Brian: We are now less than 24 hours away from game time, so Jeff and I preview the Frozen Four matchup with the Fighting Sioux with a game of toss up ...
Toss Up - Tougher Frozen Four opponent - Michigan or North Dakota?
Jeff: North Dakota is tougher because North Dakota is Boston College's opponent! A team you don't have to play is not difficult.
Brian: I think the question was more about which opponent left do you think is the tougher competition ... I initially thought Michigan, but I've now turned the corner and am going with North Dakota. I am BUYING the WCHA and selling the CCHA teams.
Toss Up - More impressive "ironman" streak - Muse's 42 of 42 starts and 2605:05 in net this season, or senior captain Mike Brennan who played in 175 games (never missed a game in 4 years)?
Brian: I'm going to go with Brennan. Not missing a game in 4 years is pretty impressive, even if he does play on the defensive side of the puck. I don't want to take anything away from Muse here, who's had an incredible freshman season and is largely responsible for getting this season's Eagles to where they are today.
Jeff: You are absolutely correct in going with Brennan. A goaltender plays as many minutes as his coach allows or makes him. That is no ironman streak. Goalies are rarely injured and college teams do not play nearly as many games as NHL teams so the rest that goalies typically get once in a while is not as necessary.
Toss Up - Better freshman OT game-winner - Beanpot hero Nick Petrecki's or Whitney's Northeast Regional winner?
Jeff: Whitney's regional winner. The regional was nationally televised so more people got to see it and the NCAA tournament is far more important. Lose in the NCAAs and your season is over, lose in the Beanpot and you still have bigger fish to fry. It is important to note though that both made SportsCenter.
Brian: The better, more incredible goal was Whitney's, but if you are going for style points, nothing tops Nick Petrecki's game winning celebration. The rowboat?! Style points, creativity and form all far surpassed Whitney's game winner. So I'm going with Whitney's goal as more important/impressive, but going with Petrecki for the better celebration.
Last one, Toss Up - Who ya got? BC - North Dakota, and Michigan - Notre Dame?
Brian: I am nervous about the Eagles matchup tomorrow. It's REALLY hard to beat a team 3 years in a row in the national semifinals, but I'm going to go with my heart here and say that the Eagles keep things rolling. For the other matchup, again it's really difficult to beat a team 3 times in the same season ... ask this year's version of the Dallas Cowboys. I'm going to go the other way on this. I'm going with Notre Dame with the major upset, if only because Notre Dame survived the West regional of death, and Michigan had, by far, the easiest road to the Frozen Four. All Catholic final, let's do this.
Jeff: Notre Dame beat New Hampshire easily and then went on to beat Michigan State in this tournament. I don't know a lot about hockey but I know UNH had a good season so Notre Dame is clearly playing well and I give them the edge. Michigan expects to win and therefore has pressure, ND has no pressure on them to win. In the important matchup, I'm going with BC, obviously. What difference does it make that we've beat North Dakota the last two years? 3 times in one year might be a big deal but 3 times in 3 years ... no big deal. In 2001 North Dakota scored two late goals to force OT but then somehow BC regained composure and won the game. If BC could beat them under those circumstances I certainly expect them to win before the game starts tomorrow!
Brian: Jeff agreed to most of what I said in typical, boring fashion. Therefore, I win (again). But enough blog games, it's almost game time ... Go Eagles!
Toss Up - Tougher Frozen Four opponent - Michigan or North Dakota?
Jeff: North Dakota is tougher because North Dakota is Boston College's opponent! A team you don't have to play is not difficult.
Brian: I think the question was more about which opponent left do you think is the tougher competition ... I initially thought Michigan, but I've now turned the corner and am going with North Dakota. I am BUYING the WCHA and selling the CCHA teams.
Toss Up - More impressive "ironman" streak - Muse's 42 of 42 starts and 2605:05 in net this season, or senior captain Mike Brennan who played in 175 games (never missed a game in 4 years)?
Brian: I'm going to go with Brennan. Not missing a game in 4 years is pretty impressive, even if he does play on the defensive side of the puck. I don't want to take anything away from Muse here, who's had an incredible freshman season and is largely responsible for getting this season's Eagles to where they are today.
Jeff: You are absolutely correct in going with Brennan. A goaltender plays as many minutes as his coach allows or makes him. That is no ironman streak. Goalies are rarely injured and college teams do not play nearly as many games as NHL teams so the rest that goalies typically get once in a while is not as necessary.
Toss Up - Better freshman OT game-winner - Beanpot hero Nick Petrecki's or Whitney's Northeast Regional winner?
Jeff: Whitney's regional winner. The regional was nationally televised so more people got to see it and the NCAA tournament is far more important. Lose in the NCAAs and your season is over, lose in the Beanpot and you still have bigger fish to fry. It is important to note though that both made SportsCenter.
Brian: The better, more incredible goal was Whitney's, but if you are going for style points, nothing tops Nick Petrecki's game winning celebration. The rowboat?! Style points, creativity and form all far surpassed Whitney's game winner. So I'm going with Whitney's goal as more important/impressive, but going with Petrecki for the better celebration.
Last one, Toss Up - Who ya got? BC - North Dakota, and Michigan - Notre Dame?
Brian: I am nervous about the Eagles matchup tomorrow. It's REALLY hard to beat a team 3 years in a row in the national semifinals, but I'm going to go with my heart here and say that the Eagles keep things rolling. For the other matchup, again it's really difficult to beat a team 3 times in the same season ... ask this year's version of the Dallas Cowboys. I'm going to go the other way on this. I'm going with Notre Dame with the major upset, if only because Notre Dame survived the West regional of death, and Michigan had, by far, the easiest road to the Frozen Four. All Catholic final, let's do this.
Jeff: Notre Dame beat New Hampshire easily and then went on to beat Michigan State in this tournament. I don't know a lot about hockey but I know UNH had a good season so Notre Dame is clearly playing well and I give them the edge. Michigan expects to win and therefore has pressure, ND has no pressure on them to win. In the important matchup, I'm going with BC, obviously. What difference does it make that we've beat North Dakota the last two years? 3 times in one year might be a big deal but 3 times in 3 years ... no big deal. In 2001 North Dakota scored two late goals to force OT but then somehow BC regained composure and won the game. If BC could beat them under those circumstances I certainly expect them to win before the game starts tomorrow!
Brian: Jeff agreed to most of what I said in typical, boring fashion. Therefore, I win (again). But enough blog games, it's almost game time ... Go Eagles!