NCAAs a microcosm of UNH's season.

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

(Note: This is the first of a three-part series analyzing the performances of all three Hockey East teams in their respective regionals in the NCAA tournament last weekend.)

In a lot of ways, New Hampshire's postseason experience summed up how the entire season had gone for the Wildcats.

In the Hockey East tournament quartefinals, the Wildcats came back from a 4-2 deficit to beat Vermont, 7-4, but then got shut out in back-to-back games and were bounced from the tournament, leaving their hopes of playing on the national stage squarely on the shoulders of others.

The pieces that needed to fall into place for the 'Cats did so and they made it into the tournament as a third seed in the East regional, which featured two upstate New York teams in RIT and Cornell.

In the first round, UNH played beautifully, out-shooting, out-skating and outplaying Cornell in a 6-2 upset victory. Hobey Baker top-10 finalist Bobby Butler was the catalyst with two goals and an assist, while the ever-underrated Paul Thompson scored twice, including the game-winner.

UNH dominated a very good Cornell defense and fired 36 shots on Ben Scrivens, who Barry Melrose spent most of the first period calling the best goalie in college hockey. Five of those shots got past Scrivens.After the Big Red opened the scoring with 48.8 seconds remaining after getting outplayed all period, UNH potted two goals on just six shots. The goals were on consecutive shots, actually, in the final minutes of the period.

Bobby Butler took advantage of a turnover in the Cornell zone and tied the game with a goal that actually went through the net. It took a stoppage and a review to decide it was a goal, reversing the initial call of no goal. Mike Sislo added another goal 26 seconds later on a nice feed from Greg Burke after Blake Kessel forced a turnover in the neutral zone. Those two goals gave UNH the momentum going into the third, leading to three more goals, including Thompson's game-winner less than three minutes into the third, UNH's third goal on seven shots since the start of the second.

But the next round against upstart RIT was a totally different story. While RIT had topped Denver, there still was a sense that UNH was a clear favorite in the conference. Instead, a day after playing possibly the best game of their season, the Wildcats gave away their season with the worst two minutes.

With the game tied, 1-1, UNH gave up three goals in 94 seconds. In an eerily similar way to how they beat Cornell, the Wildcats gave up goals just 13 seconds apart at 13:23 and 13:36. Just 1:26 later, RIT put the game away. Just like that, it was over.

As was the case all season, UNH was the model of inconsistency. The offense did nothing against an RIT defense that is not outstanding after embarassing one of the best defenses in the nation and as a result, the Wildcats remain maybe the team with the highest number of futile and heartbreaking efforts in the national tournament ever.

Fantasy Baseball: Positional Rankings - Starting Pitchers

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Just like baseball in real life, you can never have too much starting pitching in the fantasy world. Now of course it's best to have top line pitching, but unless you overload at the beginning of the draft, you should find yourself in the position of delving into the deep pool of MLB starting pitchers.

The Top 20:

1. Tim Lincecum - Giants

2. Roy Halladay - Phillies

3. Zack Grienke - Royals

4. Felix Hernandez - Mariners

5. CC Sabathia - Yankees

6. Justin Verlander - Tigers

7. Adam Wainwright - Cardinals

8. Chris Carpenter - Cardinals

9. Josh Beckett - Red Sox

10. Dan Haren - Diamondbacks

11. Yovani Gallardo - Brewers

12. Johan Santana - Mets

13. Josh Johnson - Marlins

14. Jon Lester - Red Sox

15. Tommy Hanson - Braves

16. Cole Hamels - Philles

17. Matt Cain - Giants

18. John Lackey - Red Sox

19. Wandy Rodriguez - Astros

20. Clayton Kershaw - Dodgers

The Elite:

Tim Lincecum is hands down the best pitcher in baseball, and has been the past few years. What's scary is that he doesn't even turn 26 until this June. He's so good, he's a top 5 pick in the draft. Following Lincecum are another two right handers in Roy Halladay and Zack Grienke. Some people might be surprised I put Halladay at #2, but I really expect him to put up huge numbers as he finally plays for a World Series contender. While he may be the old, wily vet, Grienke is one of the young guns in the game. There should be no anxiety (yes, I went there) in taking him in the late first round.

The 2nd Tier:

Felix, the cat, Hernandez had his first full healthy season and put up 19 wins and a 2.49 ERA. He was rewarded by the Mariners in the off season, so the 24 year old can now just go out and pitch. CC Sabathia did exactly what he was supposed to do in his first year in the Bronx. Look for his ERA to drop a bit now he understands how to pitch in the new Yankee Stadium. In case you didn't realize, Justin Verlander was one of the four MLB pitchers to get 19 wins in 2009. While I'd like to see him reduce his 1.18 WHIP from a year ago, he still strikes out people at an amazing rate.

On the Rise/Rebound:

Tommy Hanson - The young Braves ace should have started the 09' season in Atlanta. He wasn't brought up until June 7th, but still managed to get 11 wins and rack up a 2.89 ERA. I don't expect a sophomore slump as he gets used to pitching in the bigs.

Clayton Kershaw - I am a huge fan of Clayton Kershaw and think he'll end up as one of the best left handed pitchers in the game in about 2-3 years. This year will not be his breakout year, but it will not be too far off. He still needs to get his pitch count down so he can work deeper into games. When he can do that, then his low win total will skyrocket. He already has a great fastball and one of the best left handed curve balls in the majors.

Wade Davis - Watch out for this great Rays prospect. He'll be slotted down in the starting rotation, so the pressure is not on him to be stellar off the bat. He did pitch pretty well in on 36.1 innings at the end of the year.

Rick Porcello - Most experts will admit that Porcello had a pretty good rookie season in 09'. When you go 14-9 for a mediocre team then that's decent. So far, he's been lights out in Spring Training with a 1.50 ERA in 18 innings. He's looked fantastic and ready for a 15+ win with a sub 3.25 ERA season.

Fausto Carmona - Remember when he won 19 games in 2007? Well, he's looked very similar to that so far in Spring Training. I know you can't tell too much from Spring Training stats, so you need to use your eyes.

On the Slide/Watch out:

Vincente Padilla - I love Joe Torre, but starting Padilla opening day is ridiculous. I don't care if they're trying to line Kershaw up for the home opener. Despite a great end to his season with the Dodgers, he will eventually return to his usual self.

Joel Piniero - This is more of a gut feeling for me. I have a philosophy that I steer clear of pitchers the first year after leaving the St. Louis Cardinals. Let's call it the Dave Duncan effect. On the flip side, don't be surprised if Brad Penny has a good year.

Kevin Millwood - Unfortunately for the Orioles, he's having a terrible Spring Training. I know he has a history of slow starts, but he's been downright awful so far. Hopefully, he'll at least be able to mentor the solid young stars on the horizon in the O's staff.

Watch out Friday for the final category - Closers.

Vermont clawed, but ultimately proved it didn't belong

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

(Note: This is the first of a three-part series analyzing the performances of all three Hockey East teams in their respective regionals in the NCAA tournament last weekend.)

Vermont was the prototypical team that was just happy to be there. Granted, the Catamounts would never admit that, but given the way their season went, they had to be.

Vermont rode a strong start against non-conference opponents and a Hockey East tournament quarterfinal series win over UNH to make up for a lackluster showing through the regular-season conference schedule, sneaking in with Alaska as one of the final at-large bids.

Vermont drew high-scoring Wisconsin in the first round and actually led, 2-1, heading into the second period, but then played right into the Badgers' hands and lost the game. The Badgers' dangerous power play, which had already scored one goal, was given two power plays in the second period and the Badgers converted both of them to give themselves the winning margin.

In total, Wisconsin had seven man-advantages in the game as Vermont picked up nine penalties for a total of 18 minutes in the box, which is uncharacteristic for the Catamounts, who only accrued an average of 11 PIM's over the course of the season. Vermont was only able to score once in five power play opportunities. It was not a good scenario for the team that ranked last in Hockey East in special teams net at minus-10.

One player Vermont couldn't have asked for anything more from is goalie Rob Madore. The sophomore made 39 saves on 42 shots and really didn't have a chance on the game-winner scored by Blake Geoffrion as he was left alone between the circles.

Over the course of the postseason (conference and national), Madore was pretty tough. He finished the postseason with a 2-3-0 record and took the loss in a 7-4 loss in the first game of the Hockey East quarterfinals, but bounced back to record back-to-back shutouts against a high-powered Wildcats offense. He faced 147 shots between the conference and NCAA tournament and stopped 137 of them, good for an impressive .932 save percentage. In his last two games, both losses to teams in the Frozen Four, he stopped 69 of 75 shots, a .920 SVPCT.

Fantasy Baseball: Positional Rankings - Outfield

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

If you know me, then you know that I have a soft spot for the outfield position. Actually, it's really a soft spot for center fielders, but that really doesn't matter. What matters here are stats, stats and more stats. With that being said, the position is stocked with productive fantasy players of all kinds.

The Top 20:

1. Ryan Braun - Brewers

2. Matt Kemp - Dodgers

3. Carl Crawford - Rays

4. Justin Upton - Diamondbacks

5. Matt Holliday - Cardinals

6. Jacoby Ellsbury - Red Sox

7. Ichiro Suzuki - Mariners

8. Curtis Granderson - Yankees

9. Nick Markakis - Orioles

10. Adam Lind - Blue Jays

11. Adam Jones - Orioles

12. Grady Sizemore - Indians

13. Jason Werth - Phillies

14. Carlos Lee - Astros

15. Josh Hamilton - Rangers

16. B.J. Upton - Rays

17. Manny Ramirez - Dodgers

18. Andre Eithier - Dodgers

19. Carlos Gonzalez - Rockies

20. Alfonso Soriano - Cubs

The Elite:

It's amazing how much different most of the top fantasy outfielders are in the "post" steroid days. Matt Kemp and Carl Crawford, who are now bona fide superstars in my mind have pretty much everything to offer you. Kemp is a 5 tool player who is still so raw it gets me so excited to see how he improves from year to year. Crawford, most likely headed to New York after the season, got his health back last year and really took off. He hit for average (.305), a decent amount of power and RBI (15, 68) and stole a ton of bases (60). The true elite fantasy outfielder has to be Ryan Braun. He's a proven power hitter (32 HR, 112 RBI) who also hits for average (.320), scores (113 runs) and has a career .937 OPS.

The 2nd Tier:

This category brings you a couple of youngster, Jacoby Ellsbury and Justin Upton who have very different styles of play. Upton bring the thunder while Ellsbury steals a ton of bases. Ellsbury really needs to increase his on base percentage a bit more to become an elite fantasy player. I also like Matt Holliday, hitting behind Pujols only, and the very consistent Ichiro to fill out the 2nd tier.

On the Rise:

Adam Jones - will have a season much like Matt Kemp in 09' as long as he stays healthy. Can do pretty much anything.

Carlos Gonzalez - Was lights out in the 2nd half last season. He gets a chance to do it from the start and build off his .284 average and 13 homers in only 289 at bats.

Andrew McCutchen - Much like Gonzalez, McCutchen starting to show his potential during the 2nd half of last season. He will not be hitting in the lead off spot this season, so you should see his RBI total be a bit higher than expected. Look for him to hit about .290 with 20 homers, 80+ RBI and 30+ steals. That is great for a 4th outfielder in fantasy.

Jason Heyward - The biggest buzz in baseball is created by this young phenom. I, for one, bank on him winning the NL Rookie of the year as he bursts on to the scene. He might struggle a bit off the block, but look for him to hit 25 home runs his rookie season.

Travis Snyder - He will have a year very similar to Adam Lind's 2009, when Lind had a breakout season. He may not his 35 homers and 135 RBI, but look for 25+ and 85+ RBI.

On the Slide:

Jason Bay - Don't get me wrong. I like Jason Bay and think he's a fine player, but I just look at what happened to David Wright last year in the first season Citi Field. After hitting 63 home runs combined the previous two seasons, Wright had a measly 10 in 2009. Bay has good power, but not nearly enough to top 20 this season.

Josh Hamilton - The man just can't stay healthy. Unless you can get him late, stay away and take someone potentially less productive who you can count on playing everyday.

Alfonso Soriano - Pretty much the same thing as Hamilton. His average dropped 50 points last season and he only stole 9 bags. Even being dropped in the order will not increase his RBI, so I say watch out.

Vernon Wells - Wells is an absolute waste of a fantasy pick. This is by far the worst contract in baseball now that Barry Zito had a decent year last year.

Sorry about taking so long on this, but sometimes reality sticks itself into Fantasy and Fan Fanatic Sports. Stay tuned on Wednesday for the Starting Pitchers and Friday for the Relievers.

Eagles make Frozen Four, but it's RIT I'll be watching

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The stage is set for the Frozen Four and once again Boston College will be there.

The Eagles earned their seventh trip in the last 11 seasons (2000-2010) with a 9-7 win over Yale Sunday evening. That's right. There were 16 goals between the two sides, which was an NCAA record for a regional game, eclipsing the previous mark of 13.

BC will face Miami (OH), who survived a double-overtime battle with Michigan, 3-2.

But with all the exciting action going on in the tournament, there is no better story than RIT, which has become this year's Bemidji State. RIT made heavily favored Denver (the No. 2 overall team in the tournament) look just plain bad in the opening round, then made New Hampshire look even worse with a 6-2 win to propell itself to Detriot.

Maybe it was the home-ice feel in Albany. Maybe the stars aligned just right. Maybe they caught Denver in the midst of a badly-timed slump (remember, they lost two games in the conference tournament, too). Maybe they dodged a bullet in having UNH upset Cornell. Or maybe the Tigers are really just that good.

I knew RIT was a balanced team, but the Tigers surprised me in how well they skated, making Denver look slow and how good their transition game is, as was displayed in the UNH game.

Do they have enough to get past Wisconsin and get to the title game? I'm still not sure and I don't know if anyone else can be, either. After all, most of the nation has only seen this team play for 120 minutes so far this year.

But in a tournament that now has three No. 1 seeds and a No. 4 remaining, I'm becoming a Tigers fan.

Here's how my bracket is shaping up (Click on the bracket for a larger view). Check back for analysis on how each Hockey East team has performed in the tournament thus far.

Florida coach is a bully

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Florida football coach Urban Meyer needs to be cut down to size. Or cut-blocked, in football terms.

The hot-headed Mr.-Know-It-All coach verbally assaulted a member of the media and actually threatened him while at spring practice.

Apparently, Orlando Sentinel's Jeremy Fowler wrote an article, quoting Florida WR Deonte Thompson who called QB John Brantley a "real quarterback."

I guess it was a shot at former Florida QB Tim Tebow (who I still think is going to be a bust at quarterback in the NFL -- keep reading Fan Fanatic Sports for more opinion on Tebow as the NFL Draft approaches in late April). Remember, Tebow and Meyer had a father-son relationship during Tebow's career with the Gators.

I guess Thompson really didn't take a shot at Tebow, but instead meant that Brantley is more of a prototypical QB that Tebow.

But the written word can be interpreted in so many different ways.

Whatever.

The journalist was doing his job, however. He quoted an athlete. It's not his fault that people that read his article thought Thompson was attacking Tebow.

So for Meyer to confront the reporter on the sideline and try to intimidate him and make his look like a fool in front of everyone, sort of gives you a sneak peek into Meyer's character.

Meyer obviously used his power as the king gator to try to minimize and bully the reporter.

Obviously, Fowler did nothing wrong. He wrote what was said. Yes, he did his job. It's not his fault that people read things different ways.

What really bothers me is that Meyer lashed out and told Fowler, "If that was my son, we'd be going at it right now."

Now that's a threat and totally uncalled for.

But wait. Everything's OK now, Meyer later requested a meeting with Fowler and I guess Fowler said everything is fine between the two now.

Reporter's view: Say everything is fine, considering you have to cover Meyer's team all season and need access to the coach and players throughout the season in order to do your job.

Yes, Meyer flew off the handle. I get it, he was sticking up for his player.

But he went about it the wrong way. He tried to bully a reporter, threaten him mind you.

It's totally uncalled for.

I've never been a fan of Meyer before -- he's always rubbed me the wrong way -- and you can bet he's lost more fans -- maybe not in brainwashed Gatorland -- in the country.

It would be real nice to see Meyer got on ESPN and say sorry to Fowler on national television. But I'm willing to bet that won't happen.

Like most coaches, they like positive press but scurry or try to sweep things under the rug when it's negative.

No hiding from this Urban, what you did was classless, uncalled for and it makes me sick.

Health far more important than a game

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

I got a text today from a friend, and he basically said that Boston Bruins star forward Marc Savard was a wimp (actually he called him something else).

I couldn't believe it, calling a guy out because he's got a severe head injury.

Ya, shake it off, it's only a concussion. Right!

Head injuries are serious business, it's not something you can shake off in a blink of an eye. They heal up when they want, some quicker and some take longer. It's scary either way.

So to call out Savard like he should just suit up and play since his club is fighting for their playoff lives, I think that is absolutely a joke.

I'm a Bruins fan, but I don't blame Savard one bit for sitting out.

First, he's battling headaches constantly and he also has had troubles sleeping at night. And secondly, his heath is way more important than playing a game.

Yes, hockey is his job but you need to be healthy in order to play it. If Savard did play, he could take another vicious hit (it doesn't even have to be a big blow) and be a vegetable for life.

Heath and family are more important that sports. Yes, I said it.

Sometimes people get too wrapped up in the game and forget that these players are also human.

Yes, we all wish Savard was back on the ice scoring and being the top playmaker for the Bruins, but it isn't going to happen this year. He's done for the season, and we all must accept it.

Don't hate Savard because he can't play.

Trust me, I bet he'd do anything to be with his teammates and wearing the Bruins jersey right about now.

Actually, Savard isn't a wimp -- he's a very smart hockey player.

I'm impressed with underdog Butler and its coach

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

I know, I don't like the underdog in the NCAA Tournament.

But does a No. 5 seed count as an underdog?

It sure does, especially when talking about little-known Butler.

The mid-major monster is picking teams off at a rapid clip, including No. 1 Syracuse and most recently No. 2 Kansas State to advance to their first Final Four in school history.

Yes, they are no-namers on this Bulldogs squad, but they are obviously making a name for themselves now. They've definitely put Butler (from Indianapolis) on the map.

This club might be a mid-major, but their coach is a major superstar.

His name is Brad Stevens and I hope he's making a boatload of cash, which he probably isn't because he's a mid-major coach. But there's no doubt in my mind that he could lead a power conference program, and perhaps he'll get a shot at a big time school and make big time money after showcasing to the world that he can take a virtually unknown bunch of players from a small school and beat down some of the finer basketball programs in the country.

Stevens, you're legit in my book.

While I'm still not all tingly about a Cinderella story like Butler, I'm buying coach Stevens and I'm actually going to put aside my dislike for the underdog and root for these Butler Bulldogs in the Final Four.

They are fun to watch, they actually play defense, they've got an outstanding young coach, and they play as a team, play for each other and the name of their jersey.

Seriously, what's not to like about Butler?

No Fan of Calipari Here

By Dan Shouse
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

On ESPN recently, college basketball analyst Steve Lavin lauded University of Kentucky head coach John Calipari for being one of the best coaches in the NCAA.

For Lavin, the reason Calipari deserved this much credit was simple - Calipari was about to lead his third different basketball program to an NCAA Final Four.

This is where Lavin was dead wrong however. Yes, UMass and the Memphis both played in the Final Four under Calipari, but according to the history books, the appearances for UMass and Memphis never happened. They were both wiped out due to violations of NCAA rules - violations that occurred under the watch of Calipari.

So technically, Lavin was incorrect. Lavin should have said that Calipari was ready to appear in his first Final Four.

I realize that Calipari was never cited for any wrong doings at UMass or Memphis, but I have to agree, for the most part, with what Bob Knight said earlier in the season. Knight stated a few months back that he was surprised that Calipari was able to waltz into one of best jobs in college sports, after leaving his two previous stops in the NCAA in ruins. UMass and Memphis had to pay for the violations, while Calipari got a promotion.

I will not go as far as Bob Knight and say that Calipari should not be allowed to coach, but it seems only fair that he should have been forced to sit out a year, or have to rebuild his resume at a smaller school and work his way back. The fans of UMass and Memphis at least deserve that much.

Sorry Kentucky, but I fear that once there is the slightest hint of possible violations in your basketball program, Calipari will walk away from the table and stick you with the bill. He has done it before, and lets hope for the sake of the Wildcats, he doesn't do it again.

March Madness, Frozen Style

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

So here it is, my bracket for the 2010 NCAA Division I hockey tournament.
(Click on the bracket for a bigger view)

As you can see, there are not many surprises in the regionals, with one notable exception. I think in the East, Denver is vulnerable. Not only did they falter down the stretch, but they also go up against an RIT team that has all the momentum in the world and a fanbase that almost instantly sold out of its allotment of tickets, giving the Tigers a distinct home-ice feel with over 1,000 orange-clad maniacs in the stands.
Michigan over Bemidji State is somewhat of an upset, but given how well Michigan has played over the last month, I'm not going to call it one.
I think it will be Miami, Boston College, Wisonsin and Cornell in the Frozen Four with Wisconsin and Miami moving on for a CCHA-WCHA title game.
Sure, I think Wisconsin is the softest of the No. 1 seeds, but I think they also have the softest regional bracket overall and I can see Cornell suffering a letdown after what is sure to be an emotion-filled slugfest between the Big Red and the Tigers in Albany.
Boston College and Miami should be a clinic on goaltending, but I just think BC lacks the star power this year to go back to the title game.

I'm not crazy about the new OT rule in the NFL

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

I gave it a day or so, but I'm still not a fan of the new overtime rule in the NFL.

Maybe I'm a traditionalist and I like the game how it is now? I don't know.

But what I do know is that this new rule is going to take me some time to get used to.

The new OT rule eliminates sudden death out of the equation, at least on the first possession when the team that gets the ball first in OT. If that teams kicks a field goal, they DO NOT win the game.

The opposing team gets a shot to score, and if they score a TD the game is over. If they kick a field goal, sudden death -- the team that scores first wins -- then takes effect.

So basically, the goal is to score a TD and the game is over.

Maybe the team that gets the ball first will be a tad more aggressive on its opening drive to put the game away right away? Or maybe the other team that trails by a field goal in OT will go for the home run and hit paydirt on a winning TD score? I'm thinking that coaching in OT will take on a whole new strategy, too.

Mind you, this rule is currently only for the postseason. Now does that really make any sense at all? Of course not. The NFL better vote this new rule in for the entire season. I mean, it's going to take all of us an entire 16-game schedule to learn this anyway. Probably the players, too.

Either way, what was really the matter with the OT rules how they were before?

Whoever scores first -- TD or field goal -- wins, no questions asked. Seemed pretty simple and cut and dry to me. And don't tell me the team that gets the ball first always wins. The stats that I've seen show the team that gets the ball first in OT only won 59 percent of the time.

I guess I can sit here and complain all I want, but it's not like I'm going to stop watching the NFL because of this new rule. I'll deal with it just like everyone else. The NFL is the best product out there, so maybe this new rule will be great for everyone?

I'm just not buying it right now.

Here's my OT plan: Each team gets the ball at their own 30-yard line (yes, they have to drive 70 yards for a TD) and they can either kick a FG, score a TD or turn the ball over on downs. Every 10 yards equals a first down. The other team gets the same shot -- starts at their own 30 -- and they must go for the 2-point conversion if they score a TD. Sort of like the college rules, only it's a lot further field to drive down and score.

Now that, to me, would be excitement.

But I still like the old way better.

Guess I'm a traditionalist.

Hockey East teams face rough roads to Frozen Four

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The Hockey East conference has had a representative in the national championship game in 16 of the last 20 seasons and each of the last four. Can one of the three teams in this year's field make it? The paths of each team are not easy, but if there's one thing a couple of them have, it's history on their side.

But before we get into that, let's just take the time to go over some general Hockey East history within the tournament and let's see if you can make an argument it being the toughest conference in college hockey. All of these facts are according to Hockey East.

• At least two Hockey East teams have qualified for the Frozen Four 13 times since the league formed in the 1984-85 season. The second-highest number of times that has happened for a conference in that span is five (WCHA, CCHA).
• Since 1993, 17 of the 34 teams that have advanced to the national championship game have been Hockey East teams and twice both teams vying for the title were from the conference. Since the formation of Hockey East, only one other conference has been able to do it once (WCHA).
• Over the last 12 seasons, Hockey East has dominated in terms of Frozen Four qualifiers with 20. The WCHA is second with 14.
  

We'll let those facts just speak for themselves. But with that said, are any of the teams in this year's field at all strong enough to make it to Ford Field for this year's Frozen Four?

Boston College: Northeast Regional (DCU Center - Worcester, Mass.)

History: BC holds an impressive 31-20 (.608) record in what we'll call from here on out at the Hockey East Era (1985-Present). No team in the conference has made more tournament appearances and only one Hockey East team has made more Frozen Four appearances than the Eagles, who sit at 18 and 10, respectively. The Eagles have gone to six title games in that time and have won two of them. They are the only Hockey East team to win more than one national championship in the 2000's. BC won the whole thing in its last tournament appearance in 2008 before missing the tourney altogether last year.

This year: Boston College has the shortest trip to its regional game, needing to just drive down the Pike about 30 minutes to Worcester. But that just might be the easiest part of the whole trip. Boston College is ranked third in the USCHO Poll and also in their bracket are No. 4 North Dakota, No. 8 Yale. It's the only bracket that has more than one team that received first-place votes in the poll.

The Eagles, who are the first seed in the Northeast Regional, will take on Alaska, who scooted in as the last at-large team. But make no mistake, the Nanooks are not to be looked past. Boston College is third in the nation in goals per game, but Alaska has done a pretty good job of keeping the puck out of the net, ranking ninth overall. Some think the travel might have an adverse affect on the Alaska squad, but seeing as the team has to travel to Michigan, Ohio and Indiana just to play a lot of its league games, it shouldn't be much more of a problem than any regular-season game. The problem for the Nanooks will be the fact that they have had difficulty scoring this season and the tandem of Parker Milner and John Muse has been one of the best in the nation behind a terrific defense.

Should the Eagles get past Alaska in the first round, either North Dakota or Yale will stand between them and the Frozen Four.

The Boston College-North Dakota history in the tournament has been well-documented. The two teams met in the 2000 and 2001 NCAA championships, each taking one apiece. Since then, the Sioux and the Eagles have met up in the tournament four times, all in consecutive seasons from 2005 to 2008. In 2005, North Dakota topped the BC in the quarterfinals, but the Eagles have had the last laugh(s), beating the Sioux for a spot in the title game the next three years. And, of course, we can't forget the regular season game in 2007 in which the ice at Conte Arena started to melt after a power outage and the game was called after two periods because there was too much fog. This year, North Dakota comes into the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the nation, winning 12 of their last 13 games, including the WCHA Final Five (beating the nation's 11th, 1st and 6th-ranked teams consecutively). Goalie Brad Eidsness is eighth in the nation in terms of goals against average with an impressive 2.09 mark over nearly 2,330 minutes this season.

Should the Eagles take on Yale, they will be facing oneof the most dynamic scorers in the nation in Broc Little. In fact, Yale is the top-scoring team in college hockey overall, averaging more than four goals per game. Especially impressive is Yale's power play, which converts on nearly one quarter of all of its opportunities. The Bulldogs are missing their best play in Sean Backman, which has to be a major concern, but the rest of the team has proven itself to have more than enough firepower to compete. On top of that, the Bulldogs live up to their name with physical play, which could come into play against a smaller team like Boston College.

New Hampshire: East Regional (Times Union Center - Albany, NY)

History: UNH has made 16 appearances, including the second-longest active streak in college hockey with nine consecutive tournament bids. Honestly, it could be said that this team more than any other has squandered its chances in the tournament with an unimpressive 11-15 mark in the playoffs, but they have been to four Frozen Fours and two title games. Last year very easily could have been another appearance for the 'Cats, who outplayed Boston University for most of the game, only to have a puck go off the Jerry Pollastrone's glove as he attempted to stop a shot and into the net in a game even BU coach Jack Parker said his team was "very, very fortunate" to have won.


This year: In Albany, New Hampshire may face two teams that will hold distinct home ice advantages in RIT and Cornell. And let's not forget No. 2 overall Denver, who at several points this season held the top spot.

Cornell will be the Wildcats' first-round opponent in a battle of two contrasting styles. Cornell is defensive-minded all the way and it shows in their stats. They boast what some consider the best goalie in the nation in Ben Scrivens, whose 1.78 GAA is tops in the country. As a result, Cornell is tied with top-ranked Miami for first in the Division I in team defense (1.85 goals/game). UNH, on the other end of the spectrum, relies on outgunning opponents, ranking 11th in the nation in team scoring, led by Hobey Baker hopeful Bobby Butler, who is second in the country in goals scored.

Should the 'Cats move on to play Denver, they run into a team that still feels like it has something to prove after losing two WCHA tournament games. Denver is a very ballanced team with good offense and a better defense. Bruins draft pick Joe Colborne is the man to watch with the game on the line as he is tied for first with eight game-winning goals this year. It would also be an interesting storyline of two Florida Panthers draft picks between the pipes in Brian Foster and Marc Cheverie. Cheverie is second in the nation in winning percentage behind BC's Parker Milner, but keep in mind Cheverie has played 32 games (24-5-3) to Milner's 13 (10-2-1).

If the 'Cats next opponents be RIT, they would be facing a true Cinderella story. RIT was ranked 25th in the PairWise Rankings and was a far cry from an at-large bid, but won the AHA, so none of that mattered. The Tigers are in the first national tournament in the school's history and carry with them a 10-game winning streak. Should they be able to beat No. 2 Denver, the momentum would definitely be on their side. RIT has been a pretty explosive offensive team and their team defense has been subperb with Jared DeMichael (2.00 GAA) between the pipes. Granted, some stats might be skewed a bit by the fact they play in a weak conference, but the fact of the matter is RIT is a balanced team, something UNH has had some difficulty with this season.

Vermont: West Regional (Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, Minn.)

History: Vermont has only been a part of Hockey East since the 2005-06 season, but have already become a viable threat as part of the league, going to the Frozen Four last year in its first appearance as a Hockey East team. They beat Yale, then Air Force in a double-overtime game and then were victimized by a tough-luck goal in a loss to BU after outplaying the Terriers pretty much all game, preventing them from moving on to the title game. The Catamounts, who were part of the ECAC before joining Hockey East, have been to five tournaments altogether and have made it to the frozen four in two of them.

This year: As the No. 4 seed in the West, Vermont takes on maybe the softest of the top seeds in Wisconsin. The Badgers are certainly a great team, but some consider North Dakota or even Cornell to be better squads. Wisonsin lost to St. Cloud State in the Frozen Five, but salvaged the tournament with a win over Denver, otherwise the Badgers surely would have lost a No. 1 seeding. If there's one thing Wisconsin knows how to do, it's score. In a year when the WCHA has been very tough, the Badgers ranked first in the league and second in the nation in scoring offense. Scoring has been a problem for Vermont this year, ranking in the bottom half of th3 country in that respect, so the Catamounts may end up relying heavily on Rob Madore, who has had a habit of coming up with big perfomances in the postseason.

Should the Catamounts advance, it could be the team that beat the Badgers in the Final Five that they face next. St. Cloud State has been in the top-10 in the polls for the better part of the season. While not an elite team in any area, St. Cloud is proficient in all of them and has hung with what might be the most difficult conference schedule this year. The one place where St. Cloud is deficient is on the penalty kill, but likewise, Vermont is one of the worst in the country in that department.

Northern Michigan is another team that isn't overly impressive in any area, but gave itself a major boost by making it to the CCHA final. What would make this matchup interesting is in making it to the final, the Wildcats knocked Ferris State out of tournament consideration in the process and was one of the reasons UVM ended up in the tournament at all. As one of the better defensive teams in the nation, Northern Michigan could prove a challenge to a UVM team that just plain doesn't score many goals. Even a couple of goals could end up in a win and a ticket to the Frozen Four for the Wildcats.

College hockey needs better selection system

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

No doubt about it, college hockey needs a new system to figure out who, in fact, makes the tournament and how those teams are placed after the field is selected.

A total of 16 teams make the national tournament with six conferences receiving automatic bids for winning their respective conference tournaments. The remaining 10 slots are filled by at large teams, which are determined by a computer calculated system that weighs several factors in its process of deciding which teams will compete for the national title.

I have absolutely no problem with the NCAA using a computer system in its decision-making process. Computers don’t have biases. They don’t pick favorites and don’t have short memories.
The problem I have is with the specific system used. The biggest problem with the current system is it treats every game equally, whether it be in-conference, out-of-conference, or a conference tournament.

If the college hockey season was longer and had more out-of-conference games on the schedule, this type of system would work. However, a team plays usually around 36 games in a college hockey season and in a league like Hockey East, for example, 27 of those games are league games. And those number don't include conference tournaments.

So in a sport that has its teams play 75 percent or more of their games in-conference, then why are those conference games not worth more? New Hampshire, for example, won the Hockey East regular-season crown, but largely because it had a rough start in games against quality opponents like Wisconsin, Miami (both No. 1 seeds in their respective brackets) and Cornell, it needed help from the favorites in other conference tournaments and the AHA in order to get in.

Vermont got in by virtue of a strong out-of conference schedule even thought they ended up eighth in the conference. Granted, they also beat UNH in the best-of-three quarterfinal with UNH before losing in the semis to eventual champion Boston College. But what about Boston University and Maine? While neither did stupendous against OOC foes, they had a better stretch over the long haul and finished third and fourth in the conference. BU made it just as far in the conference tournament and Maine took BC to overtime in a 7-6 loss in the conference championship game. Shouldn’t that count for something?

The real contradiction lies in the practice of having conference tournament games count the same as regular-season games - the fact that six conferences get automatic bids for winning the tournament. Basically, it’s like saying that all the games in the season (regular or postseason) are worth the same, except for one. The glaring example is Alabama-Huntsville, which won 12 games all season, but won a four-team conference tournament, so they got in.

If conference games and non-conference games count the same and all other tournament games are worth the same, why should one more be any more valuable? If you want to have conference championships worth a shot at the whole shebang, shouldn’t the games that lead up to that game hold at least a little extra clout?

But even if the computer system currently in place remains the system in the future, should the selection committee not follow the data the computer relays to the members when they are seeding the tournament?

While the committee claims it uses a computer system to keep the integrity of the tournament, this tournament layout suggests the committee cares less about integrity and more about selling tickets.

Take the Midwest Regional, for example. Fort Wayne, IN has had a terrible time selling tickets. So, in order to boost ticket sales, the committee compromised the integrity of the bracket by stacking it with Midwest teams. Miami was sure to either go to the Midwest or the West in St. Paul, MN, but being the top seed, got placed in the Midwest to draw a crowd. They will play the last-seeded Alabama-Huntsville and No. 8 Bemidji State is also on that bracket, which is fine, but No. 12 Michigan also being in that bracket makes little sense other than making sure to keep local recognizable teams in the Midwest to boost interest. It also helps that Michigan is one of the hottest teams in college hockey right now.

The Northeast could be the bracket of death. No. 4 Boston College, No. 5 North Dakota, No. 9 Yale and No. 13 Alaska are all in the same bracket. The NCAA loves seeing BC and North Dakota as favorites in games that if won would pit the two against each other. Every time the Sioux and the Eagles share the same ice in the tournament (and it’s happened five times since 2000) it is memorable.

The Sioux won a 4-2 affair to capture the national title in 2000, but the following year, BC got even with a 3-2 overtime win. In 2005, North Dakota knocked off BC in the regional, 6-3. In 2006, the Eagles won a 6-5 national semifinal, a game that shouldn’t have been as close as it was with the Sioux scoring twice (one shorthanded goal and one with 12 second left) in the last five minutes of the game to make it interesting. BC again downed North Dakota in another tight game the following year, 6-4. Both years they ended up losing in the finals to Wisconsin and Michigan State, respectively. In 2008, BC finally got over the hump and won the national championship, and again had to go through North Dakota to make it happen, beating the Sioux handily, 6-1, in the semifinals.

But Yale is the Ivy League school everyone is forgetting about after Barry Melrose spent 10 minutes slobbering all over Cornell and its goalkeeper. Having Yale in that bracket may make some sense in terms of rankings, but obviously is favorable for the NCAA in terms of selling tickets, as folks are sure to come up from Connecticut to Worcester to see a potential BC-Yale showdown.

Denver, who lost not one, but two WCHA tournament games, also faces a difficult field in the East Regional in Albany and could play two upstate New York schools (RIT and Cornell, should the Badgers and Cornell both advance past the first roud) that are bound to bring in some serious gate and give those teams a severe home-ice feel and UNH fans also travel well.

But again, the NCAA can rely on some history here in order to sell tickets. UNH and Cornell have some history, playing a pair of epic games in the early 2000’s, including a Frozen Four tilt won by UNH. There is also sure to be a news article or two about how UNH is looking for revenge in the Big Red’s back yard after Cornell beat the Wildcats, 5-2, at the Whit early this year.

Check back a little bit later and I'll further break down each of the three Hockey East teams' road to the Frozen Four.

Do you believe in the Celtics?

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Now is the time for the Celtics to start finding their groove as a team.

It's one thing to beat on the weak in the NBA, but this club needs to show they can beat the elite clubs.

If you have to play a 7-game playoff series against Cleveland, Orlando or even Atlanta, do you give the Celts the edge? No way.

It pains me to say this, but I don't see the Celts beating the Cavs or Magic in a playoff series. The Hawks, perhaps, but that young and athletic team could very easily send the C's packing.

So what's wrong with Boston?

Age has to be a factor with this club, but injuries are the biggest concern.

I honestly feel like Kevin Garnett makes this team go. When he's on, the C's are a machine. When he's missing or hobbling around because of that bum knee, the C's struggle. He's the heartbeat of the C's, bottom line.

Garnett needs to get healthy. You can't make me drink that silly juice about KG being completely healthy. There's no way in hell he's 100 percent. He gimps around the court at times, and he's always tugging at the knee brace. No way he's even close to the force on offense and defense that he was a couple years ago. Perhaps his elite days are a thing of the past? It's sad if that's the case.

Ray Allen can still flat-out shoot the ball from long range, and Paul Pierce can take over a game when he needs to. Pierce is a big-game player; he'll elevate his game in the playoffs and take every crucial shot this team needs him to take.

But it just can't be Pierce and Allen, and occasionally KG, pulling all the weight.

All good teams have other players that deliver.

Rajon Rondo is a silky-smooth point guard, but he scares me every time he shoots. Granted, he's gotten better with the jumper, but he's not even close to being a weapon on the outside. Drive, drive, drive to the bucket Rajon, and keep dishing out the assists.

Nate Robinson is a spark plug off the bench with that second unit. He was a nice pickup. Rasheed Wallace, despite shooting way too many 3s, isn't a problem with me, either. He's got his fair share of haters, but I think Wallace is the type of veteran that knows his intensity and game need to be cranked up a lot more in the postseason.

Kendrick Perkins, start cleaning up your game and please be more consistent.

This whole team needs to get focused on the home stretch of games, and be clicking when the playoffs begin.

It's going to take a full team effort to really do damage in the playoffs.

Is this team the best? No, but if they can get hot, look out. They have the guns to win it all, but they've also shown throughout the year they are not consistent enough to be considered a favorite.

But don't be that guy that counts them out just yet!

Patriots looking for help at TE

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is watching the offseason take shape, and he's got to be hoping his club will add some more weapons.

Tight end is a major area of concern since former first-round pick Benjamin Watson (he just never developed like we all would have hoped) signed a deal with the hapless Cleveland Browns, and Chris Baker was surprisingly released.

So there's really no quality depth at the position. If I said Rob Myers and Robbie Agnone, would you know who I'm talking about? It's OK, even the biggest diehard Pats fans have never heard of the two guys who are currently on the roster.

Yes, we need help.

In steps veteran Alge Crumpler, who has one of the best names ever in football.

Crumpler is close to signing, according to various reports floating around the Internet.

Crumpler was once one of the premier tight ends in the game -- both catching the pigskin and sealing the edge by being an outstanding blocker.

Remember when Crumpler was an absolute beast? Check these stats out while Crumpler was in his prime: 2004 (48 receptions, 774 yards, 6 TDs), 2005 (65-877-5), 206 (56-780-8).

But unfortunately, he's not that type of player anymore. Crumpler has only 51 catches, 479 yards and 2 TDs, the last two years combined.

But the 32-year-old should have some gas left in the tank.

The 6-foot-2, 262-pounder can still catch, so perhaps he could really shine as a red zone target and third down security blanket for Brady. That would really help, considering Watson could get open but always had an issue with drops.

But Crumpler's biggest asset is in the blocking department. He got a lot of credit last season when Tennessee's Chris Johnson rushed for over 2,000 yards, and Crumpler was responsible for the dirty work on the outside.

Crumpler could be a quick fix, but he's not the longterm answer, obviously. You can bet your bottom dollar that Bill Belichick and Co. will be drafting a TE at some point. Don't be shocked if it's in the first or second round, too, unless they can pull off a trade with Chicago for TE Greg Olsen.

In any case, expect the Pats to do more than just ink Crumpler. They will get younger one way or the other (trade or draft).

Until then, here's to hoping Crumpler can be a productive player in New England.

It's all about March Sadness

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

They call it March Madness, and some call it March Sadness.

It's NCAA college basketball tournament time. You may not follow the college game all season, but it's hard not to have your own bracket team at your office or on Yahoo! Anyone can play and there's no real science to picking each game (but it's wise if you never select a No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1 seed).

Fans just love to see the upset -- a No. 5 over a No. 12, a No. 15 over a No. 2, and so on. But while many enjoy the Cinderella stories, I'm not really an underdog type of fan.

I like the March Sadness part, and it usually gets me pumped to see a mid-major team get hammered by a national power. As far as I'm concerned, there's no way a low seed -- Murray State, UC Santa Barbara, etc. -- should ever win, never mind people thinking they can actually be a giant killer and win the whole tournament, or even make the Final Four.

Like I said, I like the favorites. I know I'm in the minority on this, but I'm not into the Little Engine That Could.

It doesn't float my boat, I would rather see those lesser known and less talented teams sink.

It's all about the top seeds for me -- Kansas, Duke, Kentucky and Syracuse.

I'm going out on a limb this year and I'm picking No. 1 Kansas to win it all. What, did you think I'd be stupid and pick a team like Morgan State?

Interested to find out if you're jacked up for the tournament, and if you like underdogs and who's your pick to win it all.

Let the Sadness (cue the tears) continue.

BC establishes dominance in HEA quarterfinals

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

So I decided to be hip and trendy with a pretty graphic to go along with my predictions for the Hockey East tournament in my last posting. It would have worked out perfectly, too, if UNH hadn't forgotten how to score in games two and three of its series with Vermont. Instead, the reseeding that takes place before the semifinal round makes my pretty bracket graphic worthless. Even with UMass-Lowell losing, the bracket set up still would have held up. So without any fanfare or pictures or anything, here are the recaps of this weekend's series and what lies ahead.

No. 1 New Hampshire vs. No. 8 Vermont
Predicted results: UNH wins series, 2-1 (W, 3-1; L, 4-3 OT; W, 4-2)
Actual results: UVM wins series, 2-1 (L, 7-4; W, 1-0; W, 1-0 OT)
After seeing the score of Friday night's game, my fiance Eileen commented that UNH might have used all of its goals for the series in one game. Turns out she was right. The Wildcats came back froma 4-2 deficit in that game, but scored five unanswered goals as they continued a trend of dramatic, resounding comebacks. But in the next two games, UNH was unable to muster a single goal, displaying the same streakiness they exhibited all season. Hats off to Rob Madore, who rebounded after giving up six goals on 15 shots on Friday to post back-to-back shutouts. Hat off as well to losing keeper Brian Foster, who earned his scholarship money this postseason. Say what you will about his playoff record, but this was not his fault. UVM outshot UNH in every game and 111-77 for the series. Foster made stops on 105 of those shots, including 50 in the series-deciding OT game on Sunday, good for a .946 save percentage.

No. 4 Maine vs. No. 5 UMass-Lowell
Predicted results: UMass-Lowell wins series, 2-0 (W, 5-2; W, 4-3)
Actual resutls: Maine wins series, 2-1 (L, 2-1; W, 2-0; W, 3-2 OT)
While we're on the subject of standout goalie performances, let's talk about Maine senior backup Dave Wilson. Before this series, Wilson had played in just eight games and started just two. Not exactly the resume you want your goalie going into the playoffs to have. But Wilson sparkled against the River Hawks, not allowing more than two goals in a game and posting the only shutout by a Black Bears goalie all season. With the series loss, that 800-pound gorilla that resides on the Lowell's back in regards to winning at Maine has decided to put on an addition and put in a pool.

No. 3 Boston University vs. No. 6 Merrimack
Predicted results: BU wins series, 2-1 (L, 4-3; W, 5-1; W, 3-2)
Actual results: BU wins series, 2-1 (W, 3-2; L, 3-2 OT; W, 3-0)
As expected, Merrimack did not go quietly. But they also were unable to maintain a lead. The Warriors got and gave up three leads in the first two games and the first one turned out to be costly. Merrimack went up, 2-0 early in the second period of game one, but then (maybe at least partially because goalie Joe Cannata almost had his head taken off by his own player's stick) gave up three unanswered goals in a loss. Twice in game two they held one-goal advantages, but BU was able to knot it up both times before Merrimack eventually came away with the victory in overtime. BU's special teams won game three for the Terriers with two power play goals, while killing seven Merrimack man-advantages.

No. 2 Boston College vs. No. 7 UMass
Predicted results: BC wins series, 2-0 (W, 4-1; W, 3-1)
Actual results: BC wins series, 2-0 (W, 6-5; W, 5-2)
The Eagles were the only team to sweep a quarterfinal series as they continued their domination of UMass. The Minutemen put up a fight in the first game because, as my fiance says, "We're BC. We like to give up leads." BC held three-goal advantages twice in the second period at 5-2 and 6-3 and held the latter going into the third, but UMass got two past Parker Milner in the third to make it interesting. John Muse started game two in the place of Milner and was again unimpressive (16 saves on 18 shots), but got the win as it was BC this time tht came on strong in the third, scoring three unanswered goals (one empty-netter) after being tied through two periods. Cam Atkinson continues to play well for the Eagles, recording a hat-trick, plus an assist in game one. Springfield native Barry Almeida had three points in game two and four in the series.

So now comes the reseeding. Because UNH was knocked out, No. 2 Boston College is the highest seed and therefore will play the lowest seed, which in this case is No. 8 Vermont. No. 3 BU, being the second-highest seed, takes on No. 4 Maine. It's all really too bad, because if UNH had beaten UVM, it would have set up some great semifinal drama with the two biggest rivalries in Hockey East taking the ice at the Fleet (I will never call it the Garden. There was, is and always will be only one Garden) in UNH vs. Maine and BC vs. BU. But I digress. Let's take a look at the matchups.

No. 2 Boston College at No. 8 Vermont
Vermont put itself back in the national tournament discussion with the win over UNH, but it still probably isn't enough at this point. The Catamounts probably need to win the tournament altogether to get in. It is possible that if every other conference tourney plays out according to seeding that UVM could squeak in, but that's in an ideal world and there are probably more scenarios that would keep the Catamounts out than would keep them in. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let's not forget that BC stands in their way. BC actually lost the season series with UVM, 2-1, but the two teams haven't faced each other since mid-November and since then BC has become one of the best teams in the nation. UVM proved in the UNH series that they are a team that can shut down even strong offensive teams (UNH was third in the league in scoring behind Maine and BC, who were tied for first). But BC is a much more balanced team than UNH and surely won't be giving up 51 shots in a game. The interesting thing to watch is which goalie Jerry York will go with. York has recently put his faith in Parker Milner, but didn't give Milner the start in game two. Was that because he knew game two was not a do-or-die game, or because he saw his freshman keeper get rattled after turning what should have been a fairly decisive win into a nail-biter? My money's on Milner starting.
Projected result: BC wins, 4-2

No. 3 Boston University vs. No. 4 Maine
In order for either of these teams to make it beyond the conference tournament and join the field of 16, they probably will have to win it outright. Neither have a strong enough body of work, plus there is one fewer spots in the tournament because Bemidji State did everyone a disservice by not winning the CHA tournament, giving the CHA an undeserved two spots. Can Dave Wilson work similar magic against the Terriers that he worked against the River Hawks? Probably not. Against a team like Lowell, which has more than its share of problems, Wilson stood a chance. But BU put up 12 goals in two games against the Black Bears about a month ago against now-suspended starter Scott Darling, including chasing Darling out of a televised game. They had their hands full withy fiesty Merrimack, but the Terriers were able to erase deficits and were never out of control in any game. Plus, what could be better for Hockey East than to see another meaningful game between BU and BC?
Projected result: BU wins, 5-3

Breaking down brackets, Hockey East style

By Chris Maza

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

With all the talk about brackets going on, I thought I'd join in the fun, though not in the classic March Madness sense. The Hockey East tournament starts up tomorrow and I'm here to break down how this tourney will shape up.

First, lets' take a look at my bracket:

First, let's take a look at the Quarterfinal matchups. I did this at the beginning of the week, but let's go into a little more detail.

No. 1 New Hampshire vs. No. 8 Vermont

UNH won the season series against UVM, 2-0-1, and has not lost to a Hockey East team at home in 18-straight contests (14-0-4) dating back to last season. That said, the Catamounts took the Wildcats to overtime in both ends of the series at the Whit on February 19 and 20. Vermont needs to win this series to have any shot at the national tournament and the only reason they have any shot at all is because they have early-season wins over top-ranked Denver, No. 6 Yale and No. 14 Minnesota-Duluth. Since then things haven't gone well as they have gone 5-6-5 since beating M-D in the Catamont Cup in the beginning of January. UNH still has a shot to get in without going deep in the tournament, but winning this series would go a long way towards guaranteeing a spot.

Projected results: UNH wins series, 2-1 (W, 3-1; L, 4-3 OT; W, 4-2)

No. 4 Maine at No. 5 UMass-Lowell

Lowell was in an absolute tailspin, picking up just six of a possible 20 points at one point, but salvaged the season with a 3-0-2 record over the remaining games. Maine went from a team that had a shot at the No. 2 seed to a team that was really lucky to capture home ice after going 2-6-0 over the Black Bears' last eight games. The two teams actually both ended the regular season tied with Boston University with 28 points, but Maine and BU won the conference wins tiebreaker vs. Lowell, 13-12, and BU won the head-to-head tiebreaker with Maine, giving the teams their seeding. Maine holds the head-to-head advantage over Lowell, but the Bears have problems, mostly stemming from goaltending. Scott Darling was suspended after missing the final two games of the regular season and there are reports he's getting treated for alcohol-related issues. His replacement didn't fare well in the two contests against UMass at home, getting chased in both, allowing four goals on 17 shots in the first and two goals on five shots in the second.

Projected results: UMass-Lowell wins series, 2-0 (W, 5-2; W, 4-3)

No. 3 Boston University vs. No. 6 Merrimack

Merrimack had an impressive end of the season, going 6-2-2 over its last 10 games and all but the last two were meaningful games against teams fighting for the postseason. What was most impressive was the 3-1-1 mark on the road over that span. Before that, Merrimack had been dismal on the road with an 0-12-0 record. But has Merrimack really turned the corner? Probably not. And facing BU at the Aganis Arena, where the Terriers are 8-3-2 is probably where the ride ends for the Warriors.

Projected results: BU wins series, 2-1 (L, 4-3; W, 5-1; W, 3-2)

No. 2 Boston College vs. No. 7 UMass

The Eagles are the only team in the conference to record 20 wins this year and while they fell short of winning the regular season title, they are the best team in Hockey East, ranked fourth in the nation. Throw on top of that the fact that they have completely dominated the Mass Attack this season, going 3-0-0, and things don't look good for the Minutemen. The wins include a 7-1 drubbing at the Mullins Center that could have been far worse. I can attest to that. I was there. I was also there for the 3-1 win the Eagles had over the Minutemen and again, it could have been far worse. Bottom line, UMass has one of the best scorers in the country, but little else. Boston College has more speed, better stick handling, better goaltending and defense and is just plain more talented.

Projected results: BC wins series, 2-0 (W, 4-1; W, 3-1)

That will pit UMass-Lowell against UNH against each other and will open another chapter in the story of the Battle of Comm. Ave in the Semifinals.

No. 1 UNH vs. No. 5 UMass-Lowell

This is where things can get bad for the Wildcats. UNH was a sub-.500 team away from their Olympic-sized ice sheet in Durham, going 7-9-2. UNH plays a wide-open style of hockey and when the play is more bunched, the team has a hard time. Lowell and UNH skated to a 1-1-1 mark during the regular season. It's an interesting matchup that pits one of the best scoring teams in Hockey East against the top team in scoring defense.

Projected result: UNH wins, 4-2

No. 2 Boston College vs. No. 3 Boston University

What can be said about this rivalry that hasn't already been said? Pretty much everything is pretty well documented. They split the season series, 2-2-0. The Eagles and Terriers split the first two games, then BU captured the Frozen Fenway game by a score of 3-2 after dominating most of the game and BC captured the Beanpot. 4-3, in a game it dominated most of the way. BU's style of play makes them a formidable opponent for the Eagles, who rely on their defense to create offense. BC's transition game is what makes them tough, especially against attacking teams like UMass and UNH. But teams like BU that like to control the zone and use their defensemen to cycle the puck instead of just attacking the net find more success against the Eagles. Still, BC has been one of the best teams in the nation and the power play could be a major part of this game. BU has racked up the second-most penalty minutes in the league and Boston College has the best special teams in Hockey East.

Projected result: Boston College wins, 2-1

That brings us back to where we were a week ago - with UNH and BC playing for a Hockey East title.

No. 1 UNH vs. No. 2 Boston College

BC has dominated the play between the two squads. The record for the three-game regular-season series is in favor of the Eagles just 0-1-2 with a one-point difference in points scored, but both ties required third-period comebacks by the Wildcats, including a 3-goal effort to capture the regular season crown. Still, it should be interesting with two young teams (four seniors on each side) vying for the title.

Projected result: Boston College wins, 5-3

Hit on Savard brings two major problems to light

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The Boston sports world (or at least that fanatical, hardcore faction known as Bruins fans) is buzzing in the wake of the brutal hit laid upon center Marc Savard. Savard took an elbow to the side of the head from Pittsburgh Penguins winger Matt Cooke after putting a puck on net that left him down on the ice with a grade 2 concussion during the B's 2-1 loss.

Take a look at the hit here.

Was it a dirty hit? Was it an ILLEGAL hit? Shouldn't Cooke be suspended?

First of all, yes, it was a dirty hit. However, it was technically not an illegal hit because the NHL has no hard, black-and-white rules about hits to the head. Elbowing could have been called, but it would have been a tough sell because at full speed, it does look like a shoulder. Even when slowed down, it is not an obvious infraction. Dirty players like Cooke know how to mask dirty hits. He didn't come flying in with his elbows up, but lifted his elbow to head level just as he was passing Savard. The league is now trying to cover up the fact it was an elbow by stating they looked at the tape for about an hour and a half and ruled it was a shoulder.

The real issue here is the fact that regardless of whether or not a hit delivered to the head was with a shoulder, elbow, hand or whatever, there should be rules punishing players who put other players in serious danger with obvious blows to the head. Cooke realistically can't be suspended for a hit that wasn't a penalty. And that is the league's fault.

The league has shown little interest in protecting players in the past and this is just another example of it. Every rule change the league has implemented has been in order to increase excitement in the game. Some have argued that while it wasn't an obvious elbow, it should have been called anyway, pointing out how many times questionable hooking or tripping calls have been made. There's a very real difference here: The league's focus on tripping and hooking was not a measure taken to make the game safer, but rather to increase offense, give forwards more free reign to maneuver in the zone uninhibited.

I'm not saying that these guys need to be babied. There was a time not all that long ago when players played without helmets at all. But the fact of the matter is players are bigger, stronger and faster than they ever were and with the league expansion, the talent isn't there the way it used to me, so there are more goons, more headhunters, that make their living just blasting people without contributing any talent to a team. There's nothing wrong with enforcers. But when enforcers become headhunters, then there is a problem and the league is the only entity that has the power to curb that problem and they can do that by enforcing penalties for hits to the head they way they do in the college game now.

These rules should not limit players who rely on toughness from using that attribute, but rather should encourage clean physical play. Yes, it exists and is one of the things that makes hockey such a great and unique sport.

And while we're on the subject of toughness, that subject is the second problem this incident brought to light. Toughness. The Bruins don't have any.

The best player on the team just got laid out and whether it was a dirty hit or not, someone should have responded. Michael Ryder, for example, was behind the play at the blue line, saw it happen and did nothing, continuing to coast into the zone. But let's not lay it all on one guy. No one did anything, whether immediate or over the last five minutes of the game. If a team's best player gets hit, you expect that team to respond an lay some lumber on the opposing team's best player, but Sidney Crosby was virtually untouched. Even Evgeni Malkin would have been a suitable target. But instead the Bruins showed no heart, no guts and showed the league they are a group you can walk all over.

Empty title for UNH in otherwise lost weekend

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

First of all, let me take the time to congratulate the University of New Hampshire Wildcats on winning the regular season Hockey East title for its eighth regular-season title and third in the last four years. For sure, it is an accomplishment, especially with the amount of unrest there was in the league this season. And for me personally, it was a pleasure to be there at ice level to see it.

That being said, the Wildcats did little to help themselves in terms of the big picture. UNH captured just one of a possible four points in the weekend tilt and despite winning a trophy, actually hurt themselves when it comes to winning hardware that actually matters.

Don't let the trophy fool you. UNH is not the best team in Hockey East. Not by a long shot. The past weekend proved that as through seven periods of hockey (six regulation and one overtime), the Wildcats were outplayed in six of them. UNH was unable to beat Boston College at all this year, and while going 0-1-2 while being outscored 10-9 against the Eagles isn't terrible, the quality in all three contests was on BC's side. Remember that in both of the two ties, UNH needed frantic third-period comebacks to salvage a point and UNH was totally out-played by the Eagles on Saturday, getting outshot, 40-18, in a 3-2 loss.

Now the Wildcats have put them in a must-win situation. They are in the top-10 in the PairWise Rankings, which are designed to mimic the system used by the NCAA when seeding teams, but remember that teams outside the top-16 in the rankings can make the tournament by winning their conference tournaments. Therefore, if you want in, you had better have a pretty good spot within the top-10. At this point, the regular season champs run a very real risk of missing the national tournament altogether, which would snap an eight-year streak of making the tounament, the second-longest in the nation.

Win the whole thing and the PWR is meaningless in terms of getting in and rankings only matter for seeding. But the Wildcats have to at least win their quarterfinal series against Vermont at the Whittemore Center to improve their stock. Vermont is still ranked in the USCHO poll and is tied for 16th in the PWR, so a sweep in that series would do wonders. That followed by a win over either UMass-Lowell or rival Maine would solidify their place as a tournament team. But lost out in that first round and forget it.

One thing teams need down the stretch and in the playoffs is great goaltending and after this weekend, that is one thing I am convinced the Wildcats have. Brian Foster made some huge saves in an overtime period of the 3-3 tie on Friday that was spend almost competely in the UNH zone and on Saturday, he made 37 saves, giving him 69 on the weekend with a .920 save percentage.

Boston College finished the regular season as one of the hottest teams in the nation, picking up 17 of a possible 22 points in February to improve to No. 4 both in the USCHO and PWR rankings, giving them a very good shot at a No. 1 seed in the national tourney. The interesting thing to watch for in the playoffs is who gets the start between the pipes - frosh Parker Milner or John Muse, the veteran with a national championship under his belt? My money is on Milner, who has been outstanding down the stretch, aside from one bad period on Friday night, and owns a 1.91 GAA. Muse was less than spectacular on Saturday and Jerry York has shown no qualms about sitting a veteran for the hot hand in the past.

So let's take a look at the quarterfinal matchups of this Hockey East Tournament:

No. 8 Vermont at No. 1 UNH
Vermont has remained in the national tournament conversation because of some tough early-season wins against non-conference opponents, but have done very poorly within the league. The Catamounts do hold a 2-1-0 record against the Wildcats this season, but UNH has yet to lose a game on home ice.

No. 7 UMass at No. 2 Boston College
This season the Eagles have absolutely owned the Minutemen, who needed help to get into the tournament and got it. BC has not lost to UMass (3-0-0) and have held the Mass Attack to one goal in all three games, while potting 10.

No. 6 Merrimack at No. 3 Boston University
The storyline in this one is great. Due to inconsistency and injury, BU was a basement team at the beginning of the season and ascended all the way to a third seed and home ice. Merrimack has been that cute little cousin who tries really hard, but just can't play with the big boys over the last few years, but have come on late to make a solid case as a team to watch and fear in the tournament by beating some of the better teams in the league.

No. 5 UMass-Lowell at No. 4 Maine
Both of these teams have shown nothing but inconsistency this season. Maine looked like it could compete for a two seed at one point, but a sweep by lowly UMass at the end of the season displays that this team still has a lot of problems. Not the least of those problems is the fact that their starting goaltender missed the final series of the season and was suspended indefinitely while reportedly being treated for alcohol-related problems. Lowell is in a very similar situation (other than the suspension issues), having been one of the top teams to start the season, falling almost out of the tournament altogether, then rebounding.

Prediction:
UNH over Vermont, 2-1.
UMass-Lowell over Maine, 2-0
BU over Merrimack, 2-1
BC over UMass, 2-0

In another related topic, Hockey East proved to be one of the most unpredictable leagues in college hockey. My preseason predictions were way off, as were the predictions of both USCHO and InsideCollegeHockey.com, the two major online sources for national college hockey news. Let's take a look at just how different the Hockey East landscape ended up from how it looked before the season started.

As you can see, myself, USCHO and InsideCollegeHockey all failed to be clairvoyant enough to forsee injuries to BU and all of us thought UMass-Lowell would be fighting for top billing in the league after a strong finish to last season. All of us saw UNH as more of a middle-of-the-road team than an actual contender and none of us forsaw Merrimack making a late-season run into the playoffs as the sixth seed.

Great signing (Wilfork) by the Patriots

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Don't call the New England Patriots cheap!

While the Pats typically don't throw money around like an out-of-control gambler, they do spend when they think it's a great investment.

So kudos to the New England Patriots for realizing they needed to dig deep to sign the best nose tackle on the free agent market. Better yet, the best tackle in all of football.

Welcome home again Vince Wilfork.

The big man and force in the middle of the Patriots defense will be staying in Foxboro for five more seasons after inking a five-year, $40 million deal.

I said it before, the Pats needed to sign Wilfork no matter the price.

And a signing bonus of $18 million and $25 million guaranteed proves to Patriots Nation that their team spends big when they need to.

Yes, the Pats have a lot of holes to fill, but Wilfork was a must and it's one great start to free agency.

Just imagine that defense without the big man in the middle this season. You got it, it wouldn't be pretty and opposing teams would run on us like crazy.

Wilfork is a major key to this defense, and it's nice to know he'll be for quite a while.

Again, great signing Patriots, and keep doing your thing Wilfork!

Fantasy Baseball: Positional Rankings - Shortstop

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The fantasy position of shortstop has really transformed, once again, the past few years. For a short period of time it had turned into a power hitting position. With the exception of a select few, the position has once again turned into a position that provides average, runs, stolen bases and on base percentage.

The Top 20:

1. Hanley Ramirez - Marlins

2. Troy Tulowitzki - Rockies

3. Jimmy Rollins - Phillies

4. Derek Jeter - Yankees

5. Jose Reyes - Mets

6. Alexei Ramirez - White Sox

7. Jason Bartlett - Rays

8. Yunel Escobar - Braves

9. Stephen Drew - Diamondbacks

10. Rafael Furcal - Dodgers

11. Asdrubal Cabrera - Indians

12. Elvis Andrus - Rangers

13. Jhonny Peralta - Indians

14. Miguel Tejada - Orioles

15. Ryan Theriot - Cubs

16. J.J. Hardy - Twins

17. Erik Aybar - Angels

18. Alcides Escobar - Brewers

19. Ian Desmond - Nationals

20. Everth Cabrera - Padres

The Top 20:

Hanley Ramirez - H-Ram is truly the only elite player at this position in my opinion. He literally does everything at the plate. He hits for average, hits home runs, drives runners in, steals bases and scores runs. What else do you want? Nothing, really and that is why he's the #2 overall ranked player in fantasy baseball

The 2nd Tier:

Troy Tulowitzki - Tulo really put it together again last season. He almost hit .300 (.297) and had his first 30 homer season. I attribute the total of 92 RBI on a struggling Colorado offense for a good portion of the season. Look for him to build off last season and only improve.

Jimmy Rollins - I really battled putting Rollins at the #3 slot for this position. I really like Jeter better, but Rollins still steals bases. His average has dropped each of the past two seasons, but he did hit more homers and drive in more runs.

Derek Jeter - Despite not being a Yankees fan, Derek Jeter is one of my all time favorites. He does everything at the plate extremely well. He'll never hit 30 home runs, but who cares when you put up good numbers at every other offensive category.

On the Rise:

Alcides Escobar - The Brewers are finally giving the young shortstop a shot at starting after trading J.J. Hardy to the Twins. He did hit .304 in 125 at bats towards the end of the season last year and was very impressive.

Ian Desmond - Desmond should push Christian Guzman out of his position this year. Like Escobar, he also impressed in 21 games last year. He has a good bat, with decent power and a good glove. Look for him to get more playing time as the season goes on.

Elvis Andrus -The slick fielding shortstop made great strides in the 2nd half last season. He hit .280 after the All Star break. He sure is a light hitting player, but adds 30+ stolen bases to his game.

Jose Iglesias - The Red Sox apparently love this guy. From all the reports I've read, and heard, he could play defensively in the majors right now. He did impress with his bat in the Arizona League, but the Sox really think he needs at least another year in the minors.

On the Slide:

Rafael Furcal - Furcy really frustrates me as a Dodgers fan. Until last season, I always thought that if he's healthy, then he's a very good player. Unfortunately his knee problems have slowed him down on the base paths and in the field.

Miguel Tejada - Miggy can't really play the position anymore, but who cares. He'll at least still hit for you. I doubt he'll put up numbers similar to last year when he hit .313. His power numbers are way down and I don't expect him to ever hit more than 15 in a season again.

Marco Scutaro - I really didn't like this signing by the Red Sox. Having one good year does not make you a full time starter. He'll never be more than a role player for me, and I expect him to struggle in the Sox lineup this year.

Christian Guzman - He really should lose most of his playing time with Ian Desmond on the team. He can still hit for average, but do nothing else.

Look for the Outfield rankings this weekend.