Former Wild captain advances to NCAA Frozen Four with Irish
WENATCHEE - When asked last February why he decided to commit to the University of Notre Dame to continue his hockey career and education, former Wenatchee Wild captain Mike Voran gave all the right answers. He touted the team's coaching staff, as well as the institution's academic notoriety and close proximity to his home in Livonia, Mich.
Thirteen months ago, Voran was not considering a fairytale conclusion to his freshman campaign with the Fighting Irish. Fantasy became reality Sunday when Notre Dame defeated New Hampshire 2-1 to win the Northeast Regional championship and earn a berth in the Frozen Four.
The Irish (25-13-5) will play Minnesota-Duluth in the semifinals on April 7 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. The game can be seen on ESPN 2 at 2 p.m. (PT).
Voran has been a steady contributor for the Irish, whose 25-win season is the fifth highest total in the program's history. In 42 games this season, Voran has four goals and 15 assists (19 points). He is also plus-11.
Two years ago, Voran helped direct the fledgling Wenatchee Wild on a journey that ended one goal shy of winning the Robertson Cup in the expansion franchise's first year of existence in the NAHL. Voran and teammate Nic Dowd, who was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the seventh round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, led the league with 22 points apiece in the 2009 Robertson Cup Playoffs.
Voran went on to be drafted No. 6 overall in the 2009 USHL entry draft by the Sioux Falls Stampede. He led the Stampede in 2009-10 with 74 points (23G, 51A) and was named to the 2010 USHL All-Star Game.
Voran is the first Wild alumnus to play in the Frozen Four, but he is far from the only NAHLer to compete in this year's final four. In all, 30 former NAHL players will compete for a national championship in St. Paul, Minn.
In addition to Voran, three other Wild alumni participated in the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Championship Tournament. Adam McKenzie, Ryan Timar and Mitch Torrel, all members of the Air Force Falcons, saw their season come to an end in a 2-1 overtime loss to tournament No. 1 seed Yale.
Should Notre Dame defeat Minnesota-Duluth, it would play the winner of Michigan-North Dakota at 4 p.m. (PT) on April 9 for the national championship. That game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) - Rubby De La Rosa allowed two hits over 5 2-3 scoreless innings, Corey Smith hit a three-run homer and Marcus Thames had a solo shot, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to an 8-1 victory over Seattle on Wednesday night in the final exhibition game for both teams.
Injury-plagued Mariners left-hander Erik Bedard gave up five runs and six hits over four innings, finishing his spring slate 3-1 in six starts with a 3.15 ERA. The No. 4 starter in the rotation is scheduled to make his season debut Monday night at Texas - his first appearance in a regular-season game since July 25, 2009.
Bedard missed the entire 2010 campaign because of two shoulder surgeries - the first on Aug. 14, 2009 to repair a torn labrum, the other last Aug. 6 to have bone spurs removed. He signed a one-year contract in December as a free agent, a month after the Mariners declined to exercise his $8 million option and opted to pay him a $250,000 buyout.
De La Rosa struck out six and walked none, finishing the spring 1-2 with a 2.29 ERA in six appearances and three starts. In his previous start on March 18, he pitched four hitless innings against San Francisco.
The 22-year-old right-hander, whose first name is pronounced 'Ruby,' was the Dodgers' minor league pitcher of the year last season and shared the organization's annual Jim and Dearie Mulvey Award this spring with outfielder Jerry Sands as the top rookies in camp.
The Mariners, who lost 101 games last season and scored a major league-worst 513 runs, open at Oakland on Friday night with reigning AL Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez making his fourth career Opening Day start against Trevor Cahill.
Notes: Mariners LF Milton Bradley finished spring training with one homer, 14 RBIs and a .318 average in 17 games. Sunday marks the 11th anniversary of the trade that sent Bradley to the Dodgers from the Cleveland Indians.