Team Tampa Bay's Take with Joey Johnston: Men's Frozen Four Regionals Take Centerstage
The Road to Tampa Bay begins … right now!
By Joey Johnston
The Road to Tampa Bay begins … right now!
More than a decade ago, it stopped being a novelty for college hockey-mad fans to trade their parkas and scarves for shorts and flip-flops as they descended upon the NCAA Frozen Four.
The countdown has begun for Tampa Bay’s third crack at hosting college hockey’s ultimate event. It’s set for April 6 and April 8 at downtown Tampa’s Amalie Arena, which will become the epicenter for some of the most loyal, spirited, and fun-loving fans in all of sports.
There are 61 men’s hockey-playing schools in Division I.
After last week’s conference tournaments, the field of 16 has been announced by the NCAA — with opening-round games scheduled for Thursday and Friday — and everyone has their sights set on becoming one of the Frozen Four, reaching Tampa Bay’s unmatched atmosphere of hospitality and championship excitement.
Here’s what to expect:
FOLLOW ALONG ON TV
Each of the opening-round games and region finals will be televised. Here’s a quick guide:
Thursday’s Games
2 p.m. — Manchester Region: Boston University (27-10-0) vs. Western Michigan (23-14-1), ESPN2
5 p.m. — Fargo Region: St. Cloud State (24-12-3) vs. Minnesota State (25-12-1), ESPNU
5:30 p.m. — Manchester Region: No. 4-seeded Denver (30-9-0) vs. Cornell (20-10-2), ESPNews
9 p.m. — Fargo Region: No. 1-seeded Minnesota (26-9-1) vs. Canisius (25-12-1), ESPN2
Friday’s Games
2 p.m. — Bridgeport Region: Ohio State (20-15-3) vs. Harvard (24-7-2), ESPNU
5 p.m. — Allentown Region: Michigan Tech (24-10-4) vs. Penn State (21-15-1), ESPNU
5:30 p.m. — Bridgeport Region: No. 2-seeded Quinnipiac (30-4-3) vs. Merrimack (23-13-1), ESPNews
8:30 p.m. — Allentown Region: No. 3-seeded Michigan (24-11-3) vs. Colgate (19-15-5), ESPNU
Saturday’s Games
4 p.m. — Manchester Region final, ESPNU
6:30 p.m. — Fargo Region final, ESPNU
Sunday’s Games
4 p.m. — Bridgeport Region final, ESPN2
6:30 p.m. — Allentown Region final, ESPN2
Frozen Four
Thursday, April 6
(Games at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., ESPN2)
Fargo Region champion vs. Manchester Region champion
Bridgeport Region champion vs. Allentown Region champion
Saturday, April 8
8 p.m. — National Championship, ESPN
WHO’S THE FAVORITE?
A loaded question because upsets can — and will — happen. But the Minnesota Golden Gophers are the No. 1 overall seed for a reason. Despite a wild 4-3 defeat against Michigan in the Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game, the Gophers still had enough clout to be selected on the top line of the NCAA field.
Few teams have Minnesota’s tradition. The Gophers are making their 40th NCAA Tournament appearance (tied for first all-time) with 58 wins (first). This is their 22nd Frozen Four and the program has five national championships — but none since 2003, when the Gophers completed back-to-back titles.
Gophers coach Bob Motzko has a dynamic top line with Big Ten Player of the Year Matthew Knies (41 points), Logan Cooley (52 points) and Jimmy Snuggerud (49 points), plus a defense anchored by Brock Faber, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and goalie Justen Close.
The region field in Fargo, North Dakota will have a decided Minnesota flavor with the Gophers, St. Cloud State and Minnesota State occupying three of the four spots.
WHO’S THE CINDERELLA?
Put another way — and we’re talking to you, basketball fans — does the NCAA hockey field have a Fairleigh Dickinson or Princeton lurking?
Absolutely.
Colgate entered the ECAC Tournament as a complete afterthought with a sub-.500 overall record (14-15-5). But the Raiders stormed into the semifinals — fittingly enough, held at Lake Placid, New York — and stunned heavily favored Quinnipiac 2-1 in two overtimes. Quinnipiac, the NCAA field’s No. 2 overall seed, was the first ECAC team with 20 regular-season victories since 1988-89. Colgate then dumped Harvard (another NCAA qualifier) 3-2 in the ECAC final for its first conference title since 1990. It was a rags-to-riches reward for Raiders Coach Don Vaughan, the 30th-year Colgate leader who reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014.
Colgate goalie Carter Gylander, named ECAC Tournament Most Valuable Player and helped by 36 blocked shots against Harvard, will face an immediate challenge when the Raiders open against Big Ten champion Michigan in the Allentown, Pennsylvania Region opener. The Raiders will need continued standout play from forwards Ross Milton and Alex Young (21 goals, 39 points).
WHO’S DANGEROUS?
Ordinarily, a defending national champion wouldn’t be classified as “dangerous.’’ But the Denver Pioneers (30-9), shuffled to the No. 4 and final overall seed, were stunned by Colorado College 1-0 in the NCHC Tournament semifinals.
Pioneers coach David Carle dismissed it as a momentary lapse, saying he’s confident that his Denver players know how to overcome adversity. “Any time we’ve had a setback, this team has shown the ability to look in the mirror and evaluate itself honestly as to what didn’t go well,’’ Carle said.
Denver goalie Magnus Chrona, seeing his first action since a lower-body injury on Feb. 25, was pulled in the third period but Carle expects Chrona to be at full strength against Cornell in the Manchester, New Hampshire Region opener.
The Pioneers have one of the NCAA’s most dynamic players in sophomore forward Carter Mazur, a third-round pick of the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings in 2021. He’s the kind of player who can carry a team to a championship.
Denver is trying to become only the fifth program to repeat as national champions since 1970 — duplicating its own feat (2004, 2005), while joining Minnesota-Duluth (2018, 2019); Minnesota (2002, 2003) and Boston University (1971, 1972).
WHO’S INTRIGUING?
The Merrimack College Warriors nearly pulled off the Hockey East Tournament championship, falling 3-2 in overtime against Boston University. It was Merrimack’s third consecutive extra-time effort after it downed Boston College (1-0 in two overtimes) in the quarterfinals and UMass-Lowell (2-1 in two overtimes) in the semifinals.
The Warriors were galvanized by the shocking Oct. 3 death of assistant coach Josh Ciocco, who was 38. Merrimack went 11-2 through New Year’s Day, then slumped during a 2-7-2 streak. The Warriors against caught fire with a seven-game winning streak that carried them into the conference title game.
“This team wants to keep playing together,’’ Merrimack coach Scott Borek said. “I know that sounds cliche, but this team does not want to separate. They want to stay together. They want to keep playing.’’
The opener in Bridgeport, Connecticut Regional will be challenging. Merrimack has drawn No. 2 overall seed Quinnipiac, a top national-title contender, which was shockingly upset by Colgate in the ECAC Tournament semifinals. Quinnipiac should enjoy a home-ice atmosphere as its campus is just 23 miles from the Bridgeport site.
WHO’S TAMPA BAY’S THIRD CHAMPION?
Regardless of who emerges with the trophy on April 8 at Amalie Arena, it will be a new team. Boston College (2012) and North Dakota (2016), the previous two NCAA champions during Tampa Bay’s Frozen Four events, did not make this season’s 16-team field.
But Tampa Bay’s third time will be the charm for … somebody. If past experience is any indication, the Tampa Bay area will soon be where four teams, four fan bases, Frozen Four regulars and Hockey Bay locals converge for an unforgettable weekend of college hockey.
It’s almost time to drop the puck.
The Road to Tampa Bay begins … right now!