Tonight, the NCAA men’s hockey Frozen Four begins at the TD Garden in Boston. The four teams will play tonight, with the winners meeting on Saturday night back at the Garden. The four teams include a mix of powerhouses and newcomers.
Powerhouse and home team Boston University will host fellow powerhouse the University of North Dakota in the night cap, while the early game features two underdog stories, Providence College and The University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Let’s take a look at what you need to be watching on each team tonight and on Saturday, shall we?
Providence College:
The often forgotten New England hockey school, Providence is making their first appearance in the Frozen Four since the 1980’s. The Oilers have no prospects on the Friars, and there are not any notable players on this team that are eligible for the 2015 NHL draft.
Goalie Jon Gillies is a prospect of the Calgary Flames, so we might be seeing him soon at the professional level on the other side of the Battle of Alberta. Other than that, the Friars are just a nice underdog option for those watching.
Omaha:
The University of Nebraska at Omaha is making it’s first ever trip to the Frozen Four championship. Like the Friars, the team has no real draft eligible players of note, but unlike PC, Omaha has a prospect of the Edmonton Oilers.
2014 6th round pick Tyler Vesel, a forward, resides on the Mavericks roster. The freshman forward has played in 38 games for the team this year, and has posted 22 points, with 14 of those beings assists. Vesel is a smaller player, and serves as a skilled member of the forward group.
Vesel isn’t getting a ton of playing time due to the fact that he is a freshman and there are ample upperclassmen on the team, but he’s been getting some power-play looks and has provided some skill to the line-up. Watching closely, you’ll notice he’s also a pretty speedy forward, which is a plus.
Vesel will likely get more playing time and a bigger role next year, but Oiler fans should be watching him during the early game on today.
University of North Dakota:
The powerhouse from North Dakota brings forth a strong roster yet again, but there are no Oiler prospects on this hockey club currently. On top of that, there isn’t much in the way of draft eligible players on this team.
One player to watch? Goaltender Zane McIntyre, who is a prospect of the Boston Bruins. In 41 games at the NCAA level this year, McIntyre has posted a stellar .931 SV% and a 2.00 GAA. He’s been the driving force for this team, and has been the best goalie in the NCAA this season.
If Edmonton and Boston revisit trade talks this summer, McIntyre could be a prospect that the Oilers look at. The B’s are loaded with goalies, and might be willing to part with him. Just a little something to keep an eye on.
Boston University:
The home team if you will, BU represents the favorite in the tournament. The Terriers have dominated all season long, in large part thanks to freshman F Jack Eichel. He’s one of the players to watch here, because he plays such a unique game.
Eichel is a bigger center who plays a power game with lots of skill. He can run over you or dangle around you, which ever one he is feeling that particular night. His skill level is through the roof, and he has the ability to just take games over. Even when he’s not getting on the score sheet, he’s still having an impact on the game. This is a special player who fans should watch.
The odds he gets to the third pick aren’t very good, but Oiler fans certainly should be paying attention to him. He’s not alone, however.
G Matt O’Connor is a well known Oiler target as a college free agent. The big goalie expects to go pro after the season, and according to Elliotte Friedman, he’s already told the Oil he’ll be coming for a visit. Edmonton, as expected, is one of the finalists for his services.
O’Connor is a bigger goalie who fills up a lot of the net and who plays a very calm and composed game. He’s not flopping around like Tim Thomas all the time. That said, O’Connor does like to play the puck a lot, and it has bit him before. That said, he’s a very solid goalie who has gotten better each year for BU. He’s a legit pro prospect.
Lastly, F Evan Rodrigues is the other BU player not named Eichel to reach 60 points this season. The small and skilled forward has the ability to put the puck in the net, and has a great set of hands. He’ll need some development time, but Rodrigues is a guy who could provide some skill to a team’s system next year. He’s a college UFA after the season.
Closing Thoughts:
Omaha and Providence play at 5:00 PM est this afternoon, while BU and North Dakota play at 8:30 PM est. As I mentioned, the winners of each game will play on Saturday night at 7:30 PM est in Boston. O’Connor and Rodrigues, along with all other college free agents, can sign with teams the moment their team is eliminated from the tournament. Enjoy the games!
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