Some more INCH stuff.

Jess Meyers who covers the WCHA for INCH has a really nice article with Jean-Philippe Lamoureux:

During last year's NCAA West Regional in Denver, an Inside College Hockey staffer in attendance at North Dakota's wins against Michigan and Minnesota noted that Fighting Sioux goalie Jean-Philippe Lamoureux was a battler. Listed as 5-foot-8, the Grand Forks native never cedes control of the blue paint and never, ever gives up on a puck.

Sure, he's a scrapper, but Lamoureux is also one of the nation's elite goaltenders. He leads Division I backstops in goals against average (1.64), save percentage (.936), is tied for first in the country with six shutouts, and ranks tied for second in the land in wins (27).

The guy who puts the fight in the Fighting Sioux and one of the 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award is a major reason North Dakota is making its fourth consecutive Frozen Four appearance. In order to win the school's first national title since 2000, Lamoureux and Co. will have to conquer Boston College, the team that has knocked the Sioux in the semifinal round in both 2006 and 2007. (Read the whole interview) here.

Here are a couple of pointed questions that I like from the ESPN/INCH Chat

Good to see that INCH is still in Miami's court after they were bounced from the NCAA torney, Miami is now 2-5 in the NCAA tourney.

Ben (Grand Forks, ND): What was your favorite Regional moments?

Jeff Howe INCH: Watching the battle between Ryan Jones and Nathan Gerbe. While they weren't necessarily going one on one with each other, it was a real treat to watch them each create countless scoring chances for their teams.

Ryan (Grand Forks, ND): Did J.P.L. get snubbed by not being included in the Hobey Hat Trick? I thought last weekend locked up a solid second place behind Porter.

Joe Gladziszewski INCH/Hockey East/EZAC/CCHA appologist: I don't think it was a snub, more just a reflection on how strong the other three candidates were. The question that I had all along about Lamoureux's worthiness was that he wasn't even the First Team goalie in the WCHA. He became much more popular, it seems, when Bachman wasn't among the Hobey finalists.

stjerno (GF): Ryan Jones. Why? JPL 1.64 GAA .936 SP 6 SO SOS=first Ryan Jones plays on yet another overrated team in an overrated league.

Joe Gladziszewski INCH/Hockey East/EZAC/CCHA apologist: Ryan Jones was one of the best players on the best teams in the nation. That "overrated" league won six games last weekend in the NCAA Regional, including two head-to-head match ups against WCHA schools. Jones is the nation's leading goal scorer, a fantastic leader, and was consistent all year long.

Goon's perspective

Just for the record; C.C. hasn't won an NCAA title since 1957 and like SCSU is known for the NCAA tourney chokes. Since winning the the WCHA regular season championship and their first round WCHA series against the 10th place WCHA team the Tigers were 0-3 the rest of the way in the playoffs (Mcnaughton Curse). SCSU has never won an NCAA playoff games and throughly disappointed me by losing to the EZAC champs the Clarkson Knights. In defense of the WCHA 3 of the 6 WCHA teams from the WCHA were stuck in the same regional, hum, while the CCHA teams were spread out in the field.