Not quite the same

So here I sit three days away from another Frozen Four (and the way the Final Fours of basketball have been shaping up this is the only collegiate event that actually has any surprises left in it). There is a little different feel for me this year than for the past three seasons when BC was participating in the festivities. I must say that I am a little more relaxed than I have been....the same cannot be said for Mrs. Pike.

As Miami prepares for their first Frozen Four they need to be sure of a few things. Numbers one is that they can't take Bemidji State for granted. Notre Dame and Cornell can tell you what happens if you do. This team may not have entered the tournament with any hype but the pounding they put on ND and the fantastic goaltending performance against Cornell have garnered them some respect (from the Rant at least). As Michigan State can attest, sometimes you can ride a hot goaltender all the way to the title even when you are outclassed by almost every opponent you will face.

Something else they need to remember, they have a freshman at goaltender. This is not a new occurrence (John Muse anyone?) but the fact that Cody Reichard joins Keiran Millan and Rob Madore as three freshmen goaltenders in the same Frozen Four is quite astounding. And for all intents and purposes, sophomore Matt Dalton of Bemidji is a freshman considering the heightened emotions that will be running through that team being the first non "Big Four" conference school to make the Frozen Four. So Miami is not any worse off really than any of the other teams with regards to the most important position on the ice.

Finally, they need to borrow the attitude of their CCHA brethren Michigan State and remember that even if they face BU in the final, just because the other team is supposed to win doesn't mean they always do.

I'm hoping for two days of exciting competitive hockey as there has been throughout the tourney to this point. If Miami wins, I will be very happy for Mrs. Pike. If this weekend has even half of the excitement of two weeks ago, I think hockey fans everywhere will be pretty happy.