As college sports fans, it isn't often that we get the exact matchup we wanted in the National Championship Game. In the case of the Frozen Four though, we've clearly gotten the best matchup possible. The No. 1 overall seed in the tournament, the Quinnipiac Bobcats will face off with the No. 3 overall seed, the North Dakota Fighting Hawks in what will be one of the most highly-anticipated hockey National Championship Games in recent memory.
College hockey betting lines change all the time, and the Frozen Four won't be an exception. For the most up-to-date lines, check out the Frozen Four odds at BookMaker.eu.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Good luck figuring this one out. Quinnipiac was lined as a dead pick 'em against Boston College, and after its dominating performance for the majority of that game, we can't help but wonder if it'll end up at the same price again in this one against North Dakota.
Even though the Fighting Hawks are perceived to be the lesser of these squads by ranking, the history of their hockey program along with the fact that they looked so much better than Denver for the majority of their Frozen Four victory could sway the oddsmakers. Remember that UND was -170 against a conference foe in Denver in the semifinal, and it very much so looked the part.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Quinnipiac needed just 7:20 to effectively put the first semifinal on ice against Boston College. Kevin McKernan scored the opener 2:31 in, and Andrew Taverner continued his fantastic season with the goal which made it 2-0. The Bobcats did give one up early in the second, but a power play goal just four minutes later by Landon Smith restored the two-goal lead.
The Bobcats did see their lead cut to 3-2 late in the third, but a strong performance on the defensive end of the ice in the dying minutes preserved the victory.
North Dakota won by two goals against Denver, but don't let that score line fool you. The Fighting Hawks were the better of the two teams by a country mile in the first two periods, and they held a 2-0 lead they seemed like they would never give up. They went over nine minutes without a shot on goal in the third though, and they gave up their lead as a result.
Drake Caggiula had himself a day to remember, as he scored the first two goals and setup the eventual winner with under a minute to play. Nick Schmaltz collected a loose puck which he deposited behind Tanner Jaillet for the winner, and Rhett Gardner put the cherry on top with a goal into an empty net.
GOALIE REPORT
Cam Johnson (North Dakota) – Johnson wasn't tested a ton on Thursday night. He had to face just 21 shots. His 19 saves weren't fantastic either, but it's tough to say that he had a bad night at the office. Much of his night was made easier by the 19 blocked shots the Fighting Hawks had on the night.
Michael Garteig (Quinnipiac) – Garteig meanwhile, had a huge night for the Bobcats. BC played like a desperate team, particularly in the third period when they were chasing the game, but Garteig made some huge saves as the clock wound down. He finished 32-of-34 on the night in saves.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
Quinnipiac is one of these teams which needs structure. Play stoppages will be nice, and set plays are the way that it dominates.
However, North Dakota just played against a similar Denver team, and though the Pioneers did eke out two goals, they really felt more like miracles and less like creations of hard work.
The Fighting Hawks really have the look of champions to us, and we think that Caggiula can make himself a hero for the second game in a row in Tampa to lead his team to the National Championship.
North Dakota 2, Quinnipiac 1
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Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet. Click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The matchup between the North Dakota Fighting Hawks and the Quinnipiac Bobcats will start at 8:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 9, 2016 at Amalie Arena. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
