Frozen Four Preview: Denver vs. Western Michigan
Western Michigan and defending national champion Denver will meet for the fourth time this season at the Frozen Four on Thursday in St. Louis.
Two of the previous meetings went to overtime, including Western Michigan’s double-overtime win over the Pioneers in the NCHC championship game last month.
The only game that didn’t go to overtime was a 1-goal game — a 3-2 Western Michigan win — on Dec. 6.
In other words, buckle up, because this game could be a wild ride.
“We’re familiar with Denver and the quality team that they have,” Western Michigan coach Pat Ferschweiler said. “At times they can be overwhelming in what they bring, they have some big-time talent that can make special plays. Our job is to be as consistent as possible and play our brand of Bronco hockey. We know they’re well organized and we know they’re coached well and are extremely talented. We have to focus on our path to success. We won’t vary on that at all.”
Bronco hockey, as Ferschweiler called it, begins with having the puck. The Broncos and Pioneers are tied for the national lead in goals per game (4.0), which is why both coaches have preached defense ahead of this semifinal.
But Western’s defense starts with forcing the Pioneers to play defense.
Western Michigan had the second-best Corsi in the country this season (57.3 percent).
Puck possession is what’s led the Broncos to a fourth-place tie in goals-against average in the country (2.1 goals allowed per game).
“The biggest key to our defensive numbers is we have the puck,” Ferschweiler said. “We have not been playing in our end. We have to continue to find a way to do that.”
That was key for the Broncos in the NCHC championship game. Western Michigan outshot Denver 50-29 and shot attempts were 87-58 for the Broncos.
Western found a way to neutralize Zeev Buium in St. Paul. The sophomore finished with a minus-3 and was on the ice for all four Western Michigan goals.
However, last weekend, Buium turned in one of his best performances of the season, stepping up to play a huge role in the Pioneers’ shutting down Providence and Boston College, holding those teams to just two goals (total) on the weekend.
Buium stepped up after Denver lost Boston Buckberger to an injury in the NCHC championship game. He’s out for the rest of the season and will miss this weekend’s Frozen Four.
Buium played 24 minutes against Providence and nearly 30 minutes against BC in the regional final.
“We’re asking guys to play a little more than they did when Boston was in the lineup. People have an innate ability to rise to the occasion when called upon. Garrett Brown, Cale Ashcroft, Kent Anderson and even Eric [Pohlkamp] and Zeev have been asked to do even more than they already do. But we still found a way to keep BC and Providence to one goal without one of our top defenders. We still played sound even without Boston in the lineup. We need to keep that same heightened awareness. It’s going to take the same urgency to shut down an excellent Western Michigan team.”
Buium had five points in the regionals (2 goals, 3 assists). He was so great against BC and Providence defensively, but he still has a major offensive presence (48 points this season). What’s the best way to shut him down offensively?
Ferschweiler says it’s to make him defend.
“He’s a special player,” Ferschweiler said. “He can make people miss. He’s been a dominant player since he stepped foot in college. Our job is to minimize him. We want to attempt to make him play in his zone more than he plays in our zone. We have to make him defend.”
If the Broncos can make him defend, they’ll still have to solve Denver goaltender Matt Davis, who has historic numbers in the NCAA Tournament (0.74 goals-against average and a .974 save percentage).
“He’s a big-game performer,” Carle said. “We have a lot of respect for them as a team. They are exceptional, and the record really speaks for itself. They have depth at all positions, and they don’t beat themselves. We have to be at our best to have a chance.”