fan.
Speaker 6 (28:49):
SECTION i like this. MATCHUP i think this is going
to be this is one.
Speaker 5 (28:53):
Of the bigger, days bigger games, here both of. Them, actually,
WAIT i said the last nine on our, podcast this
is the tightest field in a long, time the. Lowest
the lowest is twenty second in the, pairwise this is.
Tight there's not much. Difference so when we're arguing about
upsets of where it is not that big of an
(29:14):
upset because of how tight these teams. Are so this
will be an interesting. Field main will, Travel they're going
to be High Penn. State they weren't supposed to be,
here they were. Struggling they and they've had a great
second half and and thinks. Outstanding they've got a goalie
that's making. Saves they're just this team of. Depth and
(29:37):
then you got the two, others The yukon and you've
seen numerous Times Mike kevin has done a great job with.
Speaker 6 (29:42):
Them and.
Speaker 5 (29:45):
How Is winnipeak going to bounce back from their loss last?
Weekend they always seem to do it in the, tournament
right do?
Speaker 6 (29:52):
It they do?
Speaker 7 (29:52):
It they lose, there and then they do. It win
the first game of the tournament every. Time that's. Subject
that's a staple for Ran. Pachnalt he wins his first,
game especially the last decade and a. Half it's after
that that's when things get more. Difficult but he's still
reached Three national championship.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
Games so before we, break one last thought THAT i
had looking at. This you've got four number one seeds
that are led by four head coaches that have brought
a rejuvenation to each of their. Programs you think Of
Boston college always being up. There they were in a downward,
situation good but not great As Greg brown took. Over
(30:36):
now they're back to. Prominence Michigan state back to prominence
Under Adam Nightingale Ben barr At, maine they have soared
right to the top Of Hockey east And Western. Michigan
Pat furschweiler has taken what has been middle of the
PACK ncchc team and made them dominant in That. League
(30:58):
just that story right there of those four number one
seeds is pretty cool too and shows you what a
difference just a couple three four years can make in
turning around a. Program and with that we do need
to take a. Break this episode is sponsored by THE
Ncaa men's d One frozen Four april tenth and twelfth
In Saint.
Speaker 8 (31:17):
Louis THE Ncaa Men's frozen four the pinnacle of men's
collegiate ice Hawk any.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Question, PROFESSOR Ncaa Men's hockey is.
Speaker 4 (31:37):
Back are we? Ready you prepared to hype your squad
for all three? Periods bring glory home to your? Campus,
oh you're.
Speaker 8 (31:46):
Ready It's frozen four. Times THE Ncaa Men's frozen, Four
april tenth and, twelfth twenty twenty five And Saint. Louis
buy your seats today AT ncaaa dot.
Speaker 4 (31:54):
Com so That's frozen.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
Four welcome back to USC Cho Weekend. Review before we
jump into our scheduled topic of talking about The Hoby top,
ten how about a word about the Women's National championship game.
Speaker 5 (32:14):
Yesterday you talk about, Excitement you talk about down to
the wire, Enthusiasm everybody on the edge of their, seats
you've got too many men on the, ice penalty bringing
back shades of the.
Speaker 6 (32:30):
Seventies you've got it covering up the.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
Puck you've got a penalty shot Where Mark johnson just
casually throws out who wants, it And Kristin simms raises
her hand and then scores an unbelievable, move and Then
Kristen simms scores the.
Speaker 6 (32:46):
WINNER i thought that was great.
Speaker 5 (32:48):
DRAMA i thought it was a great, theater AND i
thought it was a great national championship for women's ice.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Hockey, yeah AND I i'll echo those, intiments BUT i
also want to tip my hat To Kelly coca And
amanda To. Sony nobody probably knows who those names, are
but those were the referees in that, game and that
was a very difficult call they had to. Make with
eighteen seconds left in, regulation When wisconsin already on the
(33:18):
power play down a goal, scramble Gold Mouth Ohio state
player touches the puck with her, hand moves it out
of the.
Speaker 4 (33:27):
Crease on video, review they awarded a.
Speaker 3 (33:30):
Penalty shot That wisconsin scored on to tie the. Game
that's that's, theater but it also Takes scotts as a
referee to make the right call there because you know
that it had such impact on the.
Speaker 4 (33:44):
Game hats off to.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
The officials for making sure that the integrity of that
game was.
Speaker 6 (33:50):
Held what a.
Speaker 5 (33:51):
Move THOUGH i, JUMPED i was, like, wow it WAS
i screamed at watching. It and you, know OBVIOUSLY i
have two daughters that, play one that's currently in college
and one that's going to be in, college and they
both have played against a lot of these, people SO
i know a lot of the. Names The, Golia, Wisconsin
avia mcnott and her parents are family. Friends so there
(34:12):
was a lot of rooting interests in the, game and
not just For. Wisconsin there WERE i, know we know
so many players in that, game and it was just
it was fun to.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
Watch let's talk about The Hoby top, ten which is
also going to be the topic of my rant after
we go through. It the RANT i advertised at the
end of yesterday's. Episode interestingly, enough three from The big,
ten two FROM ncchc And, atlantic and one each FROM,
Ccha Hockey east AND. Ecac and that's part of the
(34:46):
turmoil they'd erupted after. That but let's take a look
at the. Finalists if you're going to have a defenseman in,
there and this year we have. Too but if you're
going to have even one of, Them Zeve bulliam From
denver has to be in that.
Speaker 4 (34:59):
Group.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
YEAH a solid, Player, yeah, absolutely AND i think he
showed really well World junior stage and obviously last year's national.
Speaker 4 (35:09):
Tournament this season picked out where he left.
Speaker 6 (35:12):
Off, YEAH i can't argue with. That pick one.
Speaker 5 (35:14):
Bet there's no doubting that He's he's in my final
three potentially as.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
Well his Teammate Jack divine forward From denver is the
OTHER ncchc, nominee and he's put together another great.
Speaker 6 (35:28):
Season he's, elite, yeah he.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
Said he definitely isn't some day stood out on the
big stage last year in Frosen bour and now didn't
in a back to back seaton.
Speaker 4 (35:43):
Again, derek he is the right word.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
Elite Ayden think From Penn state isn't somebody that a
lot of people may have had on their. List but
he has put together a terrific here as, well.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
Especially a great second half as a drink has gone
so as his team popped onto a lot of radar
screens late this.
Speaker 5 (36:03):
SEASON i think it's no coincidence That Penn state goes
on a big. Heater when he goes on a, heater
you're talking about a sophomore that still he had thirty
four points a, freshmen but twenty three goals and fifty
two points in the Easy Big ten as an outstanding.
Speaker 6 (36:22):
Year he could.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
Almost say the same thing about the son Of Penn
state's Coach Mac, gadowski the defenseman From. Army he put
it together in the second half of the season and
after a nine game losing, Streak army went on a
tear and was one of the most successful teams in
college hockey the second half of the. Year this is
a guy who's playing way above what was expected of,
(36:47):
HIM i would, suspect and he put together some ridiculous.
Speaker 5 (36:51):
Numbers ridiculous numbers sixteen, goals a d forty two, Points
armies all time leading single season scorer for in The
division one.
Speaker 6 (37:01):
Era, big no doubt that he.
Speaker 5 (37:05):
Did he's on there and people all, say wir ed
To Arona cockey because of the, goals because of the.
Points he's second amongst all defensemen all of. Scoring it's
a this is a big year for a big. Player,
YEAH i think.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
This is the one WHERE i feel maybe the committee
Or i'm, sorry but coaches and then thus the hope
people that run the award got it. Wrong it's not
That max is not a great, player but you're talking
about a good player on the fifth best team in
the worst league and college, hockey you, know and some
(37:43):
REALLY i think it's more of the players that didn't get,
there and it's not a slight Against. MAX i think
he's a fantastic. PLAYER i saw him have a great
game over At bentley earlier this. Season he's a good.
Player BUT i think that when you're trying to find
the National player of The, Year i'm not sure that
he probably measures up in terms of when you look
(38:04):
at some of the guys that were left.
Speaker 5 (38:05):
Off i'm NOT i could argue with you all, Day
jimmy and will be The Atlantic Hockey bias. Again second
in the league and points forty one forty two points,
defenseman those are big.
Speaker 6 (38:17):
Numbers leave it at. That we're going rapid fire.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
Here Isaac coward From Michigan state is probably on most
people's lists as a top three, guy and he showed
why in the. Playoffs overtime game winner just has been.
Speaker 5 (38:35):
Terrific no. Doubter that's what that. Was that's a no,
doubter that's a no. Brainer that's a final three. Guy
that's one of the favorites probably With leonard and my
choice Of Zee william as a final three and in my, mind.
Speaker 4 (38:51):
YEAH i agree with.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
You if there's any one player who's going to Push,
leonard It's Isaac. COWARD i think that this is Probably
leonard's award to, lose and he has a regional to
win or lose it to maybe finalize. It BUT i
think that the way That Isaac howard has played down
the stretch and scoring the big goals in the big,
games that's proving what a clutch player he.
Speaker 2 (39:15):
Is and you Mentioned Ryan. Leonard he's the lone representative
From Hockey east six teams in the tournament won in
THE Hoby top, ten which is really the source of
some of the consternation that was out.
Speaker 6 (39:30):
There but.
Speaker 2 (39:33):
You've probably just made the case for, Him. Jim but
he's got to be a favorite for. Sure he.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
Is WHEN i think, it if he took his season
and took his first half and put it in the,
second and his second half and put it in the,
first we wouldn't even probably be talking because some of
his biggest, goals his big clutch goals come from behind
wins where he would score the tying and the winning.
Goals those all came in the first, half all in
(40:01):
the month Of. November since, then he's put up unbelievable.
Numbers but people the goals that people are remembering from the.
Season if you look At Isaac, howard they're remembering a
goal from The Big Ten. Championship i'm remembering a, goal
couple of, goals many goals actually From leonard that came From.
Speaker 4 (40:19):
November so, hey it's just.
Speaker 3 (40:21):
Timing DO i think that he absolutely wins the award
and should win the?
Speaker 6 (40:25):
Award?
Speaker 3 (40:25):
Yes DO i think that there's any room that he
could possibly lose?
Speaker 4 (40:30):
It?
Speaker 3 (40:30):
Maybe AND i Think i've mentioned Obviously howard's played down the,
stretch and then the fact that a lot of the
big moments For leonard they were early in the.
Speaker 2 (40:40):
Season that's what they call recency. Bias Artin, martino the
lone representative FROM, ecac a fifty one point season for
The Golden knights Of.
Speaker 5 (40:52):
Clarkson anytime you put a fifty points, up you're one
of the top ten in the. NATION i think this
all so comes back to this is THE i believe
the player of the year on THE. Ecac this is
a guy that's their best. Player and is is he
going to sign With dallas and play for The stars
(41:13):
or potentially maybe is he going to be back in.
College who, knows BUT i think that this is a
this is the representative of THE, ecac and this is
a good choice anytime you have fifty.
Speaker 4 (41:23):
POINTS i never.
Speaker 3 (41:25):
Saw him play until THE ecac championship, game and he
Was he was good in that. GAME i didn't know
a lot about, him SO i guess his numbers had
to speak to be good.
Speaker 4 (41:35):
Numbers decent numbers for. Sure a good team at THE.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
Easac another guy with an over fifty point season fifty
four on the season is the second representative From Atlantic
hockey Holy cross Is liam, mcclinsky who transferred after his
freshman year From quinnipiac and has been a key to
success at Holy.
Speaker 5 (41:57):
Cross best player on the best, team leading scorer in the,
league and his second time in The He'll Be Baker final.
Speaker 4 (42:06):
TEN i had no.
Speaker 3 (42:08):
PROBLEM i didn't maybe think That goodolski should have been in,
there BUT.
Speaker 4 (42:11):
I had no problem at all with.
Speaker 3 (42:14):
Mcclinsky he has been fantastic For Holy cross and has
watched that program build from a team that was at
the bottom Of Atlanta cockey to one that is now
perennially competing to try to get to that championship.
Speaker 2 (42:29):
Game minnesota Is. Jimmy Snugger root is the third representative
from The Big ten and a lot of people talk
about him in the same breath As leonard And howard
is the top.
Speaker 3 (42:42):
THREE i really Like Snugger root every, time and maybe
it's again the ability is probably guess his recency biased
BECAUSE i see them more often just being On Big
Ten network and getting to watch those. Games i've every
TIME i seem to turn on THE tv he's doing.
SOMETHING i think snugger is a really fantastic. Player i'm
(43:04):
really interested to see him go up Against cole, O'Hara
one of The Hoby snubs in the regionals this.
Speaker 5 (43:12):
Weekend in my, opinion If Ze builliam is in the final,
three this is the other guy in the final. Three
this IS i think it's A Howard leonard and then
you can toss two or three guys In william Or
Snuggar rood for, sure shooter for, score big pedigree probably
going to plan In Saint louis after they're, Done minnesota's.
Speaker 6 (43:33):
Done, YEAH i could see him being in the final.
Speaker 2 (43:36):
Three absolutely in the final top, ten member of The
Hoby top, ten and the only goalie among the bunch
Is Minnesota State's Alex. Tracy one point four to three goals,
against nine to forty five save percentage in thirty seven
games this.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
Season, yeah good numbers From Minnesota state. DO i don't want,
critis BUT i think IF i had to compare him
to a couple of goaltenders in hockeys that didn't make.
IT i feel like In, derek you AND i were
talking off the air last. NIGHT i don't know if
there's a mandate, now and there might be every league
(44:17):
to have a. Finalist it feels like there was BECAUSE
i feel like we've maybe pigeon pulled in all that
does certainly leave out the independent. SCHOOLS i just feel
like you had a couple of guys in hockey's At
maine And Boston college who probably didn't have the same,
numbers but IT'S i think that certainly put up great
(44:38):
seasons in tough.
Speaker 4 (44:39):
Schedules, yeah got.
Speaker 6 (44:42):
Is he the player of the year in the league
in THE.
Speaker 5 (44:44):
Ct, absolutely is he going to be the key to
Man cato success down the.
Speaker 6 (44:49):
Strutch, absolutely this is a very good.
Speaker 5 (44:52):
Goaltender the big question is does he win The Retro
award because that this is saying that he's in the,
hobby he's the only goalie that he should win. Director
so that's the question that you, have and, yes you.
Can there's always going to be. Debates there's debates every
year about. People SO i think that if there is
(45:13):
a mandate OR i think it needs to be no
BECAUSE i think it'll stop a lot of it and saying,
hey here's the. REASON i don't know if there. Is
i'm just guessing if there is because of THE Ccha
player of The year being a goalie and being this
one who, knows but he's he's definitely a very good
(45:34):
goalie and he is worthy of being in the top.
Speaker 6 (45:37):
Ten it's just somebody's. Opinion is there somebody?
Speaker 2 (45:40):
Better there were some emissions and people In Hockey east
were the most vocal about. It number one on that
List Umasses cole O'Hara fifty one point, Season Quinn hudson
bu forty seven points In Jacob foller with almost the
similar numbers As Alex tray playing against arguably some tougher
(46:03):
offensive competition nine to, forty save, percentage one point sixty
four goals against twenty four to six and two. Record
anybody else stand out that has been left out of this,
year they're undoubtedly people who were worthy who have been left.
Speaker 5 (46:18):
Out o'haro was outstanding AGAINST. US i was very impressed
when we saw him flight the other. Ones Obviously follers
has got the pedigree and had a great, Year hudson as.
WELL i Think jimmy can dive a little bit deeper
into some of. Them but o'haro was outstanding AGAINST. US
i was surprised that he wasn't in the final.
Speaker 6 (46:39):
TEN i was.
Speaker 3 (46:40):
Too your mass fans probably boreshocked what maybe wasn't going
to win the. AWARD i get, that but certainly had
made a good case for top. Ten but it's really
it comes down to points, now goals over. Assist we've
always known, that but it's really points and if you're
(47:01):
a defense spinneck can score, goals you will Get you'll
get on in goaltenders who are it feels like there's
always going to be one goaltender and it's looking At,
okay who had the best goals against average in the.
Speaker 4 (47:12):
Country there we, go that's our. Goaltender i'm going to
go one.
Speaker 5 (47:16):
More and we talked about him earlier as we talked
About alex Versus. Alex bumpet had forty six points on
a team that's the number one seed and twenty three.
Speaker 6 (47:27):
Goals SO i would say he's an omission in my.
Speaker 3 (47:31):
OPINION i did last night WHEN i was putting some notes,
TOGETHER i had memorized the ten. FINALS i looked to
see if bump was on the. LIST i thought that
was another potential. Admission so that brings me up to my.
Rant and you know, What i've.
Speaker 5 (47:48):
Been waiting twenty four hours for. This come, on don't
disappointment well whoever.
Speaker 2 (47:52):
Out so here's the. THING i have no problem with
people saying somebody's been, snubbed that somebody's been left. Out,
fine you're absolutely. Right but if you're a media person
with a big social media account and there are a
few of them out, there then you ought to know
how The Hoby Baker award is. Chosen so let me
(48:17):
give you the quick rundown on that starts. Out every
school can nominate up to three. Players that's where the
nominees come. From so you could have this, year you
could have had one hundred and ninety two. Nominees not
everybody nominates. Three someone nominate. One sometimes you don't get a,
Nominee so that's round, one and that's when the fan
voting comes, in and the coach is, voting and then the.
(48:39):
Coaches this, year sixty Four division one coaches all vote
for the three best players from their league and then
the three best players overall in the. Country that's ninety
nine percent of the. Vote one percent is reserved for
the fan, vote the vote For hobie, Vote so that
(48:59):
top ten and came not out of people sitting around a,
table not in a smoke filled. Room nobody was lighting up,
cigars nobody was, arguing nobody was playing twelve angry. Men
it was a tabulation of votes from all the. Coaches
yet THEN i start reading about it being criminal or
what a travesty it was that the committee shows this
(49:21):
and what a joke it, is and what the conference
calls are like with the. Committee the committee hasn't even
had any of that.
Speaker 6 (49:29):
Happen.
Speaker 2 (49:30):
Yet the voting committee has a conference call one week from,
today on the thirty, first after the, Regionals and that
conference call is not to pick the. Players that conference
call is an opportunity for the members of the voting
committee who represent print, journalists internet, journalists, broadcasters, head, coaches,
(49:50):
REFEREES nhl. Scouts they discussed the ten, players and it's
a time to go around the table and they bring
up comments about each. Player, YEAH i saw him, PLAY
yi coached against, Him, yeah he's in my. League. Whatever
everybody tosses around ideas about the. Players then the next
day those, people about thirty of, them all cast the.
(50:14):
Vote they cast a vote for three players, one, two
and three who they think their top three. Are from
that they tabulate the top three for The hobie hat,
trick and that same vote is the one that selects
The hobie. Winner so there's been no committee meeting on.
Things and for people to say that who have big
followings out there on their social, MEDIA i don't get
(50:37):
in there and reply to. Stuff we have, journalists we have,
writers broadcasters we respect who we know cover their sources
well and do an amazing. Job and then there are
people out there who are in the clickbait, business but
in any, CASE i don't respond to that very. Much
SOMETIMES i know they're full, BOLONIAN i don't. Respond but
on this ONE i responded to try to correct the.
(51:00):
Situation it was met with. Silence but you know, what
if you're going to bash this whole, thing at least
get the facts, right do your. Homework rant.
Speaker 5 (51:10):
Over But i'll tell you, this it's almost the same
as when you get when people criticize THE ncaa tournament
selection right and say that why didn't this team get?
In why didn't this team get? In why because of
a computer picked? It you knew who was getting in
going into the. Weekend there was no, hey Maybe Arizona
state can get. In, no they had to win in so.
(51:31):
There BUT i will tell, you AND i wish the
process was out there somewhere for all of.
Speaker 6 (51:37):
That it.
Speaker 4 (51:38):
Is it's out. There do Com, yeah it's the whole.
Speaker 3 (51:44):
Thing the process For hoby's, there the process for THE
ncaa tournament, there whether you want to read.
Speaker 4 (51:50):
It is another.
Speaker 3 (51:50):
THING i actually felt like, yesterday oh this, weekend people
actually got the fields right in, advance because, yes it
felt easy and there wasn't a lot of changes that
had to be, made but people understand what the committee does.
Now for so many years they, didn't AND i feel
like they they do. NOW i think that credit to.
(52:14):
Media i'm not patting myself or ourselves on the, back
but the college hockey body of media has collectively done
a good job of educating the.
Speaker 2 (52:23):
FANS i agree with, that and we have really put
together a long. Episode we have one thing, left and
that's to pick our four winners out of these. Regions
do you want me to go? First Since i'm all wound.
Speaker 4 (52:36):
Up go, ahead all?
Speaker 2 (52:37):
RIGHT i have three of the four number one seeds.
ADVANCING i Have Michigan, State Western, Michigan, denver And maine
as my.
Speaker 5 (52:48):
FOUR i SAID i was going to. WAFFLE i wouldn't
be surprised if it was all four number. ONES i
wouldn't be surprised if it was a whole bunch of reason. Porch,
Yeah i'm all over the. Place i'm going to Go Boston,
College i'm going to Go. Maine i'm gonna go oh,
GOSH i want to Go cornell just BECAUSE i worked
(53:11):
For mike and played For. Mike But i'm gonna stick
With Ohio, state and Then i'm gonna go Either Western
michigan Or. Minnesota there's my hand or.
Speaker 3 (53:22):
My hand or actually follows at the only One i'm
really waffling on Is denver And Boston.
Speaker 4 (53:28):
College Pick Boston.
Speaker 3 (53:29):
College how CAN i not be a hot HOCKEY tnk
IF i don't Pick Boston, College i'm going to stay
on the hockey'ast honk Trailer Boston university In maine as.
Well But i'm gonna Go Western michigan In. Fargo this
is the. Time this is going to be awesome to
see a first time team in.
Speaker 5 (53:48):
The party that The broncos alumni will have. There wait a,
minute are we not going to see you the whole?
WEEK i do my. Stuff they got to get. There
let's get there and then we'll worry about.
Speaker 2 (54:00):
THAT A Western michigan team In Saint louis with A
Western michigan alum in his hometown has a recipe for
fun all over.
Speaker 6 (54:11):
It, Nope i'm there to give my due.
Speaker 2 (54:14):
Dads before we, close a quick reminder that the US
Cho Bracket challenges. Open go on over and sign, up log,
in sign up your friends for your own internal, competition
and compete nationally for the bracket of. Sixteen you can
win prizes including gift cards AND Us echo. Merchandise this
(54:37):
episode has been sponsored by THE Ncaa Men's. Division One
frozen Four april tenth and twelfth In Saint, Louis. Missouri
get your tickets now AT ncaa dot. Com Slash frozen
four For Jim, connolly For Derek, Schooley i'm Ed trefsker
and this has BEEN Us Echo Weekend review
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