April 11, 2025 • 6 mins
USCHO's Ed Trefzger, Jim Connelly and Derek Schooley are joined by Arizona State coach Greg Powers to recap Thursday's national semifinals at the 2025 Frozen Four in St. Louis. Owen Michaels scored twice as Western Michigan beat Denver, 3-2 in double overtime. Mikhail Yegorov made 32 save for Boston University as they beat Penn State, 3-1.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thursday semi finals at the Frozen Four in Saint Louis.
In the early game, Owen Michaels with two goals, including
the overtime game winer, and a three to two win
for Western Michigan to advance. In the late game, it
was a thirty two saved performance by mcale Hugorov that
papel Boston University on to the championship. Let's talk about
(00:24):
what we saw tonight with USHO live at the Frozen Four,
I met traster alongside Jim Connolly, also with Robert Morris
University head coached Derek Spulley and Arizona State University had
coached Bright Twas. Let's start with the late We were
expecting a high flying, wide open game. Instead we saw
(00:47):
something that didn't have a lot of pace.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
No I thint that was a game that was completely
opposite what we thought it was.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
We talked this morning about five to four, four to three,
this high scoring.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Shots by Penn State, offensive transition, counterattack, You make a turnover,
you could be in trouble.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
We didn't see any of that.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
We saw tight checking pucks in a lot of sloppy play.
The ice was a little bit to me bumpy, but
the play was not sharp. It wasn't Chris. It was
kind of a I felt like it was a third
place game after the main event and at the end
of the day, that's how it came out, and you
figure out a way to get the job done.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
BG.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
Did it look like either team was nervers out there,
especially early on?
Speaker 5 (01:29):
I think both here just played safe. You know, they
played not to not to lose, right. I didn't see
either team playing to win a game, right, And I
think if they play that Saturday, they're gonna be in trouble.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
I'd mentioned that you go off with thirty two States.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
He has been such a great story for this PU
team that was struggling with goaltending.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Since he has come around here in January.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
This is a team that seems Derek to be on
a really good pier path.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Here they're gonna play for a national championship.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Except for his rookie lap penalty, Chucky has been really
good with that.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
I think he's one of those guys that's just he's solid.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
He makes a sabs to make and we're here and
like they've got so much offensive firepower.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Usually forget about the defense.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
You think about the players at Eiserman makes or Cole
Hudsoner and all their top end players. But they happy
to get solid goaltending and they've got it right.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Boston University's gonna have to play a lot better Saturday
than they did tonight. What kind of things were lacking
from their usual game?
Speaker 5 (02:30):
Just just pace, energy, you know, execution. Really I thought,
you know, again, they just they played not to make mistakes, right,
and they got it done. You know, they got a
big win. They're in a national championship. They're one win
away from the oldimate goal for everybody in the country.
And but again we've seen Western Michigan a lot all year,
(02:50):
and the way they look tonight, b is gonna have
to bring a lot more Saturday.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
I think the old statement is is you find the
way you'd rather win ugly and moves pretty.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
That would be his game tonight.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Meanwhile, the early game was pretty exciting between Western Michigan
and Denver. Western had a two to nothing lead early on,
and then it went overtime as Denver kind of woke up.
Twenty six seconds into second overtime, Owen Michaels with his
second goal of the night and the game winner. That
was a way different game than we saw later on.
(03:23):
Derek Errolma matter came through very well.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Main event.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
I think it was the heavyweight championship fight, the two
teams that are playing for the fourth time, opposite of
the NCAC finals. When Western came back, Denver comes back
tailor two games, first, two periods all Western, third period overtime.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
I felt that was Denver.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Obviously the second overtime didn't go very long, but I
really think that the I talked to Pat firstwhile after
the game, and the big thing he said was their
biggest problem in the hockey game was that they did
not extend that too nothing lead. They said their biggest
problem was it should be five nothing, and it wasn't
and allowed Denver to hang around and go from there.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
To that point.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Greg Matt Davis, I think it was three shorthanded saves
he made late in that second pary win the game
was two nothing, didn't let it get three nothing. That
was what gave chance just to have the overtime for Denver.
They get there, but still Western closed it up. What
didn't you think about that third period for Denver in
(04:26):
the desk brief.
Speaker 5 (04:26):
Yeah, I mean, Maddie Davis, great goalie, clutch goalie, unbelievable
career in college.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Congrats to him.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
But what Denver did in the third period was make
a big adjustment and that was that was turned into
a four checking team.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Right.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
They're not ideally, you know, want to be a four
checking team. They're great off the rush, they're great with
their skill and and and the rozone play, but.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
They don't like the four check.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
And they got pucks in behind Western and they made
Western go two hundred feet their Their back pressure was incredible.
It was relentless. They stayed above pucks and they really
made it tough on plustering and turn and the turn the.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Table in a big way.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
I mean they look, you know, you hear first talk
all the time about how Western defense with the puck,
and that's what they did for forty minutes. I don't
think Denver touched the puck very much in the first
forty minutes. But they changed their game plan. They made
a great adjustment. They got pucks in behind their d
and they came back and it was a hell of
hockey game.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
We're gonna have a lot of time tomorrow Saturday to
kind of talk about the Championship Geeme, But I just
want to ask both from a coach's perspective, you played
a long game. If you're Western dishi game, you played
more than eighty minutes, you played a late game.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
If you're Bosster University.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
What's happening tonight to try to get these two teams
refreshing ready to.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Go when it comes back on Saturday. My opinion is nothing.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
I think they're gonna have a long enough break, They're
gonna play for a national championship, and they're gonna be
two teams.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
That really just go after it. Yeah. Same, I mean
I I you know, I don't think.
Speaker 5 (05:54):
I don't think the length of the game or uh,
you know, the duration of rest is gonna matter. These
two teas have one game left for everything, and they're
going to empty the tanks and the best team is
gonna win on Saturday, regardless of how fresh they are.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Friday at the Frozen Four is the State of the
Game press Conference. We'll talk about what.
Speaker 6 (06:12):
The NCAA and Committee has to say about what's coming
up with IVF moarning hockey, and of course, on Saturday,
please the championship king between Western Michigan and Boston.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Rehearse, but that will wrap it up. For Thursday, it's
the Frozen Four from the US.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
ECHL live for Jim Connelly, for Derren' Spoolly, for Great Powers.
I'm at Prepster. We'll catch you at ufccho dot com
Thursday semi finals at the Frozen Four in Saint Louis.
In the early game, Owen Michaels with two goals, including
the overtime game winer, and a three to two win
for Western Michigan to advance. In the late game, it
was a thirty two saved performance by mcale Hugorov that
papel Boston University on to the championship. Let's talk about
(00:24):
what we saw tonight with USHO live at the Frozen Four,
I met traster alongside Jim Connolly, also with Robert Morris
University head coached Derek Spulley and Arizona State University had
coached Bright Twas. Let's start with the late We were
expecting a high flying, wide open game. Instead we saw
(00:47):
something that didn't have a lot of pace.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
No I thint that was a game that was completely
opposite what we thought it was.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
We talked this morning about five to four, four to three,
this high scoring.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Shots by Penn State, offensive transition, counterattack, You make a turnover,
you could be in trouble.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
We didn't see any of that.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
We saw tight checking pucks in a lot of sloppy play.
The ice was a little bit to me bumpy, but
the play was not sharp. It wasn't Chris. It was
kind of a I felt like it was a third
place game after the main event and at the end
of the day, that's how it came out, and you
figure out a way to get the job done.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
BG.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
Did it look like either team was nervers out there,
especially early on?
Speaker 5 (01:29):
I think both here just played safe. You know, they
played not to not to lose, right. I didn't see
either team playing to win a game, right, And I
think if they play that Saturday, they're gonna be in trouble.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
I'd mentioned that you go off with thirty two States.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
He has been such a great story for this PU
team that was struggling with goaltending.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Since he has come around here in January.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
This is a team that seems Derek to be on
a really good pier path.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Here they're gonna play for a national championship.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Except for his rookie lap penalty, Chucky has been really
good with that.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
I think he's one of those guys that's just he's solid.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
He makes a sabs to make and we're here and
like they've got so much offensive firepower.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Usually forget about the defense.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
You think about the players at Eiserman makes or Cole
Hudsoner and all their top end players. But they happy
to get solid goaltending and they've got it right.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Boston University's gonna have to play a lot better Saturday
than they did tonight. What kind of things were lacking
from their usual game?
Speaker 5 (02:30):
Just just pace, energy, you know, execution. Really I thought,
you know, again, they just they played not to make mistakes, right,
and they got it done. You know, they got a
big win. They're in a national championship. They're one win
away from the oldimate goal for everybody in the country.
And but again we've seen Western Michigan a lot all year,
(02:50):
and the way they look tonight, b is gonna have
to bring a lot more Saturday.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
I think the old statement is is you find the
way you'd rather win ugly and moves pretty.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
That would be his game tonight.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Meanwhile, the early game was pretty exciting between Western Michigan
and Denver. Western had a two to nothing lead early on,
and then it went overtime as Denver kind of woke up.
Twenty six seconds into second overtime, Owen Michaels with his
second goal of the night and the game winner. That
was a way different game than we saw later on.
(03:23):
Derek Errolma matter came through very well.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Main event.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
I think it was the heavyweight championship fight, the two
teams that are playing for the fourth time, opposite of
the NCAC finals. When Western came back, Denver comes back
tailor two games, first, two periods all Western, third period overtime.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
I felt that was Denver.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Obviously the second overtime didn't go very long, but I
really think that the I talked to Pat firstwhile after
the game, and the big thing he said was their
biggest problem in the hockey game was that they did
not extend that too nothing lead. They said their biggest
problem was it should be five nothing, and it wasn't
and allowed Denver to hang around and go from there.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
To that point.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Greg Matt Davis, I think it was three shorthanded saves
he made late in that second pary win the game
was two nothing, didn't let it get three nothing. That
was what gave chance just to have the overtime for Denver.
They get there, but still Western closed it up. What
didn't you think about that third period for Denver in
(04:26):
the desk brief.
Speaker 5 (04:26):
Yeah, I mean, Maddie Davis, great goalie, clutch goalie, unbelievable
career in college.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Congrats to him.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
But what Denver did in the third period was make
a big adjustment and that was that was turned into
a four checking team.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Right.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
They're not ideally, you know, want to be a four
checking team. They're great off the rush, they're great with
their skill and and and the rozone play, but.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
They don't like the four check.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
And they got pucks in behind Western and they made
Western go two hundred feet their Their back pressure was incredible.
It was relentless. They stayed above pucks and they really
made it tough on plustering and turn and the turn the.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Table in a big way.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
I mean they look, you know, you hear first talk
all the time about how Western defense with the puck,
and that's what they did for forty minutes. I don't
think Denver touched the puck very much in the first
forty minutes. But they changed their game plan. They made
a great adjustment. They got pucks in behind their d
and they came back and it was a hell of
hockey game.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
We're gonna have a lot of time tomorrow Saturday to
kind of talk about the Championship Geeme, But I just
want to ask both from a coach's perspective, you played
a long game. If you're Western dishi game, you played
more than eighty minutes, you played a late game.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
If you're Bosster University.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
What's happening tonight to try to get these two teams
refreshing ready to.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Go when it comes back on Saturday. My opinion is nothing.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
I think they're gonna have a long enough break, They're
gonna play for a national championship, and they're gonna be
two teams.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
That really just go after it. Yeah. Same, I mean
I I you know, I don't think.
Speaker 5 (05:54):
I don't think the length of the game or uh,
you know, the duration of rest is gonna matter. These
two teas have one game left for everything, and they're
going to empty the tanks and the best team is
gonna win on Saturday, regardless of how fresh they are.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Friday at the Frozen Four is the State of the
Game press Conference. We'll talk about what.
Speaker 6 (06:12):
The NCAA and Committee has to say about what's coming
up with IVF moarning hockey, and of course, on Saturday,
please the championship king between Western Michigan and Boston.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Rehearse, but that will wrap it up. For Thursday, it's
the Frozen Four from the US.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
ECHL live for Jim Connelly, for Derren' Spoolly, for Great Powers.
I'm at Prepster. We'll catch you at ufccho dot com
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