NCAA Tournament Takes Day 1: West dominant in day of close games

WORCESTER, Mass. — The NCAA tournament kicked off on Thursday, and everyone involved showed why close playoff hockey games are good for neutral fans, but maybe not those with a rooting interest.

All four games were decided by a single goal, plus or minus some empty netters, with basically every team playing a solid defensive game but not quite being able to put away their opponents. This is the romance and drama of the NCAA hockey tournament.

And in the end, Day 1 featured two upsets in four games, but one of them was barely an upset based on seeding. In the three games that featured a West vs. East matchup, the Western team emerged victorious. The way things have gone this season, that didn't feel like a coincidence.

Let's break down what happened, and what it all means, with another beautif