NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

[TacoRob]

First of all, hats off to all of the teams and (most) of the fans at this year's Frozen Four. While I was a bit bummed that Plattsburgh did not make it to the championship game, there was plenty of incredible hockey all weekend long. Clearly, St. Norbert and Norwich earned their spots in the final game - and to have a game extend into two overtime periods was absolutely incredible.

What were your thoughts? I had a great time with a bunch of fans from all four teams (with the exception of a few knuckleheads from Norwich). Hope you enjoyed the game(s)!

Feel free to check out my exclusive recap of the Frozen Four at
http://www.therobbrennan.com/journa...lake-placid-ny-mens-division-iii-ice-hoc.html

Most importantly, I would like to take a moment and thank those of you who have read (and continue to read) my posts throughout the season. Here's to 2011

 

[ECACST]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

I watched the game on CBS College sports. Hockey rarely captivates on TV but its compounded watching Div III on an International Rink.
I believe it changes the game so much that it could hurt in the long run. I do not believe this is the right place to play quarter finals and a National Championship. All four teams played great its not about them or their style of play. We saw the Olympics benefited from the NHL size rink this year.Talk about draining the energy out of the game.

 

[LakerEagleLover]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

Before this gets too off course, can we all agree that there are knuckleheads supporting teams at every school? Good....

Lake Placid is a special place, even if they oversell the whole "1980" dream connection. Small town that has seen better times, but that is a reflection of what is going on around us, not the spirit of it's townsfolk, who I found to be friendly and appreciated having us there. It is a venue that is almost custom built for a tournament like this (well, I guess it WAS custom built for the Olympics...)

After the Lakers lost, I contemplated bailing on last night's game - that would have been as smart as heading to the rest room with 2 min to go in the second OT to beat the line (I asked the guy sitting in front of me where he was going... )

Walking around town yesterday talking to fans wearing SNC and Norwich colors was a delightful experience - meeting player mom's, dad's, brothers, sisters, grandparents, etc...all very proud and significantly more mellow than the army of CanAm hockey natzi's that stayed in my hotel...it's nice to know they will grow out of that phase as their kids get older. (or not - cue the knucklehead music)

I know there is a need (and responsibility) to move the tournament closer to the Mississippi every so often, but it is hard to come up with a pedestrian friendly location like LP. I parked my car at the hotel when I arrived Friday - it hasn't moved since.

One final congrats to all four teams - only one went home with the hardware, but all four are winners.

 

[norm1909]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

Before this gets too off course, can we all agree that there are knuckleheads supporting teams at every school? Good....

I know there is a need (and responsibility) to move the tournament closer to the Mississippi every so often, but it is hard to come up with a pedestrian friendly location like LP. I parked my car at the hotel when I arrived Friday - it hasn't moved since.

One final congrats to all four teams - only one went home with the hardware, but all four are winners.

I'll second that, IMO, Excellent, and spot on.

 

[TacoRob]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

Absolutely! One of my favorite things was running into a group of Oswego fans (on Friday) who were constantly chanting "Oswego Plattsburgh final!"

I met plenty of new faces this time around and the vibe was incredible. On the whole, the crowd seemed pretty enthusiastic, upbeat, and respectable. That was a great way to close out the season.

On a totally unrelated note, was there any truth to the rumors I heard in town about Oswego leaving on Friday night - or did they stay for the whole thing? Not a big deal, but I was just mildly curious...

 

[PSUChamps2001]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

Absolutely! One of my favorite things was running into a group of Oswego fans (on Friday) who were constantly chanting "Oswego Plattsburgh final!"

I met plenty of new faces this time around and the vibe was incredible. On the whole, the crowd seemed pretty enthusiastic, upbeat, and respectable. That was a great way to close out the season.

On a totally unrelated note, was there any truth to the rumors I heard in town about Oswego leaving on Friday night - or did they stay for the whole thing? Not a big deal, but I was just mildly curious...

I don't remember seeing anyone at the hotel, and I know Plattsburgh did.

Funny thing about the "Oswego Plattsburgh final", when we were out talking with the Zamboni's they were really hoping for that also, but I gotta say the SNC/Wich final was just as worth it.

 

[peddler]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

Absolutely! One of my favorite things was running into a group of Oswego fans (on Friday) who were constantly chanting "Oswego Plattsburgh final!"

I met plenty of new faces this time around and the vibe was incredible. On the whole, the crowd seemed pretty enthusiastic, upbeat, and respectable. That was a great way to close out the season.

On a totally unrelated note, was there any truth to the rumors I heard in town about Oswego leaving on Friday night - or did they stay for the whole thing? Not a big deal, but I was just mildly curious...

Most of the Oswego fans that were sitting near us (Sec 20 behind the NU bench) during their game, stayed for the final. Interestingly enough many of them were rooting (however quietly) for Norwich.

 

[Great Laker2000]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

I have to say I am very impressed with the way all the teams played and all the fans. After seeing the way the game unfolded last night I am somewhat kicking myself for leaving yesterday early afternoon. I had heard the weather up there was not supposed to be great today and didn't wanna take the chances. Oh well I lost on that one. I wish I would have stayed. Oswego did leave on Friday night.

 

[LakerEagleLover]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

Lakers rolled into town Saturday am at 0330...the coaching staff thought it smart to get out of town after the Alumni/Blue Line Club gathering...

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

Lakers rolled into town Saturday am at 0330...the coaching staff thought it smart to get out of town after the Alumni/Blue Line Club gathering...

?

 

[CARDS_rule_the_Burgh]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

Lakers rolled into town Saturday am at 0330...the coaching staff thought it smart to get out of town after the Alumni/Blue Line Club gathering...

That's what I gathered as well. Apparently the team was staying in the same hotel as St. Norbert, and Gosek thought it wise to avoid any potential encounters, given how hard the team (particularly the seniors) were taking it. Better safe than sorry!

Honestly, if that was the reason, good on Gosek for recognizing the situation and doing what he needed to in order to keep his boys out of trouble.

 

[PSUChamps2001]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

That's what I gathered as well. Apparently the team was staying in the same hotel as St. Norbert, and Gosek thought it wise to avoid any potential encounters, given how hard the team (particularly the seniors) were taking it. Better safe than sorry!

Honestly, if that was the reason, good on Gosek for recognizing the situation and doing what he needed to in order to keep his boys out of trouble.

Did the teams stay in different hotels? When we were at the post game party, Plattsburgh arrived first, then Norwich, and we got their early and the SNC coaching crew were downstairs going over gameplans in the lobby...

 

[LakerEagleLover]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

That's what I gathered as well. Apparently the team was staying in the same hotel as St. Norbert, and Gosek thought it wise to avoid any potential encounters, given how hard the team (particularly the seniors) were taking it. Better safe than sorry!

Honestly, if that was the reason, good on Gosek for recognizing the situation and doing what he needed to in order to keep his boys out of trouble.

It only takes one lapse of judgement by one person connected to the program for the wrath of the NCAA to rain down upon you...the coaches didn't want to stay up all night on patrol...

 

[jerrynu26]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

I believe it is the NCAA that requires the teams not advancing to leave their hotel after the game for some of the reasons listed below.

 

[pierre maguire]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

I'm pretty sure the players stay at the LP olympic athlete traning center?

 

[PSUChamps2001]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

I'm pretty sure the players stay at the LP olympic athlete traning center?

No, Plattsburgh at least, was staying at the hotel right on the corner where 86 turns down main street LP. I thought I saw some Norwich players also going upstairs to rooms also..so no

 

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

I'm pretty sure the players stay at the LP olympic athlete traning center?

They did not stay at the traning center this year.

Every coach I've ever spoke to in the past always tells me that if their team losses in the semifinals, the last thing they ever want is for their team to hang around the bars when they have no reason to get to bed early. It's a recipe for disaster. So, they always high tail it out of town.

There are exceptions, like last year when Stout had to stick around because their flight out (which was the same flight as Gustavus!) didn't leave until Sunday.

 

[PuckVoice]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

They did not stay at the training center this year.

With the U-S National Ski Championships going on this weekend the skiers got the training center ... the hockey players got hotel rooms instead.

 

[ColdInRomney]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

Great weekend of hockey. Too bad the "other" Laker team didn't show up for more than 10 minutes of the game. The team we saw for 50 minutes was the same one we watched at the loss to Geneseo. When we walked into the arena and saw the width of the olympic ice I figured we would take full advantage of that, but St. Norberts did a great job of filling the lanes and keeping us off balance. And O'Brien played spectacularly in both games- deserved the MVP. "If only..." Oswego hadn't given up those turnovers... but the Knights took full advantage of our mistakes.

The championship game was a classic. Glad I set the recorder for extra time! I started off pulling for Norwich- the "other #1 team" this year, but as the game progressed I started to cop out figuring if St. Norberts pulled it off we were "off the hook" getting beaten by the top team (no such luck... ). Having watched Oswego all year I hadn't seen too many low scoring defensive-focused games , but as the saying goes "defense wins championships" and both teams did a great job disrupting the other's flow. Hat's off to St. Norberts, they were able to throw off the top two teams in the Division and keep them off their main game.

It was good to meet a number of the Norwich fans- I have a lot of respect for both the program and the Norwich people. Even got to comiserate with a few of "the other SUNY school's" fans- we all had to sit in the "loser's section" at the Pub.

Although we couldn't cap it off as hoped, Oswego still had an excellent year that we can be proud of. Congratulations to the other three teams, particularly St. Norbers for beating us fair and square, and Norwich for their well deserved Championship.

Oh- and I thought the officiating was excellent for all three games.

 

[jerrynu26]

Re: NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY

I could not figure out how the arena staff could forget that practice pucks would be needed for the second game Friday.... it was a little odd watching both teams skate round and round and round when they came up. It toolk a request from an NU player through the ref's entrance to get pucks brought out.

The officiating was good, although I have to admit the trip called in the 2nd ot was a little mysterious. Not that it wasn't a trip, but after going 50 minutes without a penalty call, that wasn't the most egregious penalty to call.