WUSTER, Massachusetts – The Field for the Ice Cream Four has finally been created.
With a 3-0 win over Western Michigan at DCU Center on Sunday afternoon, Minnesota Golden Goffers came out ahead for the first time since 2014, and the last quartet ended later that evening when Michigan defeated Quinipiac.
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Matthew Nice, the subject of many rumors before the end of his NHL term, scored a 10:10 victory in the Minnesota game in the first period with a high wrist from the block before Broncos setter Brandon Bussey slipped away.
Aaron Haglen scored a critical insurance goal in just 33 seconds of the third, and Blake McLaughlin secured the win by running the goal. Justin Close, who came out in the middle of the season for the Gophers when Jack Lafontaine abruptly left to sign an entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes, stopped all 24 strikes of the Broncos for this year’s third NCAA tournament and the 70th in the tournament. story of the event.
The only thing Close seemed to be reluctant to put up with all night was an issue related to this, largely evading the issue of networking a few months ago.
“I mean, we’re all excited, that’s been our goal all year,” he said. “It was my goal in November, like in January, like everyone in the locker room. We can’t be more shocked now. “
Attendance issues were a hot topic throughout the week – outside of possibly regional Lowland, where Denver hosted the Frozen Four – with rare crowds in both Albany and Allentown, which was a big topic of discussion. Lastly, Michigan head coach Mel Pearson has made something of an ardent call for the Regionals to return to campuses, which will not happen until 2027, when these events have already been awarded.
Although Sunday’s performance in Worcester was not the best – the claimed crowd in 2848 was less than half of what appeared on Friday when local Northeastern and UMass played in the semi-finals – there was still a surprisingly large contingent of Golden Gophers fans. at the DCU Center to see how their team goes to Boston.
“Coming here, you hear all about our fans,” McLaughlin said. “Going back to the last four home games, our student section was filled with 2,000 to 3,000 students. This is incredible. They stand behind us throughout the season. It’s great and we just give them something that can be encouraged. It was amazing. “
“Minnesota” will play in the second semifinal match at 20:30 in TD Garden on April 7 against the state of Minnesota, which left the Albany region with a score of 1: 0 against Notre Dame on Saturday. Michigan and Denver will meet in the first match at 5 p.m.
While much of Boston’s attention will be drawn to this busy Wolverines team, which features seven of the 13 National Hockey League first-round draft players who played student hockey this season, Minnesota has two of its own teams, as well as Nice. The second round, which many believe could move directly to the NHL once the Golden Gophers season comes to an end.
“You see it all,” said Golden Gophers head coach Bob Motzko, his freshman who has scored 14 goals in 32 games. “He’s a great player and he will also get better.”
