Back Country vs Inner City

It's the two most northern teams in Hockey East vs the two center city teams. Vermont and Maine, clearly are the schools of the northwoods and BU and BC are the teams of Boston.

BC, the 2 seed, swept Umass in the quarterfinals. The sweep looks good but when you take a closer look you will see that it was one of the more difficult sweeps. In game one, Boston College head coach Jerry York showed no confidence in starting goalie Jone Muse. Instead he opted to go with backup Parker Milner. The move payed off, sort of. The Minutemen did comeback and make it a game. It proved to be to little to late as BC, lead by a hat trick from Cam  Atkinson, upended Umass 6-5. The next night was a different story. Umass kept it a game through the first two periods but BC was to much to handle as they skated past Umass 5-2 to advance to the semi finals. There, they will play the number 8 seed, Vermont. Vermont got waxed in their first, 7-4 game against UNH but then came back strong the next night and snuffed out the Wildcats 1-0. The next night, Vermont again prevented the UNH ritual of throwing to fish on the ice after they score their first goal. Vermont would shutout the Wildcats, in overtime 1-0, behind stealer  goaltending from Rob Madore.

BU, as you should know, beat Merrimack two games to one and advanced to their 9th consecutive trip to the Garden (new league record). In the first game, the Terriers found themselves down two nothing to Merrimack in the second period. Then David Warsofsky changed the tide of the game, after he scored on a break-a-way. BU would tie the game not long after. Vinny Saponari picked up Nick Bonino's rebound and scored. In the third Saponari would strike again and BU would take game one. In game two, despite great play form Kieran Millan in goal, the Terriers would fall in overtime, when Joe Cucci scored. Game three showed that BU was just better the MC on all fronts. Millan played well again and the Terriers picked up a three nothing shut out, the first of the year. In the semi finals BU will take on Maine. Maine, some what a surprise, made the Garden after dropping two game to a struggling Umass team, the week before the tournament started. In game one it looked like much of the same as Lowell dropped the Black Bears 2-1. Saturday, Maine would shut out Lowell and force a deciding game three. With Lowell up late in the third it looked like Maine's season was over. Then lighting struck Alfond arena, and Maine caught fire. They would tie it before the end of regulation and the in overtime, Will O'Neill scored sending Maine to the Garden for the first time since 2006.

Predictions 
Vermont- 2 BC-1 (ot)
BU- 5 Maine- 3