Michigan is heading to Boston for it's NCAA-leading 26th Frozen Four, hoping to add to its NCAA-leading nine National Champions banners. Since I started closely following Michigan Hockey back in my freshman year of 2003-04, the Wolverines have made it to the final weekend just three times. In April 2008, Michigan was the best team in the country, flying through the CCHA and Albany Regional, led by Hobey Baker winner Kevin Porter and his winger Chad Kolarik. Everything Porter touched that season turned to goals. Unfortunately, Billy Sauer never really got the hang of playing at the Pepsi Center and the best team in the country came up a little short in OT to (surprise) Notre Dame. 

A few years later in 2011 a scrappy group of seniors led by Carl Hagelin, Matt Rust, and Louie Caporusso...not to mention Mighty Mite Super Goalie Shawn Hunwick...fought and clawed their way to St Paul through a two goal deficit and overtime winner again Nebraska-Omaha and then held on in a tight nail-biter against Colorado College. Shawn Hunwick earned the nickname "Tiny Jesus" for his 40,000 save, 2-0 shutout performance against behemoth super giant North Dakota, giving Michigan their first shot at a National Championship since 1998. Unfortunately, the Wolverines spent most of that game in the penalty box after using their legs just to make it to Saturday night. Goals from Bottom Six forwards Ben Winnett and Jeff Rohrkemper were not enough as the Wolverines experienced the beginnings of the Overtime Dark Arts of Minnesota-Duluth.

In the spring of 2018, Mel Pearson took his inaugural team back to St Paul after a late season run gained Michigan a tournament selection in Massachusetts. Cooper Marody, Josh Norris, and Quinn Hughes led the Wolverines through home state heroes Northeastern and Boston University. The roller coaster ride of Hayden Lavigne dipped against old Frozen Four foe Notre Dame, as Michigan blew a two goal lead and lost in the waning seconds of regulation. ​While that team was fun at times, they got hot at the right time, but were probably never good enough to win it all.

Now here we are, not too dissimilar to 2008. Michigan is the #1 overall seed, dripping with speed, skill, and future NHL stars. They beat their Automatic Qualifier Reward of AIC. They crushed...and then outlasted...the fiesty, experienced Quinnipiac Bobcats to give themselves a chance to go for glory. There are no lay-ups, cream puffs, or look-aheads. Just chalk. But as they say..."To be the best, you have to beat the best." Whomever does that next Saturday night...will have surely earned it.

[David Wilcomes]

The Four in Boston

(1) Michigan, (1) Minnesota State, (2) Minnesota, (1) Denver: The knock on this tournament is the randomness of single-elimination hockey...and lack of butts in seats in neutral arenas. That was not and will not be the case this weekend. If you could hand-pick four teams to battle it out for the national championship...it would be these four (sorry, not sorry Western Michigan).

• Michigan is...well, Michigan. Locked and loaded with no real weaknesses, except the fact that anything can happen in 60 minutes of hockey. In any length series, they win. Against anyone. Book it. (But we'll never truly know because why do anything that makes sense?).
• They play Denver. Who is basically Michigan. Their non-con schedule was not quite as good, but maybe their conference schedule was stronger? They're talented, fast, and explosive. Sounds familiar.
• Minnesota State is also almost untouchable. In fact, since Michigan beat them back in October (when Michigan Football was just 6-0 and no one had danced in the snow of November 27th or the confetti of December 4th) the Screaming Eagles have lost just *three* times. Wut. Their numbers are incredible. They have no weaknesses, just maybe not quite the elite talent of the three other teams. Still, they may be the toughest out of all.
• Their opponent is a team the Wolverines have seen five times, Minnesota. Yikes. Despite all of Michigan's success, it was Minnesota who won the Big Ten regular season– despite losing their starting 12th year starter in net– and sending multiple players to the Olympics. Have I mentioned they also beat Michigan twice? The Gophers can skate, score, and defend with Michigan and are getting surprisingly stellar goaltending from Justen Close. There will be no surprise national champion in 2022.

(1) Michigan vs (1) Denver

[Zoey Holmstrom]

Things Michigan Needs to Do Against Denver (because David is trying to steal parts from the full preview on Thursday):

1. Take Shots. This seems obvious and unnecessary to reiterate, but it probably is the one slight difference between these two teams. Magnus Chrona hasn't been poor, but he has been susceptible to an eye-roller or two. For all of Erik Portillo's blood pressure raising wanderings, he's been very solid in the crease, not giving up many terrible goals. In a game that seems like it will feature wide open offense, Michigan should have the slight advantage in net. Get as many pucks on net, and see if you can steal a bad goal or two. That could be the difference.

2.  Don't Take A Major. This will be a thing until this year ends. Could it be negated by not having to deal with Big Ten referees? Possibly, but enough of those were also on the players. We've reached the point in the tournament where everyone is going to have a dangerous power play and you cannot spend 1/12 of the game defending an All-You-Can-Eat power play. Michigan hasn't committed a major power play in post-season hockey, so I don't think it will be a problem... but still!! Don't do it!

3. Don't Stop. No lead is safe. Both of these teams are firewagons and can rally from deep deficits. All gas, no brakes. I expect this game to open up, and away we'll go. This has the feel of the team with the puck last (or the goalie who makes the crazier saves) will win. Good for hockey, television rating, and neutrals... not for blood pressure and ulcers!

Final Thoughts: This is going to be fun. It would be better if it were a series, though. Both teams are basically mirror images of each other. They want to attack, shoot, score...and do it again. Then, they want to throw their defensemen into the fray and shoot and score even more. Michigan may have a slight advantage on special teams and in net. Has Portillo given up 10 bad goals this year? Denver is weirdly maybe a tad deeper (lolwut) in scoring depth. Denver wants to try to tie Michigan for total title banners; Michigan wants to extend their breathing room over the Pioneers. In the end, Portillo outshines Chrona, and Michigan wins a barn-burner.

Alex's Take: I like Michigan's chances in this one, but predictions for these sorts of games are mostly meaningless. Denver presents an extremely interesting challenge as a team who can pressure Michigan with their forecheck, and they've got skill that very few other teams have. If Erik Portillo isn't on his game, the Pioneers can shovel in goals. But the same could be said the other way around. Two teams that want to play a high scoring game, but in that context, I take the team with the better goalie and the one with (at the end of the day), more talented players. 

[AFTER THE JUMP: The game that doesn't involve Michigan]

[James Coller]

The Other Semi-Final:

(1) Minnesota State  vs (2) Minnesota

David’s Take: Lol. Those numbers for the Screaming Eagles are...mind-boggling. I guess the argument could be made that they don't have the NHL talent that Minnesota has, and that is probably true. But they are still stacked with awesome college hockey dudes. The Gophers have phenomenal numbers, but the Screaming Eagles are a tick above across the board. This will come down to stylistic play and goaltending, in the end. McKay will outplay Close in a tough, grinding affair, quite the opposite from the earlier game that set the city of Boston on fire. That's completely to Minnesota State's advantage, but somehow, some way...the Varment Cong will dig themselves through. Every time, they've been counted out and left for dead, they pop up out of one last hole and start dancing. 

Alex’s Take: It's hard not to absolutely love this matchup. Minnesota State has taken a long and winding journey to get to this point as a program, moving up from D2 to D1 in 1996, and making the NCAAs just once in their first 15 years at the highest level. Then Mike Hastings arrived and has turned the Mavericks into one of the most dominant teams of the last decade- except for in the tournament. Minnesota State has owned the WCHA (and now the re-born CCHA) since he arrived, winning a conference regular season crown in six of the last seven seasons, but what has evaded them is postseason success. They lost their first five tournament games under Hastings, until that changed last year, when they went to their first Frozen Four. The Mavs came up short against St. Cloud State in Pittsburgh, but it set up this year, their all-in season. That's what it has been for Minnesota State, a veteran team with a good offense, a great defense, and a very good goalie. They ran through their conference yet again, and navigated a tight regional. 

We know a lot about Minnesota on the flip side, but the intrigue to me lies in the history. These two teams met last year in the tournament, with Minnesota State winning in the regional final. The Gophers will be hungry for revenge, but I think Minnesota State is the better team. Minnesota certainly has more talent, and may have that extra desire for revenge, but the Mavs will have the chip on their shoulder that comes with not being the premier state school. I think both will be motivated, I expect it to be low scoring, and I'm going to take the Mavericks. 

[James Coller]

OVERALL PREDICTIONS/Rationales

Is It Okay If Michigan Does NOT Win Both Games? Yes and no. Of course not. If you're the best, there is only one goal. They've overcome every obstacle. They've beaten everyone on the schedule. They've won fast and won slow. Their weaknesses are flukiness and randomness. Unfortunately, that is THE definition of single elimination. So, will it be disappointing and heart-breaking to come up short? Absolutely. Will it be a regret and something looked back upon that could have gone differently? Definitely. But, is that also just the way that it is when this is the chosen format? Also, unfortunately so.

Let's be real. Michigan hung two banners. They beat the teams they "should beat." Now, everyone in Boston is totally legit and will be considered the best team by beating two of the others. No arguments. Michigan has slightly weighted dice against three stellar opponents. That's all that can be asked at this point. Time to give them a roll...

Who Wins - David: Michigan. This is why everyone came back. Finish what you start. Hang THE banner. Ride or Die. Let's Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide!

Who Wins - Alex: A rule of writing articles like this is that the people all can't pick the same team, so I'm going to take the fall for this piece and pick Minnesota State.