Rooting Interest in the Frozen Four

Northville's Derek Patrosso and the Colorado College Tigers
are heading East to the Frozen Four in Columbus, Ohio
photo by Casey B. Gibson

Article by Matt Mackinder

Four players on the four remaining Frozen Four teams have Michigan ties, but only one will take home the national championship.

Forward Derek Patrosso (Northville/Colorado College), defensemen Derek Peltier (Plymouth/Minnesota) and Matt Greene (Grand Ledge/North Dakota) and goalie Peter Mannino (Farmington Hills/Denver) will all converge on Columbus, Ohio, next weekend (April 7-9).

All but Greene, the Fighting Sioux's captain, are freshmen.

Patrosso has a 2-6--8 line this season playing in 34 of the Tigers' 42 games, including last Saturday's dramatic come-from-behind 4-3 win over Michigan at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.

Peltier is Minnesota's third-highest scoring defender and has 6-13--19 through 42 games.

Adam Berkhoel was in net last season as Denver won the national title, but Mannino has stepped in and played admirably while splitting time with sophomore Glenn Fisher, who has actually played one more game than Mannino. Posting a 16-4-1 record, Mannino also has a 2.25 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage in 21 games.

Greene has been a steadying force for the Sioux and has nine points (2-7--9) as a mostly defensive defenseman. One of his goals was a game-winner.

The first Frozen Four semi-final between the CC Tigers and the DU Pioneers will face-off at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 7 at the Value City Arena and can be seen nationally on ESPN2. The second semi-final between the UND Fighting Sioux and the Minnesota Golden Gophers will hit the ice at 7:00 p.m. and will also be aired on ESPN2.

The two semifinal winners will square off in the NCAA Championship game on Saturday, April 9 and can be seen nationally on ESPN beginning at 7:00 p.m.