Similar paths for BC, No. Dakota Young teams to battle in semifinal

MILWAUKEE – North Dakota and Boston College have tremendous college hockey traditions, but both teams came into the 2005-06 season with young squads.

Thursday afternoon the Fighting Sioux and the Eagles, despite being laden with underclassmen, will square off in the first game of the NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey Frozen Four at the Bradley Center at 3 p.m.

Coach Dave Hakstol’s North Dakota squad enters the contest with 13 seniors. The Sioux (29-15-1), who played only one senior in their regional final victory over Holy Cross, lead the nation in wins.

The Eagles of Jerry York (25-12-3) feature a unit that includes 11 first-year players. Seven freshmen played in BC’s regional title win over Boston University.

North Dakota is making its fourth Frozen Four appearance in the last seven years after losing to Denver in the 2005 national championship game. Hakstol, who is among the 11 finalists for the Spencer Penrose Trophy given to the top Division I coach, knew his team might experience some growing pains.

“I think the biggest thing for us as a team has been really concentrating on trying to improve throughout the season,” Hakstol said. “We felt from Day 1 that we were a team that needed to gain some experience and get better week in and week out.”

North Dakota experienced some rough spots, losing five of nine games during one stretch in December and January. However, the Sioux settled down for a stretch run during which they won 11 of their last 13 and six straight to reach the Frozen Four.

Boston College also was inconsistent. The Eagles went 9-0-1 amidst a key midseason span, but then suffered through a skid during which they compiled a 4-7-1 mark.

BC pulled out of the tailspin in time to win five of its last six contests and earn a spot in Milwaukee.

“We have a ton of respect for Boston College,” Hakstol said, “not only the tradition that comes with their program and the history of success, but I think this year’s team is a tremendous hockey team.”

The Sioux rank fifth in the country, scoring 3.53 goals per game. They feature three 20-plus goal scorers in junior winger Drew Stafford (24 goals, 23 assists), freshman right wing T.J. Oshie (24 & 21) and sophomore center Travis Zajac (17 & 27).

Zajac centers a line between soph LW Rastislav Spirko (10 & 20) and Oshie, who is tops in the country with nine game-winning goals and also has 11 power-play tallies. Stafford plays on a line with frosh center Jonathan Toews (21 & 17) and freshman LW Ryan Duncan (16 & 20).

North Dakota features a balanced attack that has produced five goals in each of its last three outings.

Defensively, the Fighting Sioux have allowed only 2.29 goals per game. Junior goaltender Jordan Laprise is 24-8-1 with a 2.08 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage. He has posted six shutouts.

The Eagles hope to build off the momentum they generated during the Northeast Regional at Worcester, Mass., where they put together back-to-back 5-0 victories over Miami (Ohio) and BU.

Sophomore Cory Schneider (23-12-2, 2.03 GAA, .930 save pct.) has been exceptional in net, giving up only seven goals in the last six contests. The Eagles are fifth in Division I, allowing 2.2 goals per game.

Their top blue-liners are senior Peter Harrold, freshman Tim Filangieri, soph Mike Brennan and freshman Anthony Aiello.

Offensively, BC features one of the most dangerous players in the nation in left wing Chris Collins, one of three finalists for the coveted Hobey Baker Award given annually to the best player in the country. The senior (31 & 29) has five shorthanded goals this season.

“He’s a dynamic offensive player, but he doesn’t just play one direction,” Hakstol said. “He’s a game-breaker.”

Collins plays on the Eagles’ top line with junior C Brian Boyle (23 & 30) and frosh RW Brock Bradford (6 & 11), but BC has plenty of firepower. Sophomore Dan Bertram (10 & 15) plays on a productive unit with frosh C Benn Ferriero (16 & 8) and junior LW Joe Rooney (5 & 13), while senior RW Stephen Gionta (11 & 21) teams up with freshman C Nathan Gerbe (10 & 7) and junior LW Matt Greene (3 & 3).

BC is averaging a healthy 3.48 goals per game and has tallied 11 shorthanded goals. Boyle has scored 10 times on the power play and has five game-winners.