Is their coach really great, do they have a pipeline to top Canadian players?
I kinda doubt the number of Canadians on the roster has anything to do with it. As one would probably expect, most of their players come from Minnesota. The 4 rostered skaters who are Canadian have amounted for only 5 goals.
His teams don't give up goals in postseason play (NCHC or NCAA tourneys). Period. Don't count on scoring more than 2 goals against them. In fact, don't even count on two. North Dakota just played them more than two games worth of hockey and couldn't score more than 2 goals in the entire 140+ minutes of play. Even AFTER a goalie change in the 4th OT. They make few unforced errors. They combine some of the best fundamental hockey with a good mix of size and speed. And right now they seem to be playing with a huge amount of confidence at just the right time.
I would think they would be close or already have it. Michigan’s tournaments were likely shorter.
I like Sandelin and Duluth in general but enough is enough. I’m also still sore they were given an unearned bye.
in a row. A number of schools have won 8 in a row.
Boston College is the most recent, winning 8 in a row in 2008 and 2010. They missed the tourney in 2009.
Minnesota won 8 in a row from 2002-2004 with three wins to claim the title in 2002 (the last year of the 12 team tournament), 4 to win it in 2003 and then beating Notre Dame in 2004 before falling to... Minnesota Duluth in the Midwest Regional final.
Denver also won 8 in a row in claiming back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2005. They failed to make the tournament then for 2 seasons before losing their next NCAA tourney game in 2008.
North Dakota won 8 in a row from 1980 through 1984 before losing in the Frozen Four to... Minnesota-Dulluth. That includes wins in a 2-game total-goal series in the opening (quarter-final) round in 1984 as well as in 1982 in their run to the title.
If you want to count the old consolation game they used to play in the final four, Michigan once won 7 in a row from 1950-1953.