BUFFALO, N.Y. — Since before the season, there was little doubt Providence could be one of the best teams in college hockey this season and get to the Frozen Four.
The team suffered through more valleys than expected, but there were plenty of peaks, including two weekends ago when the Friars played one of their best and most complete games of the season to get to Buffalo.
It was a convincing 4-0 triumph over Cornell in the East Regional final that came a day after a 6-3 comeback win against Minnesota State. This year’s march to the Frozen Four came in similar fashion to the 2015 team that ended up winning the program’s first national championship.
As it did in 2015, Providence advanced to the Frozen Four as the fourth seed and one of the last teams to make it into the NCAA Tournament. The Friars also were unexpectedly ousted in the Hockey East Quarterfinals in both 2015 and 2019.
“The similarities have been that both teams had really high expectations. I don't think either team developed the chip on their shoulder, the desperation they needed until it got to the NCAA tournament,” said head coach Nate Leaman.
Suffice to say, the Friars appear to be playing their best hockey at the right time of the season. And, because of that, they are two wins away from a second national championship in the Leaman era.
“I think the desperation level to work off the puck,” said Leaman of what is clicking right now. “I think the desperation level. I think we're playing as a group of five as well as we have all year.”
“I think both teams developed toughness throughout the year. I think that's important for this time of year. I think if everything goes smooth sailing, you can get in trouble this time of year. I think adversity is actually a good thing,” added Leaman.
As Leaman said in Wednesday’s press conference, the Friars are going up against a tremendously well-coached team in Minnesota Duluth that has many similarities to the Friars.
“I think both teams are heavy. I think both teams play as a group of five well. I think Duluth is one of the best-coached teams that I've watched on film in a long time. I think they're heavy, they work as a group of five, and they're good on the specialty teams,” said Leaman.
The teams mirror each other in many major statistical categories. Both teams have won a championship in the last five years. So what will be the deciding factor?
“I think it's going to come down a lot to will and want and desire, who can influence their game on the other team and specialty teams,” Leaman commented.
Providence will need to stick to their game plan, get good goaltending, and continue playing well in specialty team situations.
Getting pucks deep
Many teams confuse Leaman’s desire to get pucks deep and forecheck relentlessly with a boring dump and chase style. While it is true Leaman values getting pucks deep and cycling, this year’s team has plenty of skill to hunt pucks and make plays.
Getting pucks in deep against Minnesota Duluth will play a pivotal role in dictating the pace of the game. UMD is a heavy, structured team that likes to be hard on the forecheck. If Providence can keep pucks cycling deep in the UMD zone, it will give less chance for UMD to impose its will.
Another key in the same regard is for Providence’s defenders to gap well and retrieve pucks well in order to quickly transition from defense to offense. No one does that better than junior Jacob Bryson, a Buffalo Sabres prospect, who was on the ice for eight of the 10 Providence goals in the regional.
I think being assertive on the ice is the big thing now. I think any game he goes into, he has the potential to be the best player on the ice,” Leaman commented. “I think Jacob is a wonderful player. He's got it both offensively and defensively. He doesn't force the game. He doesn't try to do something that's not there.”
Specialty Teams
In the two regional wins over Minnesota State and Cornell, the Friars went five-for-nine on the power play and killed all six penalties they took.
The stats from the season indicate the speciality teams might be more of a challenge in Thursday’s first semifinal. Providence’s power play ranks 13th, just one spot ahead of Minnesota Duluth’s. Providence has the fifth best penalty kill in the country while UMD sits as the 10th best in that category.
Two players who both excelled on the power play in the regional were junior center Josh Wilkins, who had three goals and two assists against Minnesota State Cornell, and freshman right wing Tyce Thompson, who posted a goal and two helpers.
Wilkins, an un-drafted free agent out of Raleigh, N.C., was named the East Regional’s Most Outstanding Player. He’s being pursued by several NHL organizations who hope to sign the speedy, skilled forward when the season ends.
Thompson, in his third year of draft eligibility, will almost certainly be a top three round pick come June’s NHL Draft in Vancouver. He’s a familiar name to Buffalo fans as his brother Tage who just completed his first season with the Sabres.
While Tage played two seasons at UConn before turning pro with the St. Louis Blues organization, the younger Thompson has been a home run for Leaman and his staff on the recruiting trail.
“I think he's knocked it out of the park. I can't say enough great things about Tyce Thompson. He's literally a coach's dream, the way he comes to the rink every day, brings a smile, always first on the ice, always working on his game,” Leaman complimented.
While almost half of Thompson’s points have come on the power play, Leaman is impressed with the all-around game of his rookie who played junior hockey in the USHL with the Dubuque Fighting Saints after prepping at Salisbury.
“I think he's about as complete a freshman as I've seen as far as understanding all aspects of the game. I mean, obviously it comes a lot from his father (Brent Thompson) being an American League head coach,” said Leaman.
"I read something at the beginning of the year where his brother and dad gave him the advice just to be the hardest worker every day. That's the only thing to focus on. It's translated. He's had a very successful season. He's been a big part. Whatever line we put him with, that line plays well,” Leaman continued.
Last line of defense
It’s no secret that Hayden Hawkey has had his ups and downs as the starting goaltender at Providence. After suffering a serious lower body injury in junior hockey, Hawkey has had to battle back.
When he’s on his game, he’s really good, but he’s also had his share of goals given up that he’d like to have back. After giving up three goals on 14 shots in the first period of the first round game against Minnesota State, he stopped all 39 shots in the last five periods of the regional.
If Hawkey can carry over some of that momentum and play with a little less pressure on him, Providence could finally fulfill the prophecy many had that this would be the top team in the country when it was all said and done.
