The NCAA Hockey Season is coming to an end as the calendar turns to Spring. But before the book can be closed on the 2017-18 season, there is the Frozen Four Tournament to name a National Champion. This year, the Chicago Blackhawks are well represented in the tournament with eight prospects playing for six different schools.
Ian Mitchell and Blake Hillman attempt to defend Denver University’s 2017 National Championship, but have a tough test ahead. The Blackhawks prospects trying to unseat Hillman, Mitchell, and the rest of the Pioneers squad are Chad Krys of Boston University (Hockey East Champions), Ryan Shea and Dylan Sikura of Northeastern University, Dennis Gilbert of the University of Notre Dame (Big Ten Champions), Beau Starrett of Cornell University, and Evan Barratt of Penn State University.
Eight Blackhawks Prospects Vying For NCAA Championship
The Frozen Four tournament begins on March 23 with the Regional semi-finals on March 23 and 24 and the Regional finals on March 24 and 25. The Regional final winners advance to the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minnesota on April 5 with the National Championship taking place on April 7 at the Xcel Energy Center.
WEST REGION
No Blackhawks representation in the West Region, which has top-overall seed St. Cloud State take on Air Force and Minnesota-Duluth squaring off against Minnesota State.
EAST REGION
In the East Region, #2 overall seed Notre Dame takes on Michigan Tech, while Providence faces Clarkson. Big Ten champions Notre Dame and Dennis Gilbert look to advance to back-to-back Frozen Four’s after falling to eventual National Champion Denver last year in Chicago. This year marks Notre Dame’s 10th NCAA Tournament appearance as they look for their fourth Frozen Four.
NORTHEAST REGION
Things get really interesting in the tournament’s Northeast Region as Beau Starrett and #3 overall seed Cornell take on Chad Krys and Boston University in the Regional semi-final. Also, in the Midwest Region is the University of Michigan taking on Ryan Shea and Dylan Sikura of Northeastern University.
For Starrett and Cornell, this is the 21st NCAA Tournament appearance in school history and their first back-to-back appearances since 2009 and 2010. Cornell has eight Frozen Four appearances in school history, but has not made the National Semi-Finals since 2003.
As for Krys and the Boston Terriers, this is the 36th NCAA Tournament appearance in school history and their fourth trip in a row. Last season, Boston fell an overtime goal short of the Frozen Four as they lost to eventual National Runner-Up Minnesota-Duluth. Boston is attempting to reach their 23rd Frozen Four, with their last appearance coming in 2015.
Northeastern will be looking for their second Frozen Four appearance in school history with their sixth bid in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies have never won an NCAA Hockey National Championship with their only Frozen Four appearance coming in 1982. A lot of Blackhawks eyes will be on Northeastern as Sikura has become one of the most sought-after NCAA players over the last two seasons. Chicago drafted Sikura in the sixth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
MIDWEST REGION
Finally in the Midwest Region, the winner of #4 overall seed Ohio State and Princeton will face the winner of Evan Barratt and Penn State University versus defending National Champions Blake Hillman, Ian Mitchell, and the Denver Pioneers.
For Penn State, a program that joined the NCAA in the 2012-13 season, this marks the second NCAA tournament appearance in back-to-back years. Last season ended for the Nittany Lions at the hands of Denver University in the Regional Final. No doubt that Penn State will be looking for revenge, but it won’t be easy against a stacked Pioneers squad. Denver is making it’s 29th NCAA Tournament appearance and have made the tournament 11 years in a row dating back to the 2008 tournament. A powerhouse in NCAA hockey over the last decade and change, Denver has 16 Frozen Four appearances program history with back-to-back appearances in 2016 and 2017, winning their 8th National Championship last year in Chicago, defeating Minnesota-Duluth.
Another team that a lot of the Blackhawks community will be paying attention to as Pioneers freshman defenseman Ian Mitchell has garnered a lot of praise as a top-end defensive prospect. The Blackhawks drafted Mitchell in the second round of last year’s NHL Entry Draft and was named to the NCHC Conference All-Tournament team as Denver defeated St. Cloud State.
How To Watch
Here is the full TV Schedule for the NCAA Frozen Four Tournament from USCHO.com:
East Regional
At Webster Bank Arena, Bridgeport, Conn., March 23-24
• Friday: Notre Dame vs. Michigan Tech, 3 p.m., ESPN2
• Friday: Providence vs. Clarkson, 6:30 p.m., ESPNU
• Saturday: Friday winners, 6 p.m., ESPNU
West Regional
At Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, Sioux Falls, S.D., March 23-24
• Friday: St. Cloud State vs. Air Force, 4 p.m., ESPNU
• Friday: Minnesota State vs. Minnesota Duluth, 7:30 p.m., ESPN3
• Saturday: Friday winners, 9 p.m., ESPN2
Northeast Regional
At DCU Center, Worcester, Mass., March 24-25
• Saturday: Cornell vs. Boston University, 1 p.m., ESPNews
• Saturday: Michigan vs. Northeastern, 4:30 p.m., ESPNews
• Sunday: Saturday winners, 4 p.m., ESPN2
Midwest Regional
At PPL Center, Allentown, Pa., March 24-25
• Saturday: Ohio State vs. Princeton, 3:30 p.m., ESPNU
• Saturday: Denver vs. Penn State, 7 p.m., ESPN3
• Sunday: Saturday winners, 6:30 p.m., ESPNU
Frozen Four
At Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minn., April 5-7
• Thursday, April 5: West Regional winner vs. Midwest Regional winner, 6 or 9:30 p.m., ESPN2; Northeast Regional winner vs. East Regional winner, 6 or 9:30 p.m., ESPN2
• Saturday, April 7: Semifinal winners, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2