The premier event in college hockey, the NCAA Frozen Four, is set to begin this week.
The annual tournament starts Thursday with the regional semifinals. Sixteen schools will be eyeing a spot in the Frozen Four and a chance to hoist an NCAA title trophy.
Teams will compete in four, four-team regions. The winners of the regionals will play in the final competition two weeks later in Boston.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of the Frozen Four college hockey tournament.
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When is the 2022 NCAA Frozen Four tournament?
- Regionals:March 24-27
- Semifinals:April 7
- Finals:April 9
Regional tournaments will begin Thursday, March 24, or Friday, March 25. The regions that start on Thursday will play their finals on Saturday, March 26. The regions that start on Friday will play their finals on Sunday, March 27.
Both semifinal games of the Frozen Four are scheduled for Thursday, April 7. The championship game will take place Saturday, April 9.
Here is a breakdown of the dates and times for the entire tournament:
| DATE | EVENT | MATCHUP | TIME (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 24 | Albany Regional semifinal | No. 1 Minnesota State 4, No. 4 Harvard 3 | Final |
| March 24 | Loveland Regional semifinal | No. 2 Minnesota Duluth 3,No. 3 Michigan Tech 0 | Final |
| March 24 | Albany Regional semifinal | No. 3 Notre Dame 2,No. 2 North Dakota 1 | Final (OT) |
| March 24 | Loveland Regional semifinal | No. 1 Denver 3, No. 4 UMass Lowell 2 | Final |
| March 25 | Worcester Regional semifinal | No. 1 Western Michigan 2, No. 4 Northeastern 1 | Final (OT) |
| March 25 | Allentown Regional semifinal | No. 1 Michigan 5, No. 4 AIC 3 | Final |
| March 25 | Worcester Regional semifinal | No. 2 Minnesota 4, No. 3 UMass 3 | Final (OT) |
| March 25 | Allentown Regional semifinal | No. 2 Quinnipiac 5, No. 3 St. Cloud State 4 | Final |
| March 26 | LovelandRegional final | No. 1 Denver 2, No. 2 Minnesota Duluth 1 | Final |
| March 26 | Albany Regional final | No. 1 Minnesota State 1, No. 3 Notre Dame 0 | Final |
| March 27 | Worcester Regional final | No. 2 Minnesota 3, No. 1 Western Michigan 0 | Final |
| March 27 | AllentownRegional final | No. 1 Michigan 7, No. 2 Quinnipiac 4 | Final |
| April 7 | National semifinals | No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 1 Denver | 5 p.m. |
| April 7 | National semifinals | No. 1 Minnesota State vs. No. 2 Minnesota | 8:30 p.m. |
| April 9 | National final | TBD | 8 p.m. |
Where is the NCAA Frozen Four being played?
- Albany Regional:Times Union Center, Albany, N.Y.
- Allentown Regional:PPL Center, Allentown, Pa.
- Loveland Regional:Budweiser Events Center, Loveland, Colo.
- Worcester Regional:DCU Center, Worcester, Mass.
- Frozen Four: TD Garden, Boston
The five locations are considered neutral sites.
The Times Union Center is the home of the National Lacross League's Albany FireWolves as well as Siena College's men's and women's basketball teams. The Albany Devils, the AHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils, used to play there before the team was disbanded.
The PPL Center is the home arena for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the AHL affiliate for the Flyers.
The Budweiser Events Center is the home rink of the Colorado Eagles, the AHL affiliate for the Avalanche.
The DCU Center is home to the Worcester Railers, the ECHL affiliate of the Islanders.
The TD Garden is the home of the Bruins and the NBA's Celtics. This is the eighth time the city has hosted the event.
How can I watch the NCAA Frozen Four?
Regional games for the Frozen Four will be televised on ESPN2, ESPNews or ESPNU. All of them can be streamed on ESPN+.
The national semifinals and final will air on ESPN2 and can also be streamed on ESPN+.
Who are the top players in the NCAA Frozen Four?
It takes talented players to get to the top, and this year's Frozen Four is no exception.
With the best programs competing for the title, some of the best players in college hockey will be playing. In fact, all 10 players who are finalists for the Hobey Baker Award have their teams in the tournament.
Here is a look at some of those top players;
Nathan Smith, Minnesota State
Smith is tied for second in the nation in points with 49 in 34 games, averaging 1.44 points per game for the Mavericks, also good for second in the country. He's helped Minnesota State to one of the four No. 1 seeds in the Frozen Four regionals.
Dryden McKay, Minnesota State
One of the best goaltenders in college hockey for the last four years, McKay has been once again sensational for the Mavericks. His 35 wins are first in the country, 1.26 goals-against average is second and his .934 save percentage is fourth. He is once again a Mike Richter finalist for the best goalie in college hockey.
Bobby Trivigno, UMass
A key part in UMass' win last year, Trivigno is leading the way for a Minutemen team looking to repeat. His 48 points rank fifth in the nation, with 20 goals and 28 assists. The Hobey Baker finalist has gained a ton of NHL interest as an undrafted free agent.
Devon Levi, Northeastern
The sophom*ore goaltender for the Huskies owns the best save percentage in the nation at .952%. His goals-against average isn't too shabby either, sitting in third with a 1.52 GAA. Levi has been the backbone for Northeastern all season long.
Matty Beniers, Michigan
The No. 2 pick from the 2021 draft has had a strong sophom*ore season, potting 19 goals and 22 assists, posting a total of 41 points in 34 games. Beniers is one of a number of talented members for the Wolverines and looks to end his college career with a national title before signing with the Kraken.
Bobby Brink, Denver
No one has scored more assists or points than Brink in the NCAA this season, recording 41 helpers and 55 points in 37 games. His1.49 also rank the highest in the nation. He's trying to get the Pioneers their first title since 2017.
Yaniv Perets, Quinnipiac
Perets has been putting up video game numbers this season. The sophom*ore for the Bobcats has an insane 0.97 goal against this year, the best in the country this season. He has paired that with a .948 save percentage, good for second behind Levi. He's in line for the Mike Richter and also is a Hobey Baker finalist.
Ethen Frank, Western Michigan
While Brink led the nation in points and assists, Frank is first in goals with 26 in 36 games. He helped the Broncos get to the national tournament for the first time since 2017 and is looking to get the program its first title in program history.
Who are the past champions of the NCAA Frozen Four?
Michigan has the most college hockey championships, with nine. Its last one came in 1998.
Denver and North Dakota have eight each, Wisconsin has six and Boston College, Boston University and Minnesota have five each.
Tournament winners over the past 10 years:
- 2021:UMass
- 2020:Tournament canceled because of COVID-19
- 2019:Minnesota Duluth
- 2018:Minnesota Duluth
- 2017:Denver
- 2016:North Dakota
- 2015:Providence
- 2014:Union
- 2013: Yale
- 2012:Boston College
