Last night combined so many things that I loved that I can only try to attempt to list the awesomeness.

1. Cheering for Notre Dame
   
2. Rooting against Michigan
   
3. Playoff hockey
   
4. Overtime
   
5. Gary Thorne
   
6. Michigan fans getting their hearts broken

The Irish stormed out to what seemed like an effortless 3-0 lead at the end of the first period, with Michigan goalie Billy Sauer resembling a delicious piece of swiss cheese, even when Notre Dame was short-handed.  After a goalie change for the number one team in the tournament, in typical Notre Dame sports fashion,  the maize and blue got two quick ones in the second to cut into the lead before pulling even at the beginning of the third.

I suppose that's when you could say things got really interesting, as the Irish rallied to go up 4-3, only to give up a pretty sketch goal from an impossible angle to tie it up.  It seemed like Michigan had all the momentum to go with their great talent when they got on a power play with 2:54 remaining, but the Notre Dame penalty killing unit (2nd best in the nation) turned them away and forced overtime.

As my roommate blasted movie themes in an attempt to somehow add to the drama, Calle Ridderwall got a loose puck off a rebound and sent the Irish to the national championship game against Boston College, marking their second win over a number one seed so far this tournament (their third was over the defending national champ).  The details of the goal were unclear, and relatively unimportant.

If you tuned in earlier in the evening, you saw our old friends, the Boston College Eagles, laying waste to the other number one seed in the tournament, North Dakota.  I imagine it basically goes without saying that the Irish will have to turn in an amazing performance tomorrow night if they don't want to fall one game short - and they probably won't be aided by the Eagles going offsides all the time like the Wolverines - but it's been a fun ride so far regardless of how things end up.

I may be wrong here, but I don't think Notre Dame has won a national championship since fencing in 2005.  It would be nice to end that little drought on Saturday night and have Coach Jackson bring some hardware back to South Bend.