PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Providence College men's hockey team earned an
at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, March 18. The Friars, who
will be making their ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, earned a
fifth seed in the West and will play fourth-seeded Wisconsin on Saturday,
March 24 at 2:00 p.m. EST in Grand Rapids, Mich. at Van Andel Arena.
For the Friars, it marks their first trip to the NCAA Tournament
since 1996 when the team received an automatic bid after winning the HOCKEY
EAST title. In 1996, the team was defeated by Minnesota in its first game,
5-1.
Providence has received its fourth all-time at-large bid and its
first since 1991. Providence has posted a 9-14 mark all-time in NCAA
Tournament play. The Friars will be looking to earn their first win in
NCAA Tournament play since the team defeated Minnesota, 4-3, in 1991.
The Friars enter the 2001 NCAA Tournament with a 22-12-5
mark. Providence finished tied for second in HOCKEY EAST with a 13-8-3
mark. Providence was a No. 3 seed in the HOCKEY EAST Tournament and
advanced to the Championship game after defeating Boston University in a
best-of-three quarterfinal series and earning a win over Maine, 4-3, in the
semifinals. The Friars were defeated by Boston College, 5-3, in the
championship game on March 17.
Providence and Wisconsin have met once in the NCAA Tournament with
the Badgers defeating the Friars, 2-0, on March 24, 1983. The Friars have
posted a 3-8 mark all-time against Wisconsin. In the most recent meeting
between the two teams, the Friars earned a 9-4 win at PC's Schneider Arena
on January 22, 1989.
EAST REGION - March 23-24 (Worcester, Mass.)
1. Boston College
2. North Dakota
3. Colorado College
4. Minnesota
5. Maine
6. St. Lawrence
WEST REGION - March 24-25 (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
1. Michigan State
2. St. Cloud State
3. Michigan
4. Wisconsin
5. Providence
6. Mercyhurst
PROVIDENCE COLLEGE MEN'S HOCKEY
NCAA SELECTION PRESS CONFERENCE
SUNDAY, MARCH 18
Head Coach Paul Pooley -
Pooley "We are excited to be in the Tournament. I told the guys last night
when we got back from the HOCKEY EAST Tournament that we are not just in
the NCAA's to be a participant. We would love to have opportunity to play
Michigan State and have a chance to go to the Frozen Four. It is the team
that gets hot at the right time that keeps playing"
On Wisconsin -
Pooley "I would love to see the matchup of Nolan Schaefer and the Wisconsin
forwards. We are excited about going West and having the chance to play
them. I know that they one of the best players in the country in Danny
Heatly and we have recruited a couple of players that went there. They
came East and played Northeastern and Boston College so we have seen them
play. I have played them before when I was coaching at Lake Superior. It
was a few years ago, but the coaching staff plays the same style of
hockey. I feel very good about knowing what they are going to do.
How do you think you matchup against Wisconsin -
Pooley "I think we match up well. I think that Wisconsin plays a little
bit of wide open style of hockey. They have some very, very talented
players. We have to play very defensive style of hockey. Obviously we
need to get some good goaltending. They are going to get some chances to
score, but I feel very good about our goaltending with Nolan and Boyd Ballard."
On the attitude of the team when the selection was announced -
Pooley "We knew we were in. It was a matter of where we were going to
be. I talked to the team last night about the game that we played against
Boston College in the HOCKEY EAST Championship and that it was not the kind
of game we wanted to play. We were tired and we need to play a better
brand of hockey. I think they were business like today because of our
little talk last night. Again we are not hear to be a participant, but we
want to make some noise and win that first game. Our team plays best when
its back is against the wall and our back is against the wall in every game
now."
On the progression from last year -
Pooley "We have had a couple of teams here that had the potential to be a
NCAA team if they played the way they were capable of playing. This year
we were consistent from the get go. I think that our hard work has
rewarded us with an NCAA bid. We deserve to be in and we deserve the
recognition we are getting right now. But with that comes the
responsibility. Our programs on the way up. I told our guys that we
expect to be here so lets not be overwhelmed by it."
Has this team surprised you this year -
Pooley "I was not sure what to expect from this hockey club. But when we
started practicing I got excited. As the year went on some of our young
kids started to grow. We won a lot of games early which gave us confidence
to grow. So as the year went on I have seen this team respond to
adversity. The biggest challenge we have had is responding to success and
how we deal with it. This team has grown a lot and I think we are ready
for the NCAA Tournament."
Senior Co-Captain Matt Libby -
Libby "We set a goal. Our first three years we were not really in the
hunt, so we set a goal to get a tourney bid. So last summer we got
together with the coaches and made it our goal to finish in the top of
HOCKEY EAST and get a bid for the NCAA Tournament. We are happy about the
opportunity."
Do feel like a team that is on schedule -
Libby "I think we are right on schedule. We had a great playoff run in
HOCKEY EAST. We faced one of the best team's in the nation last night
against BC and we did not really play our best hockey but we were in the
game. I think we learned a lesson from last night and we will be ready to
go against Wisconsin."
What do you guys have to do against Wisconsin -
Libby "I'm not sure. I think we have to play hard and play with
intensity. Play physical and really work hard." Something that we did not
do against BC last night. The coaches will get us prepared for Saturday.
-
M.J. Connors
Providence College
Sports Information
Ph: 401-865-2202
Fax: 401-865-2583
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