1978 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament

The 1978 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament was the culmination of the 1977–78 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season, the 31st such tournament in NCAA history. It was held between March 18 and 25, 1978, and concluded with Boston University defeating Boston College 5–3. The first-round games were held at the home team venue while all succeeding games were played at the Providence Civic Center in Providence, Rhode Island.

Qualifying teams The NCAA gave four teams automatic bids into the tournament. The two ECAC teams that reached the ECAC tournament final received bids as did the two WCHA co-champions. The NCAA also had the ability to add up to 4 additional teams as it saw fit and chose to include the CCHA tournament champion as well as Boston University who had lost only two games prior to the tournament (the second being in the ECAC semifinal). This was the only time in the four years this format was used that an additional team was added to the tournament. Because Colorado College entered the tournament with a losing record Bowling Green was given the honor of hosting the western first-round game.

East West SeedSchoolConference RecordBerth typeAppearanceLast bidSeedSchoolConference RecordBerth type AppearanceLast bid1 Boston College ECAC Hockey 23–9–0 Tournament champion 11th 19731 Wisconsin WCHA 28–10–3 Tournament co-champion 5th 19772 Providence ECAC Hockey 17–14–2 Tournament finalist 2nd 19642 Colorado College WCHA 18–21–1 Tournament co-champion 8th 1957 East At-Large West At-LargeSeedSchoolConference RecordBerth typeAppearanceLast bidSeedSchoolConference RecordBerth type AppearanceLast bidA2 Boston University ECAC Hockey 27–2–0 At-Large 13th 1977A1 Bowling Green CCHA 29–7–0 Tournament champion 2nd 1977

Format The four automatic qualifiers were seeded according to pre-tournament finish. The ECAC champion was seeded as the top eastern team while the WCHA co-champion that finished highest in the regular season was given the top western seed. The second eastern seed was slotted to play the top western seed and vice versa. Because an at-large bid was offered to a western school they were placed in a first-round game with the second western seed to determine the final semifinalist. The first-round game was played at the home venue of the second seed while all succeeding games were played at the Providence Civic Center. All matches were Single-game eliminations with the semifinal winners advancing to the national championship game and the losers playing in a consolation game.

Bracket

Results First Round

Semifinals

Third Place Game

National Championship

Scoring summary Period Team Goal Assist(s) Time Score 1st BUMark Fidler – PPLamby and O'Callahan 0:38 1–0 BU BCJoe MullenAugustine 11:00 1–1 BCBobby Hehirunassisted 13:26 2–1 BC BUDave Silk – PPO'Callahan 14:44 2–2 BUTony Meagher – SHLamby 17:24 3–2 BU 2nd BUTony Meagher – GWBoileau and Hetnik 27:05 4–2 BU 3rd BUMark FidlerSilk and Lamby 41:01 5–2 BU BCSteve BargerSwitaj and Kennedy 43:30 5–3 BU Penalty summary Period Team Player Penalty Time PIM 1st BCJoe AugustineHolding 0:09 2:00 BUDick LambyHooking 2:39 2:00 BUJack O'CallahanHigh-sticking 5:51 2:00 BUBill LeBlondHigh-sticking 9:23 2:00 BCMike EwanouskiTripping 14:26 2:00 BUBill O'NeilSlashing 15:47 2:00 BUBill O'NeilHigh-sticking 18:07 2:00 BCCharlie AntetomasoTripping 18:43 2:00 2nd BCGeorge AmidonTripping 24:28 2:00 BCCharlie AntetomasoTripping 28:06 2:00 BUDick LambyHigh-sticking 28:29 2:00 BUBill LeBlondHolding 32:56 2:00 BCJoe AugustineInterference 33:53 2:00 BUMark FidlerSlashing 36:47 2:00 BCPaul HammerCross-checking 37:33 2:00 BCCharlie AntetomasoTripping 38:20 2:00 3rd BUJohn BethelHigh-sticking 48:53 2:00 BUJohn BethelRoughing 48:53 2:00 BCJoe CaseyHigh-sticking 48:53 2:00 BCJoe CaseyRoughing 48:53 2:00 BUDick LambyHolding 50:03 2:00 BCPaul BarrettHigh-sticking 55:18 2:00

Shots by period Team 1 2 3 T Boston University 13 14 9 36 Boston College 8 9 14 31

Goaltenders Team Name Saves Goals against Time on ice BU Jim Craig 28 3 BC Paul Skidmore 31 5

All-Tournament Team G: Paul Skidmore (Boston College) D: Dick Lamby (Boston University) D: Jack O'Callahan* (Boston University) F: Mark Fidler (Boston University) F: Joe Mullen (Boston College) F: Dave Silk (Boston University) * Most Outstanding Player(s)

References