(above) Put on the dress Colorado College. You're going dancing in the Loser's Ball this afternoon against North Dakota.by Milo Bryant
This isn't the way this was supposed to happen.
Colorado College and the University of Denver were supposed be in tonight's Final Five championship game.
The Tigers were supposed to have the chance to hoist the Broadmoor Trophy, given to the winner of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Tournament.
The Pioneers held up their end by beating North Dakota. The top-seeded Tigers couldn't do the same, falling to Minnesota 2-1.
The contest with Minnesota was a battle that couldn't be decided in the three periods.
Three periods weren't enough. In the end, after the frustration, oohs and ahhs, groans and screams, the Tigers didn't have enough to defeat the Gophers.
"It had to do with four things," CC coach Scott Owens said. "It had to do with us slow to adjust to the rink - that's the fourth, that's the least. It had to do with us not playing quite as gritty and determined as we need to in certain situations. It had to with where Minnesota is at as a team....They've been playing this way defensively for a long time. And No. 1 is Kangas. He's in a zone right now. He looks big in the net. He's moving well. And he's got things going for him."
Mike Hoeffel sealed the victory when his shot ricocheted off the skate of a CC player, passed Bachman and flew into back of the goal. That was it for the Tigers. The Tigers' consolation - another game, 15 hours after that loss.
"We got the lucky bounce," Gophers coach Don Lucia said.
Minnesota celebrated as its fans, who dominated the crowd, cheered rabidly. The Tigers skated to their bench and watched. And as they skated, they had to wonder what could have been.
And what could have been was a showdown with the Pioneers.
No two teams in the WCHA know each other better. Though their rivalry is bitter, they have tremendous respect for each other. They recruit many of the same players - from the same family even.
The Tigers won the season series 3-1, retaining the Gold Pan. But how good would it have been for DU to have the chance to defeat CC in the championship game of the Final Five? It would've been a repeat of the last time the Tigers and DU met in the Final Five.
The Tigers walked away with the MacNaughton Trophy at the end of the 2004-05 season. Then in the semifinals of the conference tournament, CC beat Minnesota, which played in front a huge home-state crowd, 3-0.
The Pioneers beat North Dakota in the other semifinal.
All-Colorado final.
Pioneers, 1-0.
That won't happen this time. The Tigers play North Dakota in the third place game today and will sit back tomorrow to see what seed they will get in the NCAA Tournament and, more importantly, who will join them at World Arena for the West Regional.
That hardly gives the Tigers any solace when the goal was the Broadmoor Trophy.
All that's left is a slim chance at a No. 1 seed in the West Regional. Win today and those chances might increase. Lose and they're history.
"The kids don't know that much about the No. 1 seed," Owens said. "We didn't talk about it. We just wanted to try to win the Broadmoor Trophy, which we never have, and that's all we've concentrated on."
Time to concentrate on Plan B.
Colorado College and the University of Denver were supposed be in tonight's Final Five championship game.
The Tigers were supposed to have the chance to hoist the Broadmoor Trophy, given to the winner of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Tournament.
The Pioneers held up their end by beating North Dakota. The top-seeded Tigers couldn't do the same, falling to Minnesota 2-1.
The contest with Minnesota was a battle that couldn't be decided in the three periods.
Three periods weren't enough. In the end, after the frustration, oohs and ahhs, groans and screams, the Tigers didn't have enough to defeat the Gophers.
"It had to do with four things," CC coach Scott Owens said. "It had to do with us slow to adjust to the rink - that's the fourth, that's the least. It had to do with us not playing quite as gritty and determined as we need to in certain situations. It had to with where Minnesota is at as a team....They've been playing this way defensively for a long time. And No. 1 is Kangas. He's in a zone right now. He looks big in the net. He's moving well. And he's got things going for him."
Mike Hoeffel sealed the victory when his shot ricocheted off the skate of a CC player, passed Bachman and flew into back of the goal. That was it for the Tigers. The Tigers' consolation - another game, 15 hours after that loss.
"We got the lucky bounce," Gophers coach Don Lucia said.
Minnesota celebrated as its fans, who dominated the crowd, cheered rabidly. The Tigers skated to their bench and watched. And as they skated, they had to wonder what could have been.
And what could have been was a showdown with the Pioneers.
No two teams in the WCHA know each other better. Though their rivalry is bitter, they have tremendous respect for each other. They recruit many of the same players - from the same family even.
The Tigers won the season series 3-1, retaining the Gold Pan. But how good would it have been for DU to have the chance to defeat CC in the championship game of the Final Five? It would've been a repeat of the last time the Tigers and DU met in the Final Five.
The Tigers walked away with the MacNaughton Trophy at the end of the 2004-05 season. Then in the semifinals of the conference tournament, CC beat Minnesota, which played in front a huge home-state crowd, 3-0.
The Pioneers beat North Dakota in the other semifinal.
All-Colorado final.
Pioneers, 1-0.
That won't happen this time. The Tigers play North Dakota in the third place game today and will sit back tomorrow to see what seed they will get in the NCAA Tournament and, more importantly, who will join them at World Arena for the West Regional.
That hardly gives the Tigers any solace when the goal was the Broadmoor Trophy.
All that's left is a slim chance at a No. 1 seed in the West Regional. Win today and those chances might increase. Lose and they're history.
"The kids don't know that much about the No. 1 seed," Owens said. "We didn't talk about it. We just wanted to try to win the Broadmoor Trophy, which we never have, and that's all we've concentrated on."
Time to concentrate on Plan B.
4 comments:
1957
and
No Broadmoors
Coincidence? I think not.
There are higher forces at play here than just a hockey program that chokes in the clutch.
What’s that choking sound I’m hearing? Must be playoff hockey and CC is involved. Or perhaps it’s a gagging sound in light of the recruiting scandal?
Ha! CC may knock us down at times and play good in the regular season, but they will never taste the success we've had ever.
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