Go West, or to Providence, Young Men

ANY discussion of the other seeds in this year's tournament has to mention one team not there at all--the Bowling Green, Ohio Falcons.

Two teams who are going. Wisconsin and Minnesota, were shoo-ins for the tourney. They traded off the top two spots in the national rankings for much of the season. Minnesota won the WCHA regular season crown, but Wisconsin the two-game, total goals playoff final, 5-1 and 3-2 Understandably Wisconsin is the top Western seed and Minnesota is number two.

But controversy surrounds the CCHA squads Michigan St. ranked ninth in the final regular season polls, nipped Bowling Green in the playoff championship, 4-3 in overtime. The Spartans received their automatic berth in the nationals. But Bowling Green's season was ended by the sudden death loss in Detroit as the four-man selection committee chose Minnesota Duluth for the final western spot.

Two months ago, UMD seemed a legitimate contender, and the Bulldogs were in fact, on top in the national rankings for most of the early season.

But they started slipping in late December, went 9-9 after the New Year finished fourth in the WCHA and were blow out in the playoff semifinals by Minnesota, which won, 8-2, and coasted in the second game while UMD won, 4-3. Most coach say that picking Minnesota-Duluth (lower ranked in the final polls) over Bowling Green was indefensible.

The seedings lot the Eastern teams were straightforward in the order of their finish in the Boston Garden last weekend. But the controversy out West affects the ECAC squads. You can make a good case that first seeded Harvard has a tougher opponent in Michigan St. than second-seeded Providence laces in UMD.

But what's done is done. And the other match-ups are.

Minnesota-Duluth at Providence: The Friars must be thankful to have been spated they really hit a scoring dry speli, managing just six goals in their four playoff games. The Hulldogs bring a decent goalie from out West in Bob Mason, who played 41 games for UMD this season.

But, based on the Bulldogs performance since January. Providence has clearly been the better team (The Friars went 14-6 over the same stretch) Providence goalie Mario Proulx played four strong games in the ECAC playoffs.

UNH at Minnesota: The Wildcats pulled off a quarterfinal win last year, but that was on home ice in Durham, N.H. Now they're taking on the perennially tough Gophers, a team that very rarely includes non-Minnesotans.

After blowing an early lead in its ECAC semifinal loss to Harvard. UNH bounced back to beat St. Lawrence the next night, as goalie Todd Pearson nearly notched a shutout. But the opposition will be much tougher this weekend. The Gophers are led by a pair of high-scoring forwards, Hobey Baker Award candidate Scott Bjugstad (85 points in 42 games) and Busty Erickson (76 points), and have a steady goalie in Frank Pietrangelo (3.30 goals-against).

St. Lawrence at Wisconsin: Save some pity for Gary Weicker. The Larries' star goalie had a rough outing in the ECAC third-place game loss to UNH. Even worse, he's venturing into the home of the infamous, noisy, red-clad Badger fans--the inventors of the "sieve" chant. Weicker's chief nemesis will be All-American forward Pat Flatley.

The Saints have had their troubles on offense lately, managing just six red lights (and two were empty-netters) in their last three games. It won't be any easier trying to score on either of Wisconsin's top-notch goalies. Terry Kleisinger (2.93 goals-against) and the probable starter. Mare Behrend (2.38 G.A).

The series will be played Saturday and Sunday, a day later than the others.