Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:31 PM)

Thanks for stopping by to talk college hockey after some surprising and exciting NCAA regionals last weekend, and we look ahead to next week's Frozen Four in Washington, D.C. We'll be taking your questions for the next 30 minutes.

Ted (Tampa, FL)

still awaiting the hobey three -- but assuming both gilroy and wilson are 2 of the 3 -- could that be a possisble distraction for BU -- would you expect it to be?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:32 PM)

It's official -- The Hobey Hat Trick finalists are Colin Wilson, Matt Gilroy and Brad Thiessen. I don't think it will be a distraction at all. The team goals and Frozen Four experience are far greater than Friday's individual recognition.

James (Boston)

With the way the tournament broke this year, how do you feel about the idea of reseeding?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:35 PM)

If you're talking about reseeding for the Frozen Four, I don't think it makes that much of a difference. You're going to have to beat 2 of the other 3 teams that weekend to win the trophy anyway. Two No. 4 seeds playing one another in the first round is a little strange, however, but they're both playing the best out of all four teams at the Frozen and hot teams are dangerous in these short tournaments.

Jay (Boston, MA)

How do you feel about the Hobey Hatrick? The Hub is back on the map!

Jeff Howe

  (2:36 PM)

It's very surprising to see all three Hockey East guys get that nod, especially where we figured they'd at least split the regional vote. They're all very deserving, but I'd say it's a two-horse race between Wilson and Thiessen.

chad (pittsburgh, pa) [via mobile]

can bemidji state win it all? i'm a robert morris fan and it would be big for the conference

Jess Myers

  (2:37 PM)

After what happened last weekend -- two Beavers wins that were not really in doubt during the third period -- anything is clearly possible in these playoffs. The smart money is not on the Beavers, but again, after last weekend all of the smart money is long gone.

Charlie (Los Angeles, CA)

Hey All: As a terrier fan and rooting for a BU win next Thursday, assuming that happens, what do you think the biggest challenge will be for BU going from many many conference matchups to playing a team they have much less knowledge about.

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:39 PM)

The biggest challenge is not paying too much attention to the opponent and worrying about taking care of their own business. BU is the most talented team there. Some knowledge of breakouts, forechecks, power plays, etc. will help against a new opponent and scouting reports will give them that info. But BU just needs to focus on playing its best hockey.

Trevor (Bemidji, MN)

As a Bemidji native, and not a BSU grad, I have to say that what the Beavers have done is not only great for the sport but great for our town. However, are the Beavers a "real deal" sort of Cinderella team, or have their two wins in the tournament so far been flukes? Do they have a good shot at getting past Miami with their fast and aggressive play?

Jess Myers

  (2:41 PM)

I don't think you can call 5-1 and 4-1 flukes. You could argue that last weekend's wins by UMD and UNH were fluky, but the Beavers played solid hockey and hardly trailed through 120 minutes of hockey. Still, Miami's deliberate slowdown style worked on a big rink versus UMD and Denver last weekend, so on the NHL-size sheet in DC, I could see the RedHawks prevailing despite BSU's puck-moving skill.

James (Boston)

Look, I'm a BU fan, but this Hobey Hat Trick is ridiculous. Thiessen was TERRIBLE in any big game (15 goals in NU's 4 biggest games this year), especially that last goal to Cornell, and Wilson was as inconsistent as they come. I think it should've been Gilroy, Stalberg, and Lamoreaux. What do you think?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:45 PM)

I'll defend Thiessen a little bit (and we talked about it on the INCH podcast) but without him that team doesn't have a chance to win as many games as they did (25). We too would've liked to see him win a couple of the big ones, but there's no taking away from the season that he and Northeastern had. Also, full credit to Stalberg and Lamoureux on great seasons even though they didn't make the Hat Trick finalists.

Murph

Who will be the better pro, Matt Gilroy or Colin Wilson?

Mike Eidelbes

  (2:49 PM)

There's a reason that Wilson was a first-round NHL draft pick and Gilroy is an undrafted free agent. That's not to say Gilroy will be a bust or Wilson is a lock to be a 10-year NHLer, but Wilson has the tools to make an impact at the NHL level on par with a Jonathon Toews or a Phil Kessel. Gilroy, to me, projects as a steady, if unspectacular, blueliner at the next level.

Charlie, Granite Falls, MN

Beaver Alum from '07 here. After listening to the recent podcast, it seems you guys are not thrilled with the teams in the Frozen Four. Personally, I get sick of the same teams year in year out and wish BU would have been bounced too. Is it because your teams didn't make it or are you guys just not fans of the Cinderella stories? GO BEAVERS!!!!

Jess Myers

  (2:50 PM)

Who doesn't love a Cinderella story? As writers, we're always looking for a good story, and there are plenty of good stories to be had among these four teams, Frankly, I think a Frozen field like this one is much more interesting than another Michigan-BC-NoDak-Maine foursome or some of the "usual suspects" we've seen a lot of recently. That's not a knock on the perennial powerhouses, it's just a thumbs up for variety.

Andrew (Boston)

Is this the best BU team Ever? and which one (Gilroy or Wilson) wins Hobey?

Jeff Howe

  (2:52 PM)

Ever? Come on. That might -- MIGHT -- be a fair question to ask in 10 days, but for now, a team with that tradition doesn't field "best ever" questions until it wins a title. On the Hobey thing, I'd say Wilson has a better shot.

Brian, Grand Rapids, Minn

this has got to be the worst frozen four in a long time. i mean i love the fact that bemidji is there, but overall no national buzz in the nation's capital

Mike Eidelbes

  (2:54 PM)

Much love to the peeps in my hometown. I've done a 180 on this tournament. Monday, I thought it was the worst Frozen Four ever. But buzz doesn't make the tournament great. This group affirms the philosophy that anyone truly has a chance -- how many other athletic events can legitimately make that claim?

Steiny (NYC)

Who has been the most impressive in the Tourney?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:57 PM)

To me, it's Miami and Bemidji State because of how controlled they were in their victories. I didn't see any panic or even difficulty from them. Bemidji State came out with a great first period against Notre Dame and carried things. Then rallied after Cornell scored first on Sunday night and pulled away in the third period. Miami killed off a ton of penalties when the game was still close against Minnesota Duluth and took the lead early in their first game against Denver.

James (Chicago)

How many years away are we from a BC resurgence?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:59 PM)

Resurgence? Probably about six months away. This year was a blip. They'll never be far away from being among the nation's elite teams.

Joe Gladziszewski

  (3:01 PM)

Thanks for all of the questions. We'll be on site next week in DC and will have a slightly altered chat schedule, so check in on INCH throughout the next 10 days for complete coverage. Our INCH All-American teams are announced, and we'll be back to talk next week.