Huskies, Bulldogs primed for run as NCAA tourney comes to St. Paul
Well, here we are.
St. Cloud State is the top team from the State of Hockey in the NCAA hockey tournament as the No. 2 overall seed, while Minnesota Duluth snuck in thanks to Michigan's win over Minnesota in the Big Ten title game.
It's a disappointing finish for a Gophers squad that won the Big Ten regular-season championship, but a poor showing in nonconference play doomed the Gophers' shot at an at-large bid.
However, that doesn't mean that there's nothing to tune in for.
The NCAA hockey tournament runs through St. Paul once again this season, as Denver, Boston University and Ferris State join SCSU at Xcel Energy Center for the West Regional, where a top Minnesota Wild prospect will be on hand for at least one game.
The year of the Huskies
Things couldn't be going much better for St. Cloud State these days.
St. Cloud rolled through the NCHC postseason with wins over Western Michigan and Denver, before dropping UMD in the finals, and has scored fewer than four goals in a game just once February.
Saturday's win over UMD, coupled with North Dakota's poor showing, allowed the Huskies to claim the No. 2 seed, and a spot in the coveted west regional in St. Paul, where they'll kick things off against a Ferris State team that finished fourth in the WCHA.
SCSU's path to Tampa will go through either Boston University or Denver, with the high-scoring Pioneers the more likely opponent.
How far can Minnesota Duluth go?
It's been a strange season for the Bulldogs, who were plagued by inconsistent play for much of the year, before riding a seven-game winning streak all the way to the NCHC championship game.
Goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo has the skillset to steal a game or two, while the Bulldogs' offense continues to pile up scoring chances, ranking No. 6 in the nation in shots-on per game despite their relatively low scoring numbers.
UMD's rocky path to the postseason was enough to earn the Bulldogs a date with No. 4 overall seed Providence in Friars-friendly Worcester, just 45 minutes up the road from PC's Schneider Arena.
The defending national champions are coming off of a 3OT loss to UMass Lowell after sweeping Merrimack in the Hockey East tournament.
Boston University winger Jordan Greenway
Plenty of Wild fans will get their first look at Greenway this weekend, as BU heads to the Xcel Energy Center for the West Regional.
A second-round selection of the in last year's NHL Draft, Greenway may be a few years off at just 19 years old, but he's already a physically imposing winger at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, and has impressed as a freshman on BU's top line.
Greenway ranks fifth on the team in scoring after a slow start to the season, but he'll likely have his changes in the first round, as the Terriers prepare for an offensive slugfest against Denver.
A big presence in front of the net, look for Greenway to keep Pioneers goaltenders Evan Cowley and Tanner Jalliet on their toes in St. Paul.
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