Midweek Column, Awards, and Bracketology.

Matt Price celebrates the 2010 Hockey East championship win over Maine. 

This weekend, the Eagles will look to be the first team EVER to win three straight Hockey East tournament championships. In the first round, BC will faceoff against the Providence College Friars, a team that the Eagles beat 3-0 and 7-0 just three weekends ago. However, the Friars will add a piece to their team that they did not have on that particular weekend. That piece would be senior forward Tim Schaller who is the leading scorer for PC this season (14 goals). While I do think BC will win this game, I am pretty certain that the score will not be 7-0 like it was last time out vs the Friars. Two weekends ago, the Friars got swept by Lowell in a home and home by a cumulative score of 9-3. The very next weekend, the Friars showed great resiliency and beat the River Hawks in a best of three series. That should tell you right there that this team is not going to back down from any team and with their best player back, they could be dangerous on Friday. In playoff hockey, the hardest thing to do is ending an opponents season. You saw it last weekend versus UMass as the Minutemen didn't back down to anything and even outplayed BC on Friday. The Friars are not as talented of a team as BC is but they have some players like Schaller, Mauerman, and Brown that can produce for them in the offensive end. Don't be expecting another 7-0 blowout.

As you probably know by now, this is award season in Hockey East and three Eagles have already racked up awards for their performances so far this season. Johnny Gaudreau was unanimously voted on the All Freshman team along with Scott Wilson (UML), Ludwig Karlsson (NU), Ross Mauerman (PC), and Kyle Reynolds (UVM). On defense it was Trevor van Riemsdyk (UNH), Alexx Privitera (BU), Zack Kamrass (UML), and Casey DeSmith (UNH) was named the goalie. For the second straight year, Brian Dumoulin took home the "best defensive defenseman" award. This is the first time since the award was started in 1998-1999 that the same player has won it back to back years. The third player to win an award was goalie Parker Milner who took home the goaltending title as he recorded a league best 1.85 GAA and .925 save percentage. Congratulations to all three guys. More awards will be announced tomorrow at the Hockey East awards banquet.

One thing I have not done too much of over the past couple weeks is showing you some of what the experts think will be the NCAA tournament field. I personally am no expert on this stuff but what I do know is if BC can at least make it to the finals this weekend, they should clinch a number one seed and be in Worcester (They probably have a #1 seed locked up already). If BC were to win the whole thing this weekend, odds are that BC would be the #1 overall seed meaning they would get an easier first round opponent. Let's take a look at some brackets...

From US College Hockey Online-

West Regional (St Paul, Minn) 

#4 Michigan State vs #1 Minnesota Duluth

#3 UMass Lowell vs #2 Minnesota


Midwest Regional (Green Bay, Wis) 

#4 Air Force vs #1 Michigan

#3 North Dakota vs #2 Ferris State

East Regional (Bridgeport, Conn) 


#4 Cornell vs #1 Miami

#3 Denver vs #2 BU

Northeast Regional (Worcester, Ma)


#4 Western Michigan vs #1 Boston College 

#3 Maine vs #2 Union.

I like the way that bracket sets up for BC but what would be great is if we could get Air Force instead of Western Michigan. If BC is able to get the #1 overall seed and Western Michigan can do well in the CCHA tournament, BC would most likely get the winner of the Atlantic Hockey Conference.

College Hockey News has a more favorable matchup for BC...

West Regional (St Paul Minn) 

Michigan State vs Minnesota Duluth

Maine vs Minnesota

Midwest Regional (Green Bay, Wisc)


Cornell vs Michigan

Union vs North Dakota

East Regional (Bridgeport, Conn) 

Western Michigan vs BU

Ferris State vs Denver

So there you have it.

Northeast Regional (Worcester)

Air Force vs Boston College

Miami vs Lowell


Until tomorrow, 


GO EAGLES 

ChatGPT

Title: "Midweek Column, Awards, and Bracketology: A Glimpse into College Sports Excellence"

Introduction

The world of college sports is a dynamic and ever-evolving landscape, filled with incredible talent, fierce competition, and unforgettable moments. In this article, we'll take a midweek journey through the realm of college athletics, highlighting recent achievements, discussing prestigious awards, and exploring the intriguing world of bracketology. So, grab your favorite team's jersey and let's dive into the excitement!

Section 1: Midweek Musings

The Midweek Game-Changers: A roundup of notable college sports events and games that took place during the week. From buzzer-beating shots to thrilling upsets, we'll capture the essence of midweek madness.

Player and Team Spotlights: Spotlighting outstanding individual performances and the achievements of remarkable teams that are making headlines.

Section 2: Celebrating Excellence - Awards and Honors

The Heisman Trophy: College Football's Highest Honor: A look at the Heisman Trophy and its illustrious history, showcasing past winners who have left an indelible mark on the sport.

Naismith Awards in College Basketball: An exploration of the Naismith College Player of the Year Awards, recognizing the top talents in men's and women's college basketball.

Sullivan Award - Honoring Outstanding Amateur Athletes: Delving into the AAU James E. Sullivan Award, which celebrates the nation's best amateur athletes across various sports.

Section 3: The Art of Bracketology

March Madness Magic: An introduction to the world of bracketology, the art of predicting and analyzing NCAA basketball tournament brackets. We'll discuss the excitement, strategies, and surprises of March Madness.

Bracketology Experts: Profiles of renowned bracketologists who offer insights, predictions, and analysis that fans eagerly await as they fill out their tournament brackets.

The Bubble Teams: Exploring the tension surrounding bubble teams vying for coveted NCAA tournament berths, including the drama of Selection Sunday.

Section 4: FAQs - College Sports Enthusiasts' Queries

Addressing frequently asked questions about college sports awards and bracketology:

How do athletes qualify for the Heisman Trophy?

A breakdown of the Heisman Trophy selection process and criteria that collegiate football players must meet to be considered.

What are the keys to successful bracketology predictions?

Insights into the factors and strategies that bracketologists use to make informed NCAA tournament predictions.

Who holds the record for the most Naismith Player of the Year awards?

An overview of the players who have earned this prestigious honor multiple times.

What is the "First Four" in the NCAA basketball tournament?

An explanation of the First Four, a thrilling prelude to the main tournament bracket.

Conclusion

Midweek musings, awards, and bracketology provide an exhilarating glimpse into the world of college sports, where excellence is celebrated, dreams are realized, and fans come together to cheer for their favorite teams and athletes. As we continue to follow the twists and turns of this exciting journey, we honor the dedication, passion, and sportsmanship that make college sports an enduring and cherished part of our culture. Whether it's a buzzer-beating three-pointer or a Heisman-winning touchdown, college sports offer moments that will be remembered for generations to come.