FanHouse Frozen Four

WASHINGTON -- They were happy to be there, they wanted everyone to know, going so far as to thank the media in attendance, the fans and just about everybody who gleefully mangled the University's unusual name at some point. But they weren't happy to be here, exactly. Not now, not first at the dais, less than 15 minutes after the final goal horn of the season, in the loser's spot, wearing a hurt not even a Stanley Cup-worthy collection of playoff beards could hide.

Bemidji State senior Travis Winter had his jersey on still, the rest sat only in their undershirts, answering question after question.

After their 4-1 loss to Miami, even their words seemed to drip with sweat.

And the realization that midnight had come for this hockey Cinderella.

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This is like finding out that your kid brother is buying VHS: Evidently, NCAA hockey still has tie games in the regular season. If the score is knotted up at the end of regulation, there's a 5-minute, 5-on-5 overtime; the winner gets two points, the loser gets zero points and a tie after five minutes gives each team a point. Dammit, I miss the Patrick Division.

All signs point to that overtime format being revamped at an NCAA rules committee meeting in June. NHL.com had an interesting conversation with three of the six NCAA league commissioners regarding what they'd like to see replace the current system and discovered something rather refreshing: That they're not eager to bastardize their sport with a skills competition.

Like his colleagues, ECACHL Commissioner Steve Hagwell has not formally discussed the topic in his league. "I am a proponent of exploring formats (e.g., four on four) that may reduce ties; however, I am not a proponent of determining the outcome of games via shootouts," Hagwell said. "I do not like the aspect of taking 60-plus minutes of team effort and reducing it to which team has the better one-on-one player(s)."

Both [CCHA Commissioner Tom] Anastos and Hagwell, along with Hockey East Commissioner Joe Bertagna, favor consideration for at least a 4-on-4 OT. "I would like to see the Rules Committee go slowly on this matter," Bertagna said. "Specifically, perhaps a longer overtime before they seriously consider shootouts. Unlike the NHL, we only play 34 games. There can be good ties and bad ties. An underdog who earns a tie after 60 minutes and a brief overtime should get to enjoy that accomplishment, without seeing it potentially diminished by a shootout."

Excuse me while I wipe away a tear of joy. More about this from Goon's World of Fighting Sioux Hockey.

Having only an 8.1% chance of winning a game against the Red Wings.. uh, I mean the NHL Draft Lottery, the Chicago Blackhawks pulled off their only upset of the season by winning the right to pick first overall. Under the NHL's system a team that wins the lottery draw can move up a maximum of 4 spots, so any team in the bottom 5 of the standings has a shot at the #1 pick. All of the teams who did not make the playoffs had a chance to win and move up.

This will be the first time the Hawks get a crack at the top pick in the draft since the format was introduced in 1969. They had the 5th worst record in the league this season. Presumably, if they keep the pick, they'll select the current consenus top prospect Patrick Kane of the London Knights. The Hawks have used a number of 1st round picks stocking up on defense recently with their past picks of Brent Seabrooke (#14, 2003) and Cam Barker (#3, 2004). Adding the 5' 10" Kane (145 points in 58 games in the OHL) to their nigh-empty stable of right wings should compliment centerman Jonathan Toews nicely, whose season with North Dakota just ended in the Frozen Four.

The other teams who finished worse than the Blackhawks move down a spot, which means that Philly picks 2nd, followed by Phoenix, L.A. and Washington in that order.

In the #6 spot are the Edmonton Oliers, which is the highest they've picked since 1996 (Boyd Devereaux, 6th). But, to throw salt on the wounds of Oilers fans, Eric Duhatshcek at the Globe and Mail noted that by beating the Flames on Saturday night...

...the Oilers leapfrogged the Chicago Blackhawks in the final standings. Actually, the teams finished tied in points with 71 points apiece, but the Oilers were officially placed 12th in the West, one ahead of Chicago, as a result of more wins (32 as opposed to 31).

Meaning, that if the Oil had performed in the last game of the season the same way they'd done since the trade deadline, namely not scoring any goals, they'd have the #1 pick and not Chicago. The perfectly ironic ending to a perfectly dismal season in Northern Alberta.

TSN.ca has a breakdown on the percentages by team as well as past winners here.

Ta,