NCRHA Nationals, Day Five

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

It's just after 9 a.m. and Neumann College is getting ready to play CSU San Bernardino in a Division II semifinal. In the other Division II semifinal, West Chester defeated UC San Diego, 5-4.

In the B Division semifinal, Eastern Michigan defeated Penn State 6-3.

[RichardGraham]

1:24 into the Neumann College vs. CSU San Bernardino Division II semifinal, Neumann takes a penalty, putting San Berdoo on the power play. Neumann steals a soft pass and gets a shot...

Neumann strikes first, with Victor Scotto scoring at 4:39, 1-0.

With 3:18 remaining, Neumman strikes again, on an unassisted goal by Steve Klenk, 2-0. Shots favor Neumann 12-4. The first period ends with the Knights up by two.

[RichardGraham]

With 9:54 left in the second, Neumann increases its lead to 3-0 on a power-play goal by Jon Donohue.

4-0, with 4:12 left in the second. 5-0, about a minute later. Shooting gallery for Neumann... 33-9 at the moment. The second period ends without another change... 5-0.

[RichardGraham]

12 seconds into the second period, Neumann takes a penalty; can San Berdoo get on the board? Probably not... Nuemann steals the puck and SB takes two penalties, for hooking and roughing, and the Knights go on a 3-on-2 power play; it will be a 4-on-2 in a few seconds, barring further calls... Goal. 6-0. Still one penalty remains on San Berdoo. With 9:30 left in the game, the only thing that remains in doubt is whether Neumann will get 50 or more shots -- they've got 39 at the moment.

Well, San Bernardino gets on the board with 8:07 left in the game; it's 6-1. Power-play goal scored by Nicolas Pogu.

Neumann scores on its 40th shot, making it 7-1 on a goal by Mike Halvorsen. That's how the game ends. This game is being taped. It won't make scintillating television, that's for sure...

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

This is a big one -- the Lindenwood vs. UCI Irvine semifinal. The winner of this game will take on UM St. Louis, which handily defeated Central Florida, 8-1 at the Colorado Sports Center.

Lindenwood is coming off a 6-1 win against Eastern Michigan, while UCI got to this game by defeating Buffalo, 10-3.

If Lindenwood wins, it will set up a rematch against UMSL, which was the last team to beat them... in regional play this season.

[RichardGraham]

Lindenwood is the home team and is carrying the play early, outshooting UCI 3-1.

Charlie Middleton goes down hard in the slot, is slow getting up.

Power play UCI after penalty on Lindenwood for interference... "U-C-I" chant starts up again in the stands.

Another penalty on Lindenwood 10 for bench minor and unsportsmanlike... 4-on-2 for UCI, Middleton fires one past Lindenwood goalie Dustin Brown. 1-0, Anteaters.

Penalty on Fabian Mueller of Irvine for hooking, 3-on-3 skating... now delayed penalty against UCI, Lindenwood sets up... gets a man out of the box, 4-on-3 skating, now 4-on-2 with about 11 seconds left in the Mueller minor.

Pollock got the penalty for Irvine, and Lindenwood quickly makes him pay, 1-1 with 2:38 left in the first period. Goal by Travis Fudge. They scored so quickly, that the Pollock penalty is still up, and both teams will skate three a side as a penalty is called onLindenwood's Fudge... but Lindenwood scores! 2-1.

Tasch makes some great stickhandling moves, fires a shot that Lindenwood's goalie Brown covers.

Now UCI has the man advantage for 18 seconds, and 25.3 seconds left on the clock in the first period. Lindenwood clears....one last shot attempt for UCI, Lindenwood clears the puck... time runs out. 2-1 Lindenwood after one. Lindenwood has 12 shots, UCI 9.

[RichardGraham]

"U-C-I" chant to start the second period... even strength... UCI controlling the puck... but Lindenwood gets it, and John McGuinness scores after a nice dangle in front of the UIC goal. 3-1 Lindenwood with 10:20 left in the second period. Another close chance by Lindenwood's Mark Ell just seconds later, Kevin Leonard makes the save for UCI.

Faceoff in Lindenwood zone, power play UCI. They score! 3-2, advantage Lindenwood. 9:45 left in second. Another hooking penalty on Pollock, power play for Lindenwood... shot bangs off Leonard's mask... Lindenwood hits the post on a blast from the slot... UCI's skaters collapse down low in front of their own net... save, Leonard. 8:06 left in the second.

Tasch wins faceoff, kills time off penalty, Lindenwood sets up.. pad save Leonard... next Lindenwood shot is deflected over net... another shot sails over the net... another shot, smothered by Leonard... penalty expires... save Leonard.. 22-11 shots favor Lindenwood, puck frozen for a moment against boards in Lindenwood zone... arm save, Leonard... Lindenwood is buzzing... 5:53 to go in second... Pollock blocks pass, races up rink, gets shot... draws penalty on Tom Mueller of Lindenwood, high sticking....

Quick UCI shot, hits post... Tommy Bruce, comes back for Lindenwood, scores team's second shorthanded goal of the game, unassisted... 4-2 Lindenwood.

Still time on the UCI power play... fake shot, pass across to Middleton, quick shot, save by Brown...

Tasch with puck... they're setting up Middleton for one-timers... power play is over...

UCI controlling th puck.. Tasch tripped, no call, boos from the stands,

Tasch gets the puck again after Lindenwood is stopped on a rush by a fine defensive play, Tasch dekes left, dekes right, score! 4-3, with 1:17 left in period.

Tommy Bruce scores as puck as Leonard is screened, 5-3, Lindenwood has it's two-goal lead back. Just seconds left... collision at side of net, Kyle Gouge goes off for roughing...

Leonard deflects puck to side of net, instead of covering it, fires it into the slot where it's picked up by Tommy Bruce who fires it right back... into the open net just before the buzzer... 6-3, Lindenwod. Third short-handed goal of the game for Lindenwood. Wow. Leonard wants that one back... could be the game-turning play. Period ends, 6-3.

Shots favor Lindenwood, 29-17.

[BLIZARD_HOCKEY]

I would say the Lindenwood vs. UCI game is over. UCI has the abillity to come back but it's going to be tough when their playing Lindenwood. Their down 10-3.

[BLIZARD_HOCKEY]

Correction, now its 10-4.

[RichardGraham]

Third period starts with "U-C-I" chant and UCI on the power play... UCI must score here...

Shot fired wide by Tasch, Tasch regains puck, to Middleton, to Pollock to Tasch... shot, save... Middleton's pass deflected by Lindenwood... delayed penalty on Lindenwood for interference, Leonard leaves the net for extra attacker. 4-on-2 for one second... now Bruce has the puck.... UCI gets it back, 4-on-3... one timer by Middleton hits side of net... puck comes out of play, nearly lands on Inline Hockey Central's sole laptop... tragedy averted...

51 seconds left on pp for UCI... puck left for Tasch... to Middleton to Pollock, shot, save, pp over... Pollock knocked down, no call... Lindenwood on rush... shot, score... 7-3.

UCI needs another big comeback... does the Fab Five have any magic left?...

Another Lindenwood score! Danny Frey makes it 8-3. It's the same score that UCI came back from against Stony Brook, but there's only 7:10 left in the game... and Lindenwood is a stronger, deeper team than Stony Brook.

Timeout on the rink... Do or die time for UCI... 6:33 left... 33-23 shots favor Lindenwood.

UCI can't get control of the puck, Lindenwood fires puck over th net... Bruce with puck, UCI's Tasch rushes toward net... high-sticked in slot, no penalty... power play with 5:45 to go in game....

With 5:28 to go, Lindenwood gets another goal, this one by Michael Thiefault, to go up 9-3. Double minor for roughing... but instead of a goal for UCI, it's the fourth shorthanded goal for Lindenwood, this one by Nick Syrigos. 10-2.

UCI gets one back on the power play, 10-3. Still time left on second minor penalty to Lindenwood... Middleton has another pass blocked... Lindenwooed with puck, kills time... UCI sets up again on power play...

Lindenwood steals puck, nearly gets FIFTH shorthanded goal... 3:09 left in game.... time running out on power play... time running out in game... 2:25 to go... a bit anticlimactic... many spectators were anticipating a closer game.

One minute, ladies and gentlemen, one minute remaining in the game... with 22.5 seconds left, Lindenwood scores... 11-4.

Final shot totals, Lindenwood 40, UCI 26.

Final score, Lindenwood 11, UCI 4.

Final "U-C-I" chant plus applause for UCI. Helluva run.

[RichardGraham]

Other scores:

In the B Division, UC Santa Barbara Gold defeated UM St. Louis, 2-1, at the Colorado Sports Center in Monument.

Back at the Tour Inline Hockey Arena, in another B Division game, Lindenwood Black is tied with Michigan, 0-0, with 3:55 left to go in the first period.

A penalty to Lindenwood with 5.1 seconds to go in the first will give Michigan the man-advantage the beginning of the second, barring further infractions...

At the end of the period, the score remains tied at goose eggs, and shots favor Michigan 17-12.

[RichardGraham]

On the power play, Michigan scores with 11 ticks left with the man advantage, 1-0. Goal by Tim Grossman.

With 8:50 left in the period, however, Lindenwood ties the score, 1-1.

Michigan's goalie Ricky Winowiecki loses his stick, but gets it back before Lindenwood Black can get a shot on net.... shot deflected over the Michigan net... then another... shots favor Michigan 28-17... 5:32 left in second period.

Michigan gets a two-man advantage and scores with 5:09 left, 2-1, Michigan leads on a goal by Andrew Klein... still time on the second penalty to Lindenwood... no second goal scored, however...

Penalty on Michigan's Chris Rae with 1:38 left in the second, hooking call... a chance for Lindenwood to tie... Michigan clears the puck... less than a minute left in the period... shot, rebound, covered... 32 seconds left... Michigan's goalie has equipment problems..

With 6.1 seconds to go, Lindenwood ties it! Goal by John Meyer: 2-2. And that's how the period ends...

[RichardGraham]

With 7:24 left in regulation, Lindenwood scores to take its first lead of the game. John Meyer scored on the power play, 3-2. At 6:04, Lindenwood Black gets another goal, taking a two-goal lead, the bigest lead of the game so far, at 4-2.

Michigan is buzzing around the Lindenwood net... a Michigan player bats the puck out of the air from behind the net, and Derek Swenson, his teammate, knocks it in... the referee emphatically calls it a goal, over the complaints of several Lindenwood players... 4-3.

On the ensuing rush by Lindenwood, Michigan goalie Winowiecki gets shaken up... long delay... he's still bent over... 2:24 remaining in regulation....

Twenty seconds later, Lindenwood gets its 2-goal lead back, 5-3.. Lindenwood has the shot advantage, 47-38... and with 1:29 to go, Lindenwood gets another... 6-3. This one should be in the bank...

Power play Lindenwood... Winowiecki pushes an opponent out of his crease, emphatically... time runs out... 6-3, Lindenwood Black wins...

[RichardGraham]

Division II Championship: the Neumann Knights vs. the West Chester Golden Rams, coming up... player introductions for the first time in the tournament... it takes up time, but it is impressive.

1:18 into the game, West Chester's John Alcaro takes a holding call, Neumann pass deflected... Knights set up on the power play... shot advantage 6-2 for Neumann... with 9:16 left, they score, goal by Jon Donohue, 1-0. Dohanue has great speed, steals the puck from an opponent, passes, makes a shift change...

6:14 left in first, Neumann has 9-4 shot advantage... nice stick save by Neumann's goalie Sean Yingling, who, I've been told, is related to Brian and Steve Yingling... scattered boos as Neumann holds the puck behind its own net... penalty on Neumann's 93 Patrick Wlazel for slashing... 2:22 left in the first period... can West Chester get on the board? Brian Ems, # 00, tries to stuff in loose puck... Neumann clears zone... one minute left in the period. Period ends, 1-0.

[RichardGraham]

Second period, Neumann threatens... Steve races in, tries to stuff in puck stick side, loses edge and falls... Penalty to Wlazel, cross-checking... West Chester sets up power play... doesn't score... now Neumann is on the power play... the parade to the penalty box gets old, but the refs are being consistent... everything is being called. ;)

77:00 left in the second, Neumman misfires on slapper, sets up the power play again... West Chester clears the zone and gets a shot... penalty is over... closest and lowest-scoring game in a while... one goal in 22 minutes, so far...

Bad decisions by West Chester nearly cost them when they cough up the puck in their own zone... but Neumann can't convert... 4:00 left in the second... shot rolls through crease behind West Chester's goaltender, Dan Hogan, and comes out the other side... fortunately, to a waiting teammate...

Nuemann continues to threaten... outshooting West Chester 24-14... pass through the slot, no one there for the Knights... 2:24 remains in the period... high-sticking call on Derek Thede of the Golden Rams with 1:06 left in period... Neumann hits post with 53 seconds left... Hogan is standing tall for the Rams... slapper wide... great pad save on point blank shot... loose puck, West Chester clears... still, 1-0 in favor of the Knights at the end of the second period.

[RichardGraham]

Just 38 seconds into the third, the Knights increase their lead to 2-0 on a goal by Steve Klenk, a power play tally.

Slapper in slot for Golden Rams immediately follows -- 2-1. The goal was scored by Bob McLaughlin. There'll be no shutout here... shots favor Neumann, 30-16...

Neumann gets its two-goal lead back with 8:54 remaining... Neumann leads, 3-1, on goal by Steve Klenk.

At 7:47, Neumann gets another, this one from Dan Sangiorgio; it's now 4-1.

West Chester brings it with a 4-on-1 rush, but Yingling makes the save... 6:04 left in regulation... 39-18 shot differential... Ems fans on pass... things are not going West Chester's way... That was an understatement... with 4:34 to go, Dominic Mariotti scores to make it 5-1.

3:10 to go... another Knights' goal, by Jon Donohue, it's now 6-1...

1:05 to go, Neumann will be the 2008 Division II champion.

[RichardGraham]

The celebration is on... The Knights pile on their goalie in the net.... the awards presentation is next.

After the awards... it's the Division I Final between the Lindenwood Lions and the UM St. Louis Tritons.

[BLIZARD_HOCKEY]

20N80 aioaNtnl hamCponis sfgI

US.L - 0 uiLois
Lindenwood - 1

48:70 tefl in teh s1t erPoid

1st Period Scoring
Lindenwood - Powerplay Tommy Bruce (Jeff Hill)

1st Period enaPtlise
US.L uiLois - Ben ambLert (Hoiokng)

[RichardGraham]

Lindenwood vs. UMSL...

Lindenwood steals puck in slot, shot, save... 30 seconds in... penalty on UMSL Ben Leonard, holding ...

Goal! Big celebration by Lindenwood.. scored by Tommy Bruce... picking up where he left off against UC Irvine... 1-0, Lindenwood..

Lindenwood has 5 shots, UMSL 0...

Will this be the game the television folks are hoping for, or another blow-out? Time will tell... Lindenwood is known for taking a lead and holding it, even if it means keeping the puck behind its own net for minutes at a time... I pray we don't see that, as I personally don't consider that hockey... move the puck forward, or take a penalty...that'd be my rule, if I were the hockey czar...

6:42 left, UMSL gets its first shot... 8 seconds later, gets its second...

4:03 left in first, 11-2 shot advantage for Lindewnood, UMSL has not really threatened yet...

3:00 even, 9 Jeff Hill scores for Lindenwood, 2-0.... seconds later, delayed penalty against UMSL ... Lindenwood takes its time, taking the puck deep into its own zone to scattered boos from some in the crowd...

1:01 left in the first, Lindenwood has 13-2 shot advantage... penalty is over, but slashing call against USML's Blake Propp keeps team on its heels... first period ends, Lindenwood up, 2-0.

[showtime89]

20N80 aioaNtnl hamCponis sfgI

US.L - 0 uiLois
Lindenwood - 1

48:70 tefl in teh s1t erPoid

1st Period Scoring
Lindenwood - Powerplay Tommy Bruce (Jeff Hill)

1st Period enaPtlise
US.L uiLois - Ben ambLert (Hoiokng)

And this, children, is what happens when you don't wear a helmet when you play hockey.

[RichardGraham]

"Let's Go UMSL," is the chant to start the third period... but it's a Lindenwood Lions' power play, and Kyle Gouge scores on a quick snap shot, 3-0...

At 10:59, another penalty call... this time against Lindenwood's Tom Mueller... Can UMSL get into this game? Now's the time... Lindenwood clears the puck... UMSL sets up power play, shot, blocked, UMSL recovers... UMSL doesn't seem to be getting much oomph on its shots... :43 left in the power play... another blocked shot, tripping penalty on Lindenwood's Nick Syrigos as soon as the time elapses on the Mueller penalty... biggest crowd of the tourney (naturally) as fans pack the seasts, line the stairs, and surround the glass...

8:12 remaining, UMSL gets on the board, scoring on its sixth shot, with a goal by PJ Tallo; 3-1. Make it a game, boys... it doesn't matter to me who wins, but a blowout is not necessary...

Even strength... another UMSL shot blocked, Lindenwood turns up the rink... huge play by Tallo to dive and knock away a centering pass, most likely stopping a sure Lindenwood score.... Thomas Ames goes out to clear the puck, but Lindenwood steals and scores -- the same thing that happened at the end of the second period in the Lindenwood/UCI game... goal by Kyle Gouge, unassisted, 4-1.

Seconds later, the Lions get another point-blank shot, turned aside by Ames... shots favor Lindenwood 19-7... Clarke deflects a puck away from Lindenwood and almost into his own net... Ames makes save on tip-in try in close... 1:57 left in the second period... UMSL needs the next goal... Lions' shot and save by Ames... less than a minute left in the second.. things don't look so hot for UMSL at the moment... the crowd is quiet... Ames makes a big save at the end of the period... will be a defining moment if UMSL can come back... period ends, 4-1, Lindenwood leads...

[RichardGraham]

Third period begins, Lindenwood with the puck.. taken behind the net once, twice... a rush up the rink, great turnaround and fire attempt by Kyle Gouge... 10:53 left in regulation and possibly UMSL's season... delayed penalty on the Lions... shots favor Lindenwood 23-9...

UMSL power play... Lindenwood with the puck... giveaway... UMSL sets up for man advantage...shot... save... clear... UMSL needs a lucky bounce or two, Gouge clears the zone... UMSL with just 20 seconds left on pp... Lindenwood back at full strength and with the puck...

Any potential excitement has dissipated for the moment... Lindenwood is a team that could potentially play keepaway for a period if it wanted to, and the crowd is aware of that...

Penalty right off the faceoff for Lindenwood, Gouge is not happy... penalty is on Tom Mueller... 2-on-1 for UMSL, their first threat in a long time... and another call on Lindenwood, this time, Tommy Bruce... Here's UMSL's chance... 4-on-2 power play.. goal! 6:56 left, UMSL gets within two, 4-2, and they're still on the power play for 1:19, barring further penalties... timeout, UMSL. Goal scored by Andy Meade...

Lindenwood's backup goalie Greg Morton goes to the snack bar to fill a water bottle... you don't see that every day...

1:16 left on UMSL power play... however... rebound comes out 30 feet, is picked up by Travis Fudge, and he races in alone on Ames, dekes left, dekes right, score! 5-2

6:26, UMSL gets it right back on a goal by Eric Thompson from Tallo... 5-3.

Even strength... 5:40 remaining... shots favor Lindenwood 26-15... Tallo races in, fires a backhander, saved and covered.. 4:32 remaining... next penalty could be huge, the next goal even bigger... four shots on that shift for UMSL...

Coincidental minors, 4-on-4 skating... hooking call on Aaron Shulz, Lindenwood power play... 1:48 to go.... big save by Ames, but the clock and the penalty on Shulz is working against UMSL...

1:07 left, Lindenwood's Jeff Hill scores to put the game away, 6-3...

Lindenwood deserves the win and never went into a prevent defense, so I tip my hat to them. Lindenwood continues its dynastic run. Final score, 6-3.

[showtime89]

Great Job with all the updates. Time to ice down your fingers and thumbs now?

[RichardGraham]

Hi Ron,

Ssssssssssssssssssstttttttttttttttttt............. .!!!

Yep... got my hands in ice ... the water's dripping all over my keyboard. ;)

Still more games to go, but I've got to do a wrap-up article at some point, so I may not post much more on the Forums section. Thanks for tagging along; I was a bit surprised that there weren't more posts, but someone said everybody's either here playing, or watching the Frozen Four or the NHL!

Best regards...

[alex]

I was a bit surprised that there weren't more posts


Hey Richard, just thought I'd pipe up here. I didn't post much, other than I think one post a few days ago, but I was following along every day reading all your posts and those plus the radio broadcasts kept me updated and involved all weekend. It was great. Just saying, although not many posts I'm sure there were a lot of people like me just reading and following along frequently over the past few days. Your updates were great, well appreciated.

[osu_buckeyes]

Yea, thanks a bunch Richard for the updates, they were fun to read and were a nice addition to the "live" scoring that was being posted. It was great meeting you out there also, hope you can make it next year wherever nationals might end up being.

[RichardGraham]

Hey Dave,

Thanks. It was great to meet you, too. By the way, I approve of the move you tried to make when you guys were down five or six goals in the game against Lindenwood. However, I probably wouldn't have liked it as much if you'd been up by the same. ;)

[RichardGraham]

Hi Alex,

Thank you very much. I appreciate that. I was wondering why there were so few posts in response to those that I made, but it actually made my job easier -- I didn't have to try to answer all of those potential posts while I was doing the play by play. :)

I had a lot of fun, if it's not already obvious, and it was great to meet so many players that I'd only read about here on IHC's Forums. I can't get to as many tournaments as I did in the days when the publishers of Roller Hockey magazine and InLine Hockey News paid my way to events. I'm hoping to find a "real" job to supplement IHC's income soon, or to win the lottery. But I'm told you have to buy tickets, so that's not likely to happen. ;)

[osu_buckeyes]

Hey Dave,

Thanks. It was great to meet you, too. By the way, I approve of the move you tried to make when you guys were down five or six goals in the game against Lindenwood. However, I probably wouldn't have liked it as much if you'd been up by the same. ;)

Haha yea, I definitely would not have tried it under different circumstances, but down 7 goals against Lindenwood in the 3rd period I figured it was worth a try. As a sidenote I definitely didn't mean any disrespect (although I think some of LU players took it that way), I was just having some fun and trying to make the game a little more interesting.