2009 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament explained

Year:2009
Gender:men's
Division:Division I
Teams:16
Frozenfourarena:Verizon Center
Frozenfourcity:Washington, D.C.
Champions:Boston University Terriers
Titlecount:5th
Champgamecount:10th
Champffcount:21st
Runnerup:Miami RedHawks
Gamecount:1st
Runnerffcount:1st
Semifinal1:Bemidji State Beavers
Frozenfourcount:1st
Semifinal2:Vermont Catamounts
Frozenfourcount2:2nd
Coach:Jack Parker
Coachcount:3rd
Mop:Colby Cohen
Mopteam:Boston University
Attendance:135,631

The 2009 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament involved 16 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college ice hockey as the culmination of the 2008–09 season. The tournament began on March 27, 2009, and ended with the championship game on April 11.[1]

Boston University, coached by Jack Parker, won its fifth national title (and first since 1995) with a 4–3 overtime victory in the championship game over Miami University, coached by Enrico Blasi.[2] The game marked the thirteenth time the NCAA championship game has gone to overtime and the first since Minnesota's win over Maine in 2002.

Colby Cohen, sophomore defenseman for Boston University, scored the championship-winning goal in overtime and was named the Frozen Four's Most Outstanding Player.[3]

Tournament procedure

The 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Championship was a single-elimination tournament featuring 16 teams representing all six Division I conferences in the nation. The Championship Committee seeded the entire field from 1 to 16 within four regionals of 4 teams. The winners of the six Division I conference championships received automatic bids to participate in the NCAA Championship.

In setting up the tournament, the Championship Committee sought to ensure "competitive equity, financial success and likelihood of playoff-type atmosphere at each regional site." A team serving as the host of a regional was placed within that regional. The top four teams were assigned overall seeds and placed within the bracket such that the national semifinals would feature the No. 1 seed versus the No. 4 seed and the No. 2 seed versus the No. 3 seed had the top four teams have won their respective regional finals. Number 1 seeds were also placed as close to their home site as possible, with the No. 1 seed receiving first preference. Conference matchups were avoided in the first round; should five or more teams from one conference have made the tournament, this guideline may have been disregarded in favor of preserving the bracket's integrity.[4]

The four regionals were officially named after their geographic areas. The following were the sites for the 2009 regionals:[1]

March 27 and 28
  • East Regional, Arena at Harbor YardBridgeport, Connecticut (Hosts: Yale University and Fairfield University)
  • West Regional, Mariucci ArenaMinneapolis, Minnesota (Host: University of Minnesota)
    March 28 and 29
  • Midwest Regional, Van Andel ArenaGrand Rapids, Michigan (Hosts: Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Michigan University)
  • Northeast Regional, Verizon Wireless ArenaManchester, New Hampshire (Host: University of New Hampshire)

    Each regional winner advanced to the Frozen Four:[1]

    April 9 and 11
  • Verizon CenterWashington, D.C. (Hosts: United States Naval Academy and the Greater Washington Sports Alliance)

    Qualifying teams

    The at-large bids and seeding for each team in the tournament were announced on March 22, 2009.[5] The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) and Hockey East each had four teams receive a berth in the tournament, while ECAC Hockey and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) each had three teams receive a berth, and Atlantic Hockey and College Hockey America (CHA) each had one team receive a berth.

    East Regional – BridgeportNortheast Regional – Manchester
    SeedSchoolConference RecordBerth typeSeedSchoolConference RecordBerth type
    1Michigan (4)CCHA29–11–0At-large bid1Boston University (1)Hockey East31–6–4Tournament champion
    2YaleECAC Hockey24–7–2Tournament champion2North DakotaWCHA24–14–4At-large bid
    3VermontHockey East20–11–5At-large bid3New HampshireHockey East19–12–5At-large bid
    4Air ForceAtlantic Hockey27–10–2Tournament champion4Ohio StateCCHA23–14–4At-large bid
    West Regional – MinneapolisMidwest Regional – Grand Rapids
    SeedSchoolConference RecordBerth type SeedSchoolConference RecordBerth type
    1Denver (3)WCHA23–11–5At-large bid1Notre Dame (2)CCHA31–5–3Tournament champion
    2Minnesota-DuluthWCHA21–12–8Tournament champion2NortheasternHockey East25–11–4At-large bid
    3PrincetonECAC Hockey22–11–1At-large bid3CornellECAC Hockey21–9–4At-large bid
    4MiamiCCHA20–12–5At-large bid4Bemidji StateCHA18–15–1Tournament champion

    Preliminary rounds

    The number in parentheses denotes overall seed in the tournament.
    (*) denotes overtime period(s).

    East Regional – Bridgeport, Connecticut

    Regional final

    Northeast Regional – Manchester, New Hampshire

    Regional final

    West Regional – Minneapolis, Minnesota

    Regional final

    Midwest Regional – Grand Rapids, Michigan

    Regional final

    Frozen Four – Verizon Center, Washington, DC

    National championship

    Scoring summary
    PeriodTeamGoalAssist(s)TimeScore
    1stalign=center style= Chris Connolly (10)Warsofsky and Grybaalign=center 15:15align=center 1–0 BU
    2ndalign=center style=";" MIAGary Steffes (11)Miele and Palmeralign=center 22:01align=center 1–1
    3rdalign=center style=";" MIATommy Wingels (11)Camperalign=center 52:31align=center 2–1 MIA
    align=center style=";" MIATrent Vogelhuber (2)Kaufmanalign=center 55:52align=center 3–1 MIA
    align=center style= Zach Cohen (13) – EABonino and Yipalign=center 59:00align=center 3–2 MIA
    align=center style= Nick Bonino (18) – EAGilroy and Higginsalign=center 59:42align=center 3–3
    Overtimealign=center style= Colby Cohen (8) – GWShattenkirk and Connollyalign=center 71:47align=center 4–3 BU
    Penalty summary
    PeriodTeamPlayerPenaltyTimePIM
    1stalign=center style= Eric GrybaTrippingalign=center 2:23align=center 2:00
    align=center style= Vinny SaponariCross–Checkingalign=center 5:19align=center 2:00
    align=center style=";" MIAChris WidemanHoldingalign=center 12:01align=center 2:00
    align=center style= John McCarthyRoughingalign=center 12:01align=center 2:00
    align=center style= Eric GrybaCross–Checkingalign=center 15:46align=center 2:00
    align=center style=";" MIATommy WingelsHookingalign=center 19:48align=center 2:00
    2ndalign=center style= Brandon YipHoldingalign=center 23:13align=center 2:00
    align=center style=";" MIAJustin MercierTrippingalign=center 26:09align=center 2:00
    align=center style= Colby CohenCross–Checkingalign=center 37:17align=center 2:00
    3rdalign=center style= Colby CohenSlashingalign=center 45:51align=center 2:00
    align=center style= Jason LawrenceSlashingalign=center 53:38align=center 2:00
    Shots by period
    Team123OTT
    align=center style=";" Miami align=center 10 align=center 9 align=center 9 align=center 4 align=center 32
    align=center style= align=center 9 align=center 7 align=center 7 align=center 9 align=center 32
    Goaltenders
    TeamNameSavesGoals againstTime on ice
    align=center style=";" MIA align=center 28 align=center 4 align=center 71:47
    align=center style= align=center 29 align=center 3 align=center 69:09

    Record by conference

    Conference
    1. of Bids
    RecordWin %Regional FinalsFrozen FourChampionship GameChampions
    Hockey East47–3.7003211
    CCHA43–4.429111
    ECAC Hockey31–3.2501
    WCHA31–3.2501
    Atlantic Hockey11–1.5001
    CHA12–1.66711

    Media

    Television

    ESPN had US television rights to all games during the tournament. For the fifth consecutive year ESPN aired every game, beginning with the regionals, on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Classic and ESPN360.

    Broadcast Assignments

    Regionals

    Frozen Four & Championship

    Radio

    Westwood One used exclusive radio rights to air both the semifinals and the championship, AKA the "Frozen Four.

    All-Tournament Team

    East Regional

    All-East Regional Team

    MOP

    Northeast Regional

    All-Northeast Regional Team

    MOP

    West Regional

    All-West Regional Team

    MOP

    Midwest Regional

    All-Midwest Regional Team

    MOP

    Frozen Four

    * Most Outstanding Player(s)[10]

    [3]

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship . . 2009-03-07 . https://archive.today/20090802020415/http://www.ncaa.com/champ/mhock-div1-champ.html . 2009-08-02 . dead.
    2. Web site: BU Hockey - 2009 NCAA Frozen Four Championship Highlights - YouTube . .
    3. Web site: Terriers Best in Show! . Ore . John . National Collegiate Athletic Association . 2009-04-11 . 2009-04-11 . https://archive.today/20090802020438/http://www.ncaa.com/blog/2009frozenfourblog/2009/04/terriers-truimph.html . 2009-08-02 . dead.
    4. Web site: Bracketology: March 4, 2009 . USCHO . 2008-03-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090309234302/http://www.uscho.com/news/college-hockey/id,16785/BracketologyMarch42009.html . March 9, 2009 . dead. mdy-all .
    5. News: 2009 NCAA Division I Tournament field announced . U.S. College Hockey Online . 2009-03-22 . 2009-03-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090323130623/http://www.uscho.com/news/college-hockey/id%2C16967/2009NCAADivisionITournamentFieldAnnounced.html . 23 March 2009 . dead. dmy-all .
    6. News: McMillan. Ken. East Regional: Upon Further Review, Vermont Advances. Inside College Hockey. 2009-03-29. 2009-04-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20090403052756/http://insidecollegehockey.com/inch/2009/03/29/vermont-utilizes-video-review-to-ground-air-force/. 3 April 2009 . live.
    7. News: Howe. Jeff. Northeast Regional: Hand it to BU. Inside College Hockey. 2009-03-29. 2009-04-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20090406190405/http://insidecollegehockey.com/inch/2009/03/29/northeast-regional-final/. 6 April 2009 . live.
    8. News: Milewski. Todd D.. Notebook: Miami-UMD. U.S. College Hockey Online. 2009-03-28. 2009-04-12.
    9. News: Dowd. James V.. Midwest Regional: Comeback Not In Cards For Cornell. Inside College Hockey. 2009-03-30. 2009-04-12.
    10. News: NCAA Division I Awards . College Hockey Historical Archives. 2013-07-17.