This is not really true in the NCAAs. Think about how many strong defensive teams with little offense have won the National Championship lately. A team has to be balanced well with offense and defense with some timely goaltending. In a one loss and you are out tournament, if you defense or goaltending is bad once, you are out. Look at Cornell last year, or Michigan State the three years before. A balanced team with serviceable goaltending will go farther, an example my team, Minnesota the last two years, BC the year before that, UND (they had solid goaltending but were still well balanced).