Ryan Kennedy reports live from Minnesota Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA1Njc1NDM5MTIzODY3MTY1/usatsi_23002447_168393426_lowres.jpg] Saint Paul, MN - The NCAA men's final is set with Denver taking on Boston College in what promises to be an enticing battle between two elite programs. Denver beat Boston University 2-1 in overtime, while Boston College shellacked Michigan 4-0. I'm in town for the whole event, so let's get to the first instalment of my Frozen Four notebook. YOU CAN'T HATE THE EAGLES It was somewhere near the end of the second period that a thought occurred to me: Boston College was up 3-0 and I could not imagine goaltender Jacob Fowler giving up four goals to Michigan in the third period. And I certainly could not picture that happening without either Cutter Gauthier or the NTDP line scoring a couple more goals in return for Boston College. Sure enough, Gabe Perreault scored in the third to make it 4-0. And while the Eagles' big guns all showed up on the scoresheet, Fowler's play cannot be overlooked in the win. The Montreal Canadiens pick was excellent early on in the game and any chance of a Michigan comeback was snuffed out time and again by the freshman stopper. "He's probably the calmest goalie I've ever played with," said Gauthier. "Any opportunities we give up, we know we have that safety net back there in between the pipes. He's as competitive as the rest of us and a great kid as well. I'm super-pumped for him and the game he had." Of course, being the good hockey teammate he is, the star goalie chose to spread the love around. "Our 'D' were really good tonight with eliminating the Grade-A chances against," Fowler said. "So it didn't really feel like 32 shots against. They made it pretty easy on me to see everything and limit the severity of the chances." DROPPIN' BROZ ON 'EM Tristan Broz has already played the hero for the Pioneers twice in the tournament, first striking in extra time against UMass and now getting the OT winner against Boston U. The Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick had a rough go as a freshman with the University of Minnesota but has clearly found his game since transferring to the Pioneers before last season. "He's fully bought into being a Pioneer," said coach David Carle. "He's two feet in. He's a great teammate. He's stepped up in a big-time way when (Massimo) Rizzo went down. And really got an opportunity to play a little bit bigger role in the middle of the rink. I think that keeps him involved more. You can just tell in his care, the way he's practised the past month and a half, two months, the pace and energy that he's bringing to the rink every day. It doesn't go unnoticed by us or his teammates. And then it's obviously leading to the results for him on the ice. And that's all players: The better you practise, the better you play. And that's where we've seen him probably take the biggest growth and his play in games has become more consistent because of that." For the hero himself, it has felt good to get a second chance in college. "This coaching staff, all the guys in the room, from the moment I got here, just took me into their arms and allowed me to just grow and gain confidence," Broz said. "And it just meant pretty much everything to me to find a place like this. Coming through the transfer portal, it's certainly a blessing." LAST DANCE? With Boston U. losing to Denver, a couple of the Terriers' stars enter a searing spotlight. Specifically, we can now officially ask the question: Will Lane Hutson and/or Mack Celebrini return for another year of college before turning pro? Hutson, the Montreal Canadiens prospect, has been a terrific college player the past two seasons and it sounds like he will likely turn pro this year (which is to say, any day now). Hutson got stronger this year, but he's still listed at 5-foot-10, 162 pounds. For what it's worth, only three lighter players have played games in the NHL this season: Kailer Yamamoto, Brett Seney and Matthew Phillips. On the other hand, Hutson had 49 points in 38 games as a defenseman this year. So if he wants to turn pro, he has certainly earned the right. Meanwhile, Celebrini is the no-doubt-about-it No. 1 prospect for the 2024 draft. They always go straight to the NHL, right? Well, they don't have to. Owen Power didn't and he's looking just fine. Celebrini is still 17 years old, which is mind-boggling because he was Boston University's best player this year and he may be crowned the NCAA's best player when the Hobey Baker Award is announced. I recently talked to an NHL scout who said he'd like to see Celebrini play another year of college - and this scout loves the kid. Celebrini could certainly play a regular role in the NHL next year, but he could also continue to develop with the Terriers and be a kid for one more year before NHL stardom calls. The draft lottery might also play a factor: Keep in mind, San Jose's GM (Mike Grier) and coach (David Quinn) are BU alums. They might be cool with Celebrini shooting for a national title with their alma mater next season.
