as a 1 seed. They lost the opening game in both 2016 and last year as a 1 seed. Duluth is no lock either. With Sandelin as their head coach they are 9-1 in NCAA games as a 3 or 4 seed. As a 1 or 2 seed they are 8-5. They were a 3 both years they won the title.

I'd also say I think it is arguable this team is not the worst of the last 4 that have made the NCAAs. I think last year's was clearly the best, but this year is comparable to 2016 and 2017. All three seasons our winning % was a little better than .600. Our PWR was either 12 or 13, our KRACH was 10, 11 or 12, and our strength of schedule was 10th, 11th or 12th. This year's squad gives up the fewest goals per game by a slight margin, and by a slight margin has the smallest goal differential.

What this team has that none of the previous 3 has is an entire roster of guys who have made the 16 team crapshoot every season they've been here, 3 classes that have actually played in a frozen four, and the bitter taste of a title game loss to fuel their fire.

We might lose tomorrow. Or we can win the whole damn thing.