BOSTON – College hockey purists should take extra delight in the Hub this holiday weekend.

Let Maine coach Tim Whitehead speak for his fellow purists to explain why.

“It’s great to be a part of a Frozen Four in New England,” Whtehead said. “To face a league rival is, I think, extra special and as a traditionalist, I think it’s great that we’ll have a true East-West final.”

The national semifinal between top-ranked Maine and second-ranked Hockey East rival Boston College is but one of two intra-conference rivalries being played out on the ultimate stage today. From the old West, WCHA contemporaries University of Minnesota-Duluth (28-12-4) face off at noon.

This is just the third time in Frozen Four history that both semifinals have been intra-conference tilts. It’s the first since 1984.

For all of the intensity the conference passion plays add to the weekend, the NCAA’s three-day showcase for college hockey has plenty of competition competing for interest in the Boston area.

“There’s a lot going on (this) weekend,” BC coach Jerry York said. “We’ve got the Frozen Four, the Bruins (facing the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup playoffs) and the Red Sox (home opener on Friday).”

The NCAA doesn’t need to worry about filling the FleetCenter though. All three games in the 17,565-seat arena are sold out.
Fearsome foursome
Postseason awards continue to roll in for the Black Bears.

Four players from Maine were named to the American Hockey Coaches Association All-America team.

Goalie Jimmy Howard, defenseman Prestin Ryan and forwards Todd Jackson and Colin Shields were all named to the second team. Not since 1993 has the Black Bears had four players on the All-America team.

Howard has six shutouts and leads the nation with a 1.15 goals against average. Ryan leads the club with a differential of plus-35. Jackson has a team-best 21 goals, while Shields leads Maine with 44 points.
Beantown Frozen over
This is the sixth Frozen Four in Boston, the first since 1998, which BC also participated in. It’s the first Frozen Four in Boston for both Maine and Minnesota-Duluth. Denver won its second of five national titles in school history in Boston in 1960. Boston College is 2-2 in Boston Frozen Fours overall, 1-1 at the Fleet. In 1998, the Eagles beat UNH in the semis before losing to Michigan in the final. They’re 19-11-1 overall in their home away from home.

In 1973, the Eagles lost their only national semifinal in the Boston Garden, then won the consolation game.
Hockey East well represented
BC has been to five of the last seven Frozen Fours, winning the title in 2001. Six players remain on the roster from that team, including Voce and Ben Eaves. Maine has been to to four of the last seven. Maine and BC met once before in the Frozen Four, a 2-1 overtime win for the Black Bears in Anaheim in 1999. Maine went on to its second national championship in another overtime win over New Hampshire.
Slap shots
In the 17 games that Voce and Ben and Patrick Eaves have all been in the lineup, the trio has combined for 70 points (21 goals, 41 assists)… Maine is 15-1-2 since Jan. 30, with the last loss at UMass-Lowell on Feb. 27…Maine assistant coach Grant Standbrook has connections with both UMD and Denver. Standbrook graduated from Minnesota-Duluth in 1961 and coached Denver head coach George Gwozdecky at Wisconsin…The Hobey Baker award will be presented Friday. UMD’s Junior Lessard is the only finalist from the Frozen Four participant and may be the favorite after leading the nation in goals (30) and points (61).