As reach the ultimate weekend of the hockey season, we were witnesses to some of the very best games there are to offer. Three one-goal quarterfinal games, with the fourth being a lot closer than the final score indicated. Last Saturday was thrilling from start to finish, as we now make our way to Utica, New York for what’s hopefully an equally exciting Frozen Four.
Friday Schedule
3:00 PM ET- #7 Aurora (25-5-1) vs. #3 Hamilton (21-5-2) – Utica, NY
7:00 PM ET- #5 UW-Stout (23-5-1) vs. #1 Hobart (29-0-0) – Utica, NY
*NOTE: TEAM SHEETS’ DATA PRIOR TO TOURNAMENT STARTING
#5 UW-Stout vs. #1 Hobart
Despite the fact these are both elite teams, the storylines surrounding these two programs couldn’t be much more different. We all now the Hobart legacy that is being written. Coach Mark Taylor has rattled off three national championships with this group, and the current senior class is aiming to go four for four, an incredible legacy that quite literally, can’t be topped. The Statesmen, after going out in the semifinals in their first three Frozen Four appearances, have now won three straight. The question remains the same: Can anyone overcome Hobart? They’ve been tested numerous times in close, intense playoff environments, but no one can seem to take them out. Last week, it was more of the same, as St. Norbert gave Hobart an extremely tough game, but alas, Hobart escaped 2-1.
In fact, across Hobart’s previous 10 NCAA tournament games (the current dynasty run), Hobart has won SIX one-goal games, four of them coming in overtime. In the other four games not decided by one goal, THREE of them were decided by two, but an empty-netter sealed it. Essentially, 9 out of the 10 playoff games they’ve won in this run have been extremely close games. Everyone besides Hobart is reading that stat, probably with a reaction similar to this. If you’re Hobart, you’re reading that stat with this type of reaction, instead. Regardless, winning that many close games in a row is a testament to the ironclad culture Taylor has built up at Hobart.
Stout is a heavy underdog in this story, but has put together an absolute dream season in Menomonie, Wisconsin. The Blue Devils have put together a program-best season, shattering records along the way, making the program’s 2nd Frozen Four, and first since 2009, where they fell to Gustavus in an overtime semifinal thriller in Lake Placid. Stout has proven to be under-ranked all season in the polls, given their extremely impressive resume. However, they’ve continued to thrive in the postseason, shutting down Anna Maria at home in the First Round, before doing what most thought was unthinkable, shutting down an elite Utica team in their own barn, winning 5-1. Stout’s physicality, timely goal-scoring, and consistent D-zone coverage, backed by elite goaltending has gotten them to where they are today. All the credit in the world goes to coach Mike MacDonald, taking one of the most overlooked programs in the sport to the biggest stage, coincidentally, the arena they just won in last weekend.
Stout will be up against it once again in this round, but to be frank, I think that’s the way they like it. No one will be giving them a chance to knock off the three-time defending champs, but I can guarantee you that everyone in that room thinks they have a shot. While they will have a long trip to Utica, like myself, I can assure you the Stout faithful will travel well. While there will almost certainly be more Hobart fans, I would bet a lot of the neutral fans root for the underdog, as most neutrals tend to do.
Common Opponents:
With it being an east vs. west semifinal, we usually get very few crossover opponents between two programs that are so far away and schedule quite differently. However, thanks to the NCAA ponying up for pre-Frozen Four flights, we do have a pair of common opponents.
- Stout won a thrilling 6-4 road game at St. Norbert earlier this season, while Hobart edged out SNC 2-1 last weekend in the NCAA quarterfinal.
- Hobart earned a home-and-away sweep of Utica back in November, winning 6-5 in overtime on the road, and 2-1 at home. Stout went on the road and defeated the Pioneers last weekend in the Quarterfinals, 5-1.
Against common opponents, both teams went unbeaten, with Hobart going 3-0-0, and UW-Stout going 2-0-0.
Final Look:
Like I said above, Hobart is the overwhelming favorite in this matchup, but Stout is a team that plays best when it’s doubted. Even in past seasons, the Blue Devils have pulled massive upsets. This year, is when they’ve shown the consistency to win the games they were supposed to win. So anyone counting out this Blue Devil team is foolish. Stout is also extremely battle-tested, and has won a number of close games this season.
The goaltending is elite on both sides, with Damon Beaver continuing to be one of the absolute best goalies we’ve ever seen lace them up at the D-III level. Freshman Sebastian Monaco stole the show in this exact building last weekend, showing he is playing his best at the absolute best time. These goaltenders both take nearly perfect plays to beat them.
At the end of the day, Hobart is going to do what they do: run four lines and three pairs of max-effort, lightning-quick, highly-skilled players at you, and force their opponent into mistakes that they will capitalize on. If I’m Stout, you have to stick with what got you here, by limiting mistakes, playing smart, and hitting everything that moves, leaning into the physicality. In the first-ever meeting between the two programs, this could go any which way.
#7 Aurora vs. #3 Hamilton
In this one, we have two-first timers to the national semifinals, which is always great to see new faces experience the bright lights and theatrics of what a Frozen Four has to offer. Both these schools are more than worthy of being here, being highly-ranked all season long, as Aurora and Hamilton are making just their 2nd and 3rd appearances in the NCAA tournament, respectively, soaring to new heights in each of their respective program histories.
Hamilton, led by coach Rob Haberbusch, has improved this storied program demonstratively since his arrival in 2011, as the Continentals have earned their spot as one of the perennial NESCAC contenders in the last few seasons, earning double digit wins every full season since 2016-17, HC’s first trip to the national tournament. But the last two years, this team has really gelled into one of the sport’s powers, getting to two straight NCAA tournaments, and putting together a smart, skilled, fast team that doesn’t let the opponent breathe. Hamilton set the program record last season with 21 wins, and have tied it again this season, looking to break that record with a championship appearance.
The Continentals struggled a bit down the stretch, albeit against some tough opponents, but have flipped the script in the postseason, finding their game yet again, as Hamilton used a third period surge to run away from Neumann, and outplaying a very good Norwich team, advancing in overtime to reach the program’s first national semifinal, avenging the program’s quarterfinal loss to the Cadets, back in 2017.
While Hamilton’s program started back in 1918, Aurora’s started nearly a century later, in 2014. Two years later, Jason Bloomingburg was brought in to guide the new program in one of the toughest leagues in the country, quite the challenge. To this point, Bloomingburg has passed with flying colors. After an understandable rocky start, the Spartans have steadily built this program brick by brick, showing improvement nearly year-over-year. The program really broke out back in 2021-22, finishing 3rd in the NCHA, and then 2nd the following season, falling to Adrian in the title game. Last year, the program exploded on the national scene, piling up a 24-5-1 record and NCHA regular season title. After earning an at-large bid, Aurora defeated Eau Claire in the first round before falling to Geneseo in a tough fight in the quarterfinals.
This season, the Spartans have one-upped themselves, relying on a much stronger team game and dynamic playmakers to reach 25 wins, many of them being headliners. Like Hamilton, the Spartans used a third period flurry of quick goals to defeat Saint John’s in the first round, and then escaped an extremely tough Endicott team in double overtime to advance to the Frozen Four. This team is so fun to watch, and provides a great mixture of offense and physicality to make their opponents pay.
Common Opponents:
Unfortunately, these two have no common opponents in their schedules to be found. In terms of crossover play, Aurora did defeat the lone east team they’ve seen this season with the Endicott win last weekend in double overtime. Last year, the Spartans fell to Geneseo in the quarterfinal round at home. In 2023-24, AU fell to Norwich and Wesleyan.
While Hamilton hasn’t played any west teams in the past two seasons, they did go 2-1 against Trine back in the 2023-24 season, quite interesting they ended up playing the Thunder three times that season. For what it’s worth, that year’s Aurora team went 1-1 against Trine. With so much changing since then, take that for what you will.
Final Look:
Aurora has proven time and time again this year, that it has worked on its team game so that their downfall last year will not come back to bite them again. They have done an outstanding job managing that this season. It hasn’t been perfect, but they have found an phenomenal mix of team defense, goaltending and special teams to pair with their electric offense and physicality.
Hamilton plays extremely fast as well, but is much more reliable in their own zone, leaning into their systems, and trusting each other to bear down when they’re on their heels. This offense has also shown a tremendous ability to cycle the puck, wear down their opponents across 60 minutes, and keep the pressure on, which ultimately leads to goals one way or another. Hamilton will also have a massive fan advantage in this one, being just about 10 miles down the road, as opposed to Aurora’s cross-region flight.
Again, style-of-play wise, Aurora is going to try to hit the Continentals as much as possible, and throw them off their game. I ultimately think this is going to come down to who can establish a better forecheck. If Hamilton can possess the puck the way they did against both Norwich and Neumann, they could be in great shape. If Aurora can get out in transition, and rattle Hamilton physically and mentally, that’s the key to victory for the Spartans. I do think this is a very close game, and at the end of the day, whichever school meets the moment will be the one that moves on to their first-ever national championship game.
