One of the coolest parts of attending any NCAA Championship event -- from the Final Four to the Frozen Four -- is meeting the fans of the sport. Players and dynasties come and go, but the true fans of the sport are always there.
Hockey, for some unfathomable reason (to me) is a niche sport these days. I find it to be one of the fastest, toughest, and most complex games: I mean, what other sport has substitutions on the fly? So by nature, hockey fans -- especially at the collegiate level -- are some of the more dedicated and knowledgeable fans you'll find.
By way of illustration, meet Dan "Dan" Ingram, Peggy "The Nice Black Girl", and Dudley "Smitty" Smith.
Michigan State grads from the mid-80s, they've collectively attended more than 70 years worth of Frozen Fours. Consecutively. Although, to Dan, "Anaheim doesn't count."
The three friends make this an annual trip, as do many fans, whether their team is in it or not. They simply love the college game of hockey, and the annual trip is their vacation. They talk about the same folks that they see every year at the Frozen Four, like Jeff "The Brat Man" from Wisconsin who insists on bringing his own brats to every bar in hopes that the bar will cook them up for him. Naturally, Jeff is a butcher.
Smitty, Peggy and Dan talk about how the Frozen Four features "great hockey", and how this year was unusual because only one #1 seed made the semis, and how "Bemidji fans are great!" They like the fact that attending the Frozen Four allows them to "go places (they) wouldn't normally go", like Lake Placid ("one of the best!") and Cincinnati ("the ice melted!").
In the end, the trio was pulling for the CCHA team -- Miami -- betraying their regional allegiance. And while Boston prevailed, they can appreciate that, since "Boston and St. Paul, they are hockey towns".
I met two Gophs fans who had logged 20 and 40 years working at Mariucci Arena at "The U". They refer to Minnesota as "The State of Hockey", and make the Frozen Four an annual destination. Like all college hockey fans, they are knowledgeable, opinionated about next year's venue, and regionally loyal. But they all appreciate hockey at a level you don't see in the casual fan of other sports. And that's what makes the Frozen Four so special.
I hope to see Smitty, Peggy and Dan in Detroit next year.
Tough to survive the momentum generated by a team that forced overtime with 2 goals over the final minute of regulation.
Boston came out swinging in OT, pounding the Miami net with rush after rush. The Redhawks countered with great goaltending and some nifty breakouts of their own, but in the end, it wasn't enough.
Colby Cohen, on the score sheet for two of Boston's 8 total penalties, found himself on the right point with the puck. Winding up for a slapshot, Miami forward Kevin Roeder sold out and slid in front of Cohen as he ripped the slapshot. The puck struck the sliding Redhawk, changed trajectory and knuckled over the shoulder of Reichard for the game winner.
Jack Parker would tell you that defense wins championships, and in this case, a defenseman did.
Reichard was predictably unconsolable after stopping so many quality chances at point-blank range.
Colby's goal gave BU their first championship since 1995, and earned him Most Outstanding Player honors. He was also named to an All Tournament Team that included teammates Colin Wilson, Nick Bonino and Kieran Millan. Miami players Tommy Wingels and Kevin Roeder were also All Tournament players.
In a tournament of Cinderellas, Boston seemed to be someone of an outsider amidst teams like Bemidji State who were selling out merchandise city-wide. But Hobey Baker honors set the stage for Boston to take home more hardware. You have to hand it to the Redhawks for reaching their first Championship Game for the team and the school.
More thoughts on the Frozen Four, its fans, and the experience to come!
The team that seemed to take the entire 3rd period off...well, didn't. They only took the first 19 minutes of the period off.
Unconventionally, Coach Parker pulled Millan with 3:19 left in the game, down two goals. Looks like it paid off.
With the clock reading 59.5 seconds left and 6 skaters on the ice, Boston came back to life. Zach Cohen pounded a loose puck past Reichard to narrow the score to 3-2. Millan had been forced back into his net on a few faceoffs, but Parker again emptied the cage with the national championship on the line and less than a minute to play.
And as we've seen so many times in this year's tournament, as long as there is time on the clock, there's a chance.
With 17 seconds left in the game, Boston's signature puck movement in the Miami zone found a wide open Nick Bonino at the left face off dot. His one-timer beat Reichard to send the Boston fans into apoplexy.
One final push by Miami almost yielded a goal with 1.1 seconds, but Millan melted the loose puck down.
Nothing like National Championship Bonus Hockey!
Miami seemed to forget that they've never been here, and Boston may have forgotten they have. The Redhawks took the game to the Terriers early and often, breaking into the Boston zone while stymying Terrier rushes in the neutral zone.
The Miami jitters that forced overwrought offensive efforts early in the period dissipated as they honed in on Millan. They stopped making extra moves and concentrated on extra shots.
The same persistence that earned them their first goal paid off 12:31 into the 3rd when Tommy Wingels put a second chance opportunity past Millan for the first Miami lead.
Not content to abandon the penalty kill, Jason Lawrence's slashing call at 13:38 kept the Terriers' offensive effort at bay, giving Miami a chance to set up a power play that was mostly about killing clock.
But with the ice tipping toward the Boston goal, even at even strength, Trent Vogelhuber broke free in the high slot and wristed a quick shot past Millan at 15:52.
 With Miami taking the initiative and needing 4 minutes to win their first national championship in any sport, what could go wrong?
Well, that didn't last long. BU's lead going into the break also came with a hooking penalty courtesy of Miami's Tommy Wingels. Not a great way to come out down a goal, but Miami quickly killed off the penalty and took the momentum into Boston's zone.
And just like that, Gary Steffes took a second/third/fourth chance shot, beating a prone Millen to put the Redhawks on the board just 2:01 into the second period. The goal, like many in this Frozen Four, was reviewed by officials -- in this case, looking for a Redhawk in the Boston crease as the Miami forward pounded rebound after rebound at Millen. In the end, the goal stood, and Miami was even.
The teams then found another gear. Things got fast, fast.
Miami had a couple of breakaways stymied by nothing more than what appeared to be jitters. But the fact that they were springing on the Terriers showed that they were willing to jump up.
A cross check by Colby Cohen in front of BU's net gave the Redhawks yet another power play opportunity. But Miami is now 0-6 on man advantage situations, so Coach Parker's reliance on the penalty kill is still working out.
But they are still being outshot 19-16 by an opportunistic Miami squad that spent more time in the BU zone than they'd seen all night. The Redhawks had 5 scoring chances to Boston's 3 in the second.
Knotted at 1 going into the third period. The perfect stage to decide a national championship.
And we're underway here in Washington, DC. The town known for red, white and blue is awash in red and white, at least within the Verizon Center.
It's tough to tell the fans apart without a program -- red and white everywhere, like a Red Wings game.
While the Boston fans have made their presence known all weekend, the Miami fans are trading chants with equal vigor. "Go BU!" is answered with "Let's Go Redhawks!" on each end of the arena. Boston's been here before, and won it last in 1995. In contrast, this is the first Miami squad from any sport to compete in a national championship.
The puck dropped on a packed arena, surely rivaling the 18,427 who attended the two semifinal games. Boston picked up right where it left off against Vermont, showing that it was not afraid to put it's national-best penalty kill to the test. Taking two penalties within the first 5:19 of the game, Boston was able to effectively kill off the infractions, rarely allowing a Miami shot to even reach freshman goalie Millan.
Despite taking 4 penalties in the opening frame, the Terriers hit the back of the net first. Chris Connolly picked the puck out of the scrum in front of the Redhawk crease and danced to the right of the prone goalie Reichard before sweeping the puck in for the Terriers' first tally.
A pair of penalties to either side were killed off, and Miami outshot Boston 10-9 to end the first. It seemed like the first few minutes were spent with both teams feeling each other out, but they quickly found their footing and began executing their respective game plans. Miami's physical game is evident with every hit, including one that sent Hobey Baker winner Matt Gilroy to the ice when he jumped up into the Miami zone. But Boston's been spending plenty of time in the Miami zone, so a goal was inevitable with this high-powered squad.
It was a rainy start to Saturday, but there was plenty of entertainment for Frozen Four fans before the Championship Game.
The Verizon Center is conveniently located close to a Metro station as well as to sights of historical significance. Hockey fans were lining up at the International Spy Museum, gobbling up tickets that had the museum sold out until 5pm. Across the street, fans were able to gain free entry to the National Portrait Gallery where presidential portraits offered a chronological history of the highest office in the nation.
In addition to the multitude of museums at their disposal, fans were also able to escape the rain while following in the skates of their favorite college player. The Verizon Center allowed fans to skate on the ice surface for free from 1-3pm on Saturday, drawing a sizable crowd of future Hall Of Famers.
The diversity of the crowd was apparent in the open skate participants. Miami and Boston fans mingled, as did fans of just about every college hockey program imaginable. To ensure everyone got a shot at skating, the ice was cleared at 30 minute intervals.
The Burton Family, from Baltimore, consider themselves "hockey fans trapped in the Mid-Atlantic".
The father, Jack -- sporting the Terriers jersey -- was an unabashed BU fan, as was his daughter Emily. His son Dan -- sporting an arm sling -- was a Boston College fan. His wife Kim had been supporting Bemidji State. Both siblings play hockey, and hope to go on to do so in college. Testament to the draw of the Frozen Four, and of college hockey to its most ardent fans.
Jack predicted a 5-2 Terriers win. Kim was looking for a 5-4 Miami win in 2OT.
It's an timeless story, really. Boston vs. Minnestota. Celtics vs. Lakers. Biggie vs. Tupac. East vs. West.
The 2009 Frozen Four Skills Competition.
Composed of players from men's and women's teams nationwide, the Skills Competition is a perennial fan favorite. And like the NHL model, there are competitions for puck handling, speed, accuracy, shot speed, goaltending and the encore: breakaway. Points are awarded to each team, as well as the individual winners of each event.
The West jumped out to an early lead in the puck handling event. But the East quickly jumped back into it, and never looked back.
I'm a fan of skills competitions in general -- with the possible exception of the shootout in the NHL, sarcastically dubbed the "Skills Competition" for the fact that it takes 65 minutes of team play and reduces it to a one-on-one. The players are relaxed and enjoying themselves, the atmosphere is about fun and not winning or losing, and the fans love interacting with the players.
And that's what these events showcase: a game full of players who just love playing hockey. These players took plenty of time out to interact with the fans between events: tossing pucks to little kids, throwing t-shirts into the stands, signing a quick autograph before it was back between the pipes.
Overall, the East won the event in runaway fashion, but that was beside the point. Friends, family and fans had gathered to support players from schools that you wouldn't normally hear of: Colorado College, Colgate, Elmira, Clarkson, Hobart, Wayne State, St. Cloud State, and Merceyhurst. But these are college hockey fans, where pride seems to come before recognition.
So the East has dominated the Hobey Baker and the Skills Competition. How's it going to turn out tomorrow night?
With a house full of Boston fans, and a Hobey Hat Trick finalist slate 2/3 full of Terriers, the awards portion of the evening kicked off with the Hockey Humanitarian Award.
The Hockey Humanitarian Award can be summed up with the motto:
"In the end, it's not how many times you touch the puck, but how often you touch a life."
Finalists are selected based on their contributions off the ice, recognizing that they are typically not household names, and go on to excel outside of hockey.
This year's winner was Missy Elumba, from Northeastern.
She thanked God a lot in her acceptance speech, belying the spirituality that helped her win this award.
Next up was the Hobey Baker Memorial Hockey Award, given annually to the nation's top men's collegiate hockey player. Boston had both front runner Matt Gilroy as well as rookie of the year Colin Wilson. Northeastern junior goalie Brad Thiessen rounded out the Hat Trick.
And the winner was...
Gilroy, largely favored to take home the award, thanked his rather large family, his teammates, and his coaches for giving him the chance to play for Boston as a walk-on. He's the second Terrier to win the award (the other being Chris Drury, currently of the New York Rangers) and the 5th defenseman.
Needless to say, the large Boston contingent was thrilled for Gilroy. It would certainly bode well for the East in the Skills Competition, which was coming up next.
I'm ambulatory! And just in time to catch some great fan interaction at the Verizon Center
Nothing like being under the weather to make you want to talk to a mother -- anyone's mother.
I was lucky enough to run into Cheryl Higgins, mother of Boston University's senior forward Chris Higgins. Her son was signing autographs for a packed assembly line of Terriers fans on the concourse before the awards presentations tonight.
Chris had a big night last night, ringing up 4 points on a goal and 3 assists in Boston's comeback victory over Vermont. Cheryl admitted that she didn't know very much about Chris's opponent in the finals, the Miami Redhawks. When I explained to her that they were a big, hard-hitting team, she replied "I don't like it when they hit my boys."
Once a monther, always a mother, especially one with three sons playing competitive hockey. "I guess I'm just one of those emotional Italians," she explained.
Redhawks fans were also scoring autographs from the team. But given the two BU players in the running for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, Boston fans were more visible.
Fans also had the chance to learn more about the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, and acquire some great gear courtesy of these guys.
Which was a perfect prelude to the awards presentations for the evening. First up is the Hockey Humanitarian Award, followed by the Hobey Baker. Then the East and West All-American Teams are announced, and the 2009 Frozen Four Skills Challenge caps off the evening.
"That seafood was a gift from my friend the owner of the Cleveland Browns. They are very expensive freshwater clams from the...Cuyahoga River." -- 30 Rock's Jack Donaghy, reacting to his writing staff's bout of food poisoning
When I was younger, I must have fancied myself a but of a gourmand. I mean, what 8 year old likes spinach? And what 12 year old orders raw oysters?
I've only had raw oysters twice in my life, and both times to disastrous results. BBQ'd oysters from Tomales Bay seemed just fine. So last night, arriving at my hotel famished and greeted by a closed restaurant, I was relieved to find the bar open and serving food. Unfortunately, in my hunger and haste, I chose the mixed seafood fry, which included flash-fried oysters.
Long story, short: I've felt better. I missed the two teams' open practices early this afternoon. But I'm on the mend, and still planning on making it to the awards presentations and skills challenge this evening.
It looked like Boston's playing fast and loose (read: taking penalties) was going to be their Achilles Heel. At 8:06 into the third, with the score tied, Brandon Yip was whistled for cross checking. Drew McKenzie made Boston pay, putting Vermont up 4-3.
Given Vermont's rally in the second, this looked like it was swinging Big Mo over to Vermont for good. The Boston crowd was admittedly nervous after the second period, so this must have had them white-knuckled. With the game down to its last 10 minutes, the Catamounts had scored 4 of the last 5 goals, and was in the proverbial driver's seat.
And then, Boston remembered it was Boston.
Chris Higgins scored 13:06 into the third, driving a Vermont defenseman into the net in the process. Just over a minute later, Colin Wilson scored his second of the game on a deft tic-tac-toe sequence that had jaws dropping on all sides of the rink. That all but sealed the deal for the Terriers, who were able to press Vermont in the last three minutes of the game, depriving them of the chance to pull the goalie or gain the Boston zone for any meaningful chances.
And with that, Boston had somehow snuffed the upstart Catamounts despite being outscored 4-3 over the final two periods of the game. Which brings us to the Championship Game on Saturday, with first-timers Miami facing 4 time champion Boston. It's going to be all red and white, like a Red Wings game.
But before then, we've got team practices tomorrow afternoon, followed by a full slate of activity at the Verizon Center tomorrow night.
After tonight's games, I ran into some University of North Dakota fans at the hotel who make the Frozen Four an annual event. Clad in Sioux gear, they were a noticeable presence today. As were fans sporting a variety of NHL jerseys. But the NHL took a decided backseat to the myriad of fans attending the Frozen Four flying the colors of Minnesota, Michigan, Boston College, UNH, Wisconsin, Union, Northeastern, Cornell and Maine.
After jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Colin Wilson and Jason Lawrence, Vermont is fighting back with 3 unanswered goals in the second by outshooting Boston 16-6.
Terrier penalties have been coming fast and furious, befitting the pace of this game. BU had 4 penalties in the first period alone, and relied on their NCAA-leading penalty kill to keep the Catamounts out of the net. Combine that with out-shooting Vermont 14-7, Boston was in control early.
But Vermont stormed out in the second, potting an early 4 on 4 goal by Wahsoniito Stacey (no, that's not a typo). At 9:04, Justin Milo capitalized on Vinny Saponari's presence in the sin bin, knotting the score at 2 apiece.
Just 45 seconds later, Josh Burrows sprung up from his defensive position as a part of the rush, beating Kieran Milan from the left circle by going far post. A previously Boston-heavy crowd erupted as if it were a Vermont home game.
Boston has been living dangerously, and relying on the PK to kill another 4 infractions in the 2nd may be wearing them down.
Add in a couple of amazing clanks off of the post for BU, a late power play goal by Vinny Saponari (redemption for his tripping call that resulted in Vermont's 3rd goal), and plenty of jawing going around, and you've got the makings of a nail-biter for the 3rd.
Matt Gilroy has made quite a name for himself. A walk-on forward who ended up on defense as the only way to make the Boston Squad, he's now a co-captain of the Terriers, an NHL prospect, and Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist.
But the Gilroy name gets dropped a lot when you've got 7 siblings. Kevin is a teammate on the BU team. Sisters Shannon and Beanie sport BU jerseys and t-shirts bearing the number 97, the only number Matt will wear. It belonged to his brother, Timmy, who tragically died in a bicycle accident at the age of 12.
Aunt Gail paints Matt as "a role model, self made, a class act". Gilroy's family and friends -- including Crazy "Uncle" JR -- take up most of the first few rows in Section 114. A tireless worker, "he deserves everything". When asked about his shot at the Hobey Baker trophy, Aunt Gail shudders: "I'd have a stroke!"
After a scoreless first period where the Redhawks and Beavers put up 12 shots apiece and goaltending seemed to dominate, the teams combined for 4 goals in the second.
Miami outshot the Beavers 10 to 6, resulting in a 3-1 score after 2 periods. The size, strength and physicality of the Redhawks started to make a difference, forcing Bemidji back on their heels.
Special teams play, something stressed by Coach Blasi of Miami, also started to make a difference. Miami's second goal came on the power play, courtesy of a nifty wrister from Alden Hirschfeld, showing the finesse of the powerful team. Bemidji was able to counter less than a minute later with a power play goal of their own when Matt Read tiptoed across the crease and beat a prone Cody Reichard easily.
Vermont and Boston fans are pouring into the arena in advance of the nightcap between the two teams. And while Bemidji gear is selling out at merchandise stands throughout the Verizon Center, their fans are surely hoping that they get more than a souvenir out of this trip.
The 2009 Men's Frozen Four is underway!
It's a fast, physical game so far. Miami is throwing some lumber around, and as the bigger team they are hitting more and clogging up the crease. Meanwhile, Bemidji seems a little faster and capable of taking more scorching shots.
We had our first special teams performance turned in at 8:06 in the first when the Redhawks were penalized for holding the stick. However, the power play was short-lived when Brad Hunt was called for interference trying to prevent a short-handed breakout by Miami.
While the Beavers are outshooting the Redhawks, Bemidji's goalie Matt Dalton is positively standing on his head keeping some close calls out of the net.
Plenty of excitement for the packed student sections at the corners of the rink.
Kelly and Dani rode a bus 28 hours from Bemidji, Minnesota to Washington, DC to pull for the Beavers.
Freshman at Bemidji State University -- from Coon Rapids, MN and Wells, MN respectively -- Kelly and Dani said that "the whole town is going nuts" for their hockey team. Restaurants are hanging signs everywhere, and the school's new hockey arena (opening in October of 2010) held a pep rally to send the team off. Kelly's parents and brother went to Bemidji, and they all choose Bemidji for the Northern Minnesota scenery and community.
These guys joined Kelly and Dani on the bus ride. They all plan to see at least two games (victories, they hope!), and do some sightseeing in DC.
"All of Minnesota is pulling for the Beavers," they claimed. "Even the Gophs."
Bemidji fans outnumbers Miami fans outside of the Verizon Center by a sizable margin. Or perhaps they just made their presence felt more. According to these guys, they simply have "way more spirit" than the Redhawks fans.
Clearly this team has put Bemidji on the map for the majority of casual college hockey fans. Even the Kaufman family -- from Minnesota no less -- felt that the game would be a "win-win" for them: if Bemidji wins, it's great for Minnesota. If they lose, it's great for the Redhawks. Their nephew, incidentally, is Miami's #15, center Brian Kaufman.
Sure, Minnesota may be rallying around Bemidji. But make no mistake, loyalty and rivalry were still milling around outside of the Verizon Center. After a Minnesota Golden Gophers fan volunteered to take a picture of a group of Beavers fans, he said "Well, I guess Minnesota fans can do something right."
"Yeah, but you can't play hockey!" was the Beaver response.
Like President Obama, I decided to take the scenic route to Washington, DC. Taking the train is a great way to see the country, and frankly it is downright civilized compared to airline delays, security lines, and baggage fees.  I immediately ran into a former Miami University hockey player while boarding the train. Needless to say, he was excited to see his alma mater in action this evening against Bemidji State. As am I, this being my first Frozen Four despite being a lifelong hockey fan. Thursday's slate of teams may seem esoteric to the uninitiated, especially in a sport as esoteric as college hockey. Perennial powerhouses like last year's champions Boston College are nowhere to be seen (they didn't even make the tournament). 2008 finalists Notre Dame were eliminated by Bemidji State in the first round, as was Denver by Miami. That leaves the Terriers of Boston University as the lone "brand name" and top seeded hockey school in the Frozen Four. And while Miami is no stranger to the tournament, Coach Enrico Blasi considers the Redhawks to be "the underdog" to the Bemidji State Beavers, who are newcomers despite having the winningest program in all of college hockey. Rounding out the field are a squad of Frozen Four second-timers, the University of Vermont. Blasi, facing fellow Italian Tom Serratore of Bemidji State today at 5pm, thinks that the matchup "is great for college hockey", and shows the parity in college hockey. As a fan of the game, I tend to agree. Two first-time Frozen Four teams squaring off, with one going on to the Championship Game. Either way, we're going to be treated to a fantastic weekend of hockey. It kicks off this evening with the two semifinal games: Miami University vs. Bemidji State University and Vermont vs. Boston University. The winners practice on Friday, followed by an action-packed evening at the Verizon Center: the presentation of the Hockey Humanitarian Award and the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. Friday evening wraps up with the announcement of the AHCA Division I Men's All-American Team and the NCAA Frozen Four Skills Challenge. On Saturday, fans are invited to skate the ice at Verizon Center from 1-3pm, with the puck dropping for the Championship Game at 7pm. I hope you'll join me for all of the action from DC this weekend!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John Ore
John Ore is Senior Director of Product Management for NCAA.com. Born in Hockeytown but raised in California, he views hockey as his birthright. An avid recreational ice hockey player, John is well-versed in the merits of cycling and the Left Wing Lock. John graduated from the University of California, and currently lives in New York City. Like Miami and Bemidji State, this is his first Frozen Four.
BLOGROLL
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