Well-rested Bulldogs hope to bounce back -- as usual

UMD will be well-rested when it opens NCAA tournament play against Union at 2 p.m. Friday in the East Regional in Bridgeport, Conn.

Bemidji State bounced the Bulldogs out of the Final Five on Thursday of last week in the quarterfinals, 3-2 in overtime.

Mike Connolly of the Bulldogs said UMD did what it wanted to do -- for two periods.

"We had a 2-1 lead going into the third and came out pretty flat," the junior winger said on the night of the loss. "And we were never able to recover. Heading into overtime -- our record shows that we have been there quite a bit -- we are all comfortable in overtime. But [this] obviously wasn't our night, mainly because of a lack of effort from the players.

"We need to regroup and get ready for next weekend."

"It has been our problem all year, putting teams away," Connolly said. "It showed again [versus Bemidji State]. But the beauty of it is, we get another weekend, another chance. It is going to be a big week for us, we are excited."

LOSS A HICCUP

Said Connolly, "There are so many great teams in this country. It is definitely an honor to be going to the national tournament. It has been a long road. We have worked hard. We deserve to be there. [The loss to BSU] was a little hiccup in our step. But we are going to take it on the chin and we are going to go back to work this week. What it all comes down to, is winning a national championship.

"We have five or six seniors where this is their last year. They put in four years of dedication in this program. Everyone is pulling in that dressing room on the same chain. We just have to go take care of business."

TIME TO REFOCUS

"We wanted to win this tournament," said Mike Montgomery, a senior defenseman. "But now we just have to refocus and hopefully look at it as a blessing in disguise. And get prepared for four games. That's what we've got to do. A four-game run here."

If the Bulldogs were to win their next four games, they would be the NCAA champions. The Frozen Four is April 7 and 9 at the Xcel.

QUICK EXIT A PLUS?

"This team when they have had their backs against the wall or they lost a game, they resonded the right way every time," Sandelin said. "And I expect our team to do the same [Friday]."

The Bulldogs could have played three games in three days at the Final Five, instead they were one and done.

"For us, it gives us some time to rest a little bit," Sandelin said. "We do have some guys that are banged up. We had some guys playing hurt and sick and all that stuff. It is not an excuse, they played because they came here to win this tournament. But it is going to give us an opportunity to do that and prepare for [Union].

"So hopefully, [the loss to BSU] does turn into a positive in that way. I just told them, remember how losing feels. ... But you have to put it behind you and move forward and now you have an opportunity to do something and achieve a goal that you set at the beginning of the year.