The first part of this is about Holzinger winning the Hobey.  There are
three other items following it that you may want to scan for:
     Bonin honored again (WCHA players on the All-American team)
     Woog, Gophers see deja vu (Comments on losing to BU)
     Cha-Ching (Estimates of Economic Benefit of tourney in Providence)
 
Headline: BGSU star wins Baker award
Publish Date: 04/04/1995
 
Matthew Cross
 
Staff Reporter
 
Providence, R.I. -- Figure skating has nothing to do with hockey,
except they're both done on ice, right?
 
Then why did Bowling Green State's Brian Holzinger, who started
figure skating at age 5 with a pair of used hockey skates, win the
1995 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which is given to the nation's
finest college hockey player?
 
``I was the only figure skater with hockey skates on,'' Holzinger
said. ``My parents got the skates at a garage sale, but I got to the
point where you do the figure eights and I said, `Hey, this isn't for
me.'''
 
Figure skating was a strange start for a Hobey Baker winner, and with
a laugh and a bowed head, Holzinger showed his embarrassment.
 
But for the senior forward from Cleveland, Ohio, the most prestigious
award in college hockey could easily be given back to the awards
committee for a shot at the national championship.
 
``I would definitely trade the Hobey Baker for an NCAA berth,''
Holzinger said. ``Certainly this is a great honor, but I'd like for
my teammates to experience that too. If the team could be successful,
that's the way I'd rather have it.''
 
A team player is a good way to describe the 5-foot-11, 185-pound
Falcons tri-captain. Holzinger did it all for his team this season.
 
He scored 35 goals and added 34 assists for 69 total points and
recently passed the 100 career-goal mark. He helped Bowling Green to
its highest finish in the CCHA (second) since 1988. To top that, he
was named to the CCHA All-Academic team three times as a business
major with a 3.29 GPA.
 
Holzinger credits his success to hard work.
 
``Whether it be on or off the ice, I tried to give 100 percent,''
Holzinger said. ``I know that hockey isn't a thing that lasts
forever, and that's why I went to Bowling Green State University, to
be a student-athlete.''
 
Bonin honored again
 
Gophers junior winger Brian Bonin was named a first-team All American
in the West region last week.
 
Bonin became the first Gophers player to be named an All-American
since goaltender Robb Stauber in 1988.
 
``It's been a while since we've had somebody on the All-America
team,'' Gophers coach Doug Woog said. ``I think it's neat that he got
some individual credit, and it's only fitting that he led the league
in scoring and goals.''
 
Bonin finished sixth in the country in total points with 63, from 32
goals and 31 assists.
 
The only other player in the WCHA named to the West Region first team
was Wisconsin defenseman Brian Rafalski.
 
However, Colorado College's Ryan Bach, Kent Fearns and Jay McNeill
were all named to the second team.
 
Woog, Gophers see deja vu
 
It's not exactly like the Gophers are known for their final four
dominance. In fact, it's just the opposite.
 
Minnesota hockey has visited the NCAA final four more times than any
other team in the country (20), but the Gophers have only won three
times.
 
This season, Woog said the Gophers lost to the best team in Boston
University. But that's no consolation.
 
``We've done that before,'' Woog said. ``But I'm happy for (BU coach
Jack Parker) because he runs a good ship. He has a really mature team
and that's a credit to him.''
 
Woog said Minnesota got beat in the physical play against BU and paid
for it at the end.
 
``We held them pretty well in the first and second periods,'' Woog
said. ``But we collapsed physically in the third period.''
 
Cha-Ching
 
Dick Irwin, who is the economic consultant for the NCAA, estimated
that Providence, R.I., brought in about $4 million over the weekend
because of the final four tournament.
 
Restaurant and bar owners in the Providence area were so excited
about the city hosting the tournament, they got special permits to
sell food and alcoholic beverages on the city streets for the
weekend.
 
-Pam Sweeney
Go Gophers!!!
1995 NC$$ Phinal Phour!!!