Individual stars will shine bright in Providence tonight, with Brian Gionta and Jeff Farkas and rest of the BC Eagles moving a step closer to school's first NCAA title since 1949. Wis. The Fighting Sioux certainly haven't forgotten that bleak day, either. Maybe when the new hockey rink is ready in Grand Forks, the Sioux should name it the Providence Civic Center in honor of their great success here. For the third straight year, the WCHA champion hasn't made it to the Frozen Four, a fact driven home by four women from Wisconsin that a Herald sportswriter, photographer Eric Hylden and I met when we were leaving the Boston airport Tuesday. They told us they were on their way to Providence for the tournament.
Recent history suggests that is so.
And that's interesting. UND players tell us that when Wisconsin wrapped up the trophy this year, it took all pressure off the Sioux, who were shooting for a record four in a row. The Sioux relaxed, geared their game for the post-season playoffs, and now are poised just two wins away from a national championship. Tourney notes UND's Jeff Panzer needs four points in the Frozen Four to finish as the national scoring champion, which would be UND's first since Steve Johnson accomplished that in 1988. Stay away from penalties.