In 1989, St. Paul hosted college hockey’s NCAA Men’s Frozen Four for the first time. Minnesota and Harvard, seemingly on a collision course the entire season, met within the glass boards of the Civic Center in a scintillating final that is considered one of the great tournament games in NCAA history. Both sides were loaded with stars, including two Hobey Baker Award winners, the Gophers’ Robb Stauber and Lane McDonald of the Crimson. Momentum swings highlighted the contest, which seemed destined for overtime. In the closing minutes, Minnesota’s Peter Hankinson made that a reality with a game-tying goal. In the extra session, the Gophers hit a pipe before Harvard’s Ed Krayer beat Stauber with a backhand to bring the Crimson their lone national championship.

Since then, St. Paul has been home to some memorable Frozen Fours. In fact, four of the five title matchups have gone into overtime. This includes the 1991 final when Northern Michigan, after giving up a three-goal lead in the game’s last 10 minutes, was finally able to put away Boston University in the third extra period.  

This April, the Frozen Four returns to the Xcel Energy Center, marking the third time the event will be held in that venue. The first two will be forever etched in the memories of the state’s hockey fans because of their local flavor. In 2002, Grant Potulny’s overtime game-winner against Maine gave Minnesota its first national title since 1979, and in 2011, Kyle Schmidt’s tally in extra time lifted UMD past Michigan for the Bulldogs’ first championship. Both goals sent the predominantly home-state crowds into a complete frenzy.

As the final month of the regular season approaches, four Minnesota colleges have a legitimate shot at getting  to St. Paul, while a fifth can certainly be considered a threat thanks to a veteran goaltender who is among the best in the nation. Though an all-Minnesota Frozen Four is certainly a longshot, it is not entirely out of the question.

The two NCHC teams, St. Cloud State and UMD, are among the most talented in the country and split a pair of hard-fought games in Duluth last weekend. The visiting Huskies, who have struggled somewhat since the first of the year, rebounded from a 5-1 loss on Friday with a solid defensive effort on the following night in a 2-1 win. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, had strung together six straight league wins before Saturday, and are looking to make a second straight Frozen Four appearance.

Big Ten representative Minnesota has hovered near the top 10 in the Pairwise rankings (used to determine NCAA tournament selection) for most of the season. At times, the Gophers have looked like a Frozen Four contender, though inconsistency has been an issue. An overtime win over top-ranked Notre Dame last Friday is clearly an indication they can compete with anyone, but they have yet to play their best hockey for an extended period of time.

Minnesota State, out of the WCHA, is solidly entrenched in the top 10 of the Pairwise. The Mavericks, who recently defeated both St. Cloud State and UMD, are looking to qualify for their first Frozen Four. Despite currently being in third place in their league, they have a higher rating than the two teams ahead of them thanks to a difficult schedule and quality wins.

Another WCHA squad, Bemidji State, is another that can’t be taken lightly come playoff time. Though a definite darkhorse, they certainly have the capability of beating anyone thanks to a stingy defense and senior goaltender Michael Bitzer. Bitzer, who has five shutouts this season and 21 for his career, has shown the ability to stonewall some of the most powerful offenses in college hockey.

Past Frozen Fours in St. Paul have certainly had a local flavor, with only the 1991 tournament not featuring an in-state team. While college hockey in Minnesota looks particularly strong this year, the road to the semifinals will be extremely difficult. Teams such as Notre Dame, Cornell, Clarkson and Denver are loaded with skill, size and speed and will be tough to beat. Add that to the wild unpredictability of a single-elimination tournament and anything can happen.

Photo: Mike Thill