NCAA hockey schedule, results, previews, highlights
The 2025 men’s Frozen Four started with two newcomers and two blue bloods. The championship game will feature one of each.
In the title game, Western Michigan, making its Frozen Four debut, will face Boston University, which is in the national title game after losing in the semifinals the last two years, Saturday night at 7:30 ET on ESPN2 and ESPN+.
In the first semifinal Thursday night, Western Michigan knocked off defending national champion Denver 3-2 in double overtime on Owen Michaels’ second goal of the game 26 seconds into the second extra period. The Broncos held a 2-0 lead after dominating the first 40 minutes, but the Pioneers turned the tables in the third period and tied the game at 17:21 on Jared Wright’s goal off a scramble out front.
In the nightcap, BU used a pair of goals in a dominant second period, from Jack Hughes and Cole Eiserman, to eliminate Penn State 3-1. The Terriers are seeking the sixth national title in program history, but the first in 16 years. The Nittany Lions were making their Frozen Four debut.
Every NCAA tournament game will be available on ESPN+. Subscribe to watch.
Below is the schedule for entire tournament, which will be updated with results as games are played, plus highlights from the Frozen Four games, features of the top storylines of the tournament and a look at each of the 16 teams.
Jump to a section:
Frozen Four highlights
Top storylines | Teams at a glance
Schedule
All times Eastern
Toledo (Ohio) Regional
Semifinals, March 27
Boston University 8, Ohio State 3
Cornell 4, Michigan State 3
Final, March 29
Boston University 3, Cornell 2 (OT)
Boston University wins Toledo Regional
Fargo (N.D.) Regional
Semifinals, March 27
Western Michigan 2, Minnesota State 1 (2 OT)
UMass 5, Minnesota 4 (OT)
Final, March 29
Western Michigan 2, UMass 1
Western Michigan wins Fargo Regional
Manchester (N.H.) Regional
Semifinals, March 28
Boston College 3, Bentley 1
Denver 5, Providence 1
Final, March 30
Denver 3, Boston College 1
Denver wins Manchester Regional
Allentown (Penn.) Regional
Semifinals, March 28
UConn 4, Quinnipiac 1
Penn State 5, Maine 1
Final, March 30
Penn State 3, UConn 2 (OT)
Penn State wins Allentown Regional
FROZEN FOUR
at Enterprise Center, St. Louis
National semifinals, April 10
Western Michigan 3, Denver 2 (2 OT)
Boston University 3, Penn State 1
National championship game, April 12
Western Michigan vs. Boston University, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
Highlights
BU-PENN STATE
0:35
Jack Hughes gives Boston University early lead
Jack Hughes scores to give Boston University a 1-0 lead over Penn State.
0:46
Cole Eiserman doubles Terriers’ lead
Cole Eiserman scores to give Boston University a 2-0 lead over Penn State.
WESTERN MICHIGAN-DENVER
0:52
Jared Wright ties the score late for Denver
Denver’s Jared Wright pokes the puck past the goalie to help the Pioneers tie the score late in the third period.
0:32
Owen Michaels’ wrister adds to Western Michigan’s lead
Western Michigan’s Owen Michaels finds the net on a wrister to give the Broncos a 2-0 lead in the second period.
Tournament storylines
‘Till the rafters ring’: Maine’s resurgence has its fans believing again
Once a perennial power, the Black Bears fought through tragedy and tough times to be a Frozen Four contender 25 years after their last national title. Read more
8:17
The Maine awakening
It’s been 18 years since Maine hockey’s last Frozen Four appearance, but as John Buccigross reports, a resurgence up in Orono has the Black Bears sights set on a return to St. Louis.
‘Have fun out there’: A simple message keeps Trey Augustine on his game
The Spartans goaltender, who hopes to lead his team to its first national title since 2007, recalls his late grandfather’s words every time he steps on the ice. Read more
6:13
The legacy and lineage of Trey Augustine
Jen Lada profiles the Spartans’ superstar goaltender, Trey Augustine, focusing on his relationship with his inspiration and namesake.
Top seed Boston College plays with Gaudreaus, Voce close to hearts
Three former Eagles — Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Gaudreau and Tony Voce — died this past summer. This year’s team, which has been No. 1 in the country most of the season, looks to win a national championship in their memory. Read more
9:44
Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau forever BC hockey family
Jeremy Schaap reports on how the Eagles are honoring the legacies of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau.
Roundtable: Teams and players to watch, plus Frozen Four picks
Are BC and Michigan State on a collision course for a title game matchup? What lower seed will be the toughest out? And who will make it to St. Louis? Andrew Raycroft and Sean Ritchlin break it all down. Read more
Teams at a glance
(Statistics entering NCAA tournament)
Toledo Regional
No. 1 Michigan State
Record: 26-6-4
PairWise rating: No. 2
How the Spartans got here: Big Ten champion
Last 10 games: 6-3-1
History lesson: This is Michigan State’s 29th NCAA appearance. The Spartans have been to the Frozen Four 11 times and have won three national titles, the last in 2007. Michigan State lost to Michigan in the regional finals last season, which was its first time in the tournament since 2012.
No. 2 Boston University
Record: 21-13-2
PairWise rating: 7
How the Terriers got here: At-large bid
Last 10 games: 6-3-1 (lost Hockey East semifinal to UConn)
History lesson: This is BU’s 40th NCAA appearance, including three of the past four years. The Terriers have been to the Frozen Four 24 times and have won five national titles, the last in 2009. The Terriers lost in overtime to Denver in the national semifinals last season, the second straight year they lost in the national semis.
No. 3 Ohio State
Record: 24-13-2
PairWise rating: 10
How the Buckeyes got here: At-large bid
Last 10 games: 5-5 (lost Big Ten final to Michigan State)
History lesson: This is Ohio State’s 12th NCAA appearance and its second in three years. The Buckeyes have been to the Frozen Four twice, most recently in 2018, and have never won the national title.
No. 4 Cornell
Record: 18-10-6
PairWise rating: 17
How the Big Red got here: ECAC champion
Last 10 games: 8-2
History lesson: This is Cornell’s 27th NCAA appearance, including the past three years in a row. The Big Red have been to the Frozen Four eight times and have won the national championship twice, most recently in 1970. Cornell lost to Denver in the regional finals last season.
Fargo Regional
No. 1 Western Michigan
Record: 30-7-1
PairWise rating: 4
How the Broncos got here: NCHC champion
Last 10 games: 8-2
History lesson: This is Western Michigan’s 10th NCAA appearance, including the past four years. The Broncos lost in overtime to Michigan State in the first round last season, falling to 1-10 all time in NCAA tournament play.
No. 2 Minnesota
Record: 25-10-4
PairWise rating: 5
How the Golden Gophers got here: At-large bid
Last 10 games: 5-4-1 (lost Big Ten quarterfinal series to Notre Dame)
History lesson: This is Minnesota’s 42nd NCAA appearance, including the past five years. The Gophers have been to the Frozen Four 23 times and have won five national titles, the last in 2003. Minnesota lost to Boston University in the regional finals last season.
No. 3 UMass
Record: 20-13-5
PairWise rating: 11
How the Minutemen got here: At-large bid
Last 10 games: 5-2-3 (lost Hockey East quarterfinal to BU in overtime)
History lesson: This is UMass’ seventh NCAA appearance, including five of the past six tournaments. The Minutemen have been to the Frozen Four twice and won one national title, in 2021. UMass lost to Denver in double overtime in the first round of last year’s tournament.
No. 4 Minnesota State
Record: 27-8-3
PairWise rating: 14
How the Mavericks got here: CCHA champion
Last 10 games: 9-0-1
History lesson: This is Minnesota State’s 12th NCAA appearance, including six of the last seven tournaments. The Mavericks have been to the Frozen Four twice and are still looking for their first national championship. Minnesota State didn’t make the tournament last year and lost to St. Cloud State in the first round in 2023.
Manchester Regional
No. 1 Boston College
Record: 26-7-2
PairWise rating: 1
How the Eagles got here: At-large bid
Last 10 games: 6-3-1 (lost Hockey East quarterfinal to Northeastern)
History lesson: This is BC’s 39th NCAA appearance. The Eagles have been to the Frozen Four 26 times and have won five national titles, the last in 2012. BC lost to Denver 2-0 in last year’s championship game after not making the tournament the previous two years.
No. 2 Providence
Record: 21-10-5
PairWise rating: 8
How the Friars got here: At-large bid
Last 10 games: 5-4-1 (lost Hockey East quarterfinal to UConn)
History lesson: This is Providence’s 16th NCAA appearance, its first since 2019. The Friars have been to the Frozen Four five times and won the national title once, in 2015.
No. 3 Denver
Record: 29-11-1
PairWise rating: 9
How the Pioneers got here: At-large bid
Last 10 games: 7-3 (lost NCHC final to Western Michigan in double overtime)
History lesson: This is Denver’s 34th NCAA appearance, including 15 of the past 16 tournaments. The Pios have been to the Frozen Four 18 times and won 10 national titles, the most ever. Denver beat BC for the national championship last season, its second title in three years.
No. 4 Bentley
Record: 23-14-2
PairWise rating: 22
How the Falcons got here: Atlantic champion
Last 10 games: 8-2
History lesson: This is Bentley’s first NCAA appearance in the program’s 26th season in Division I and the second year with Andy Jones as coach. The Falcons have set a school record for victories and are enjoying their first winning season since 2020.
Allentown Regional
No. 1 Maine
Record: 24-7-6
PairWise rating: 3
How the Black Bears got here: Hockey East champion
Last 10 games: 6-2-2
History lesson: This is Maine’s 21st NCAA appearance. The Black Bears have been to the Frozen Four 11 times and have won two national titles, the last in 1999. Maine lost to Cornell in the first round last season, its first tournament appearance since 2012.
No. 2 UConn
Record: 22-11-4
PairWise rating: 6
How the Huskies got here: At-large bid
Last 10 games: 8-1-1 (lost Hockey East final to Maine)
History lesson: This is UConn’s first NCAA appearance in the program’s 27 years in Division I. The Huskies set a school record for wins as a Div. 1 team in Mike Cavanaugh’s 11th season at the helm.
No. 3 Quinnipiac
Record: 24-11-2
PairWise ranking: 12
How the Bobcats got here: At-large bid
Last 10 games: 7-3 (lost ECAC semifinal to Cornell in overtime)
History lesson: This is Quinnipiac’s 11th NCAA appearance, including each of the last six tournaments. The Bobcats have been to the Frozen Four three times and won one national title, in 2023. Quinnipiac lost to Boston College in overtime in the regional finals last season.
No. 4 Penn State
Record: 20-13-4
PairWise rating: 13
How the Nittany Lions got here: At-large bid
Last 10 games: 7-2-1 (lost Big Ten semifinal to Ohio State in overtime)
History lesson: This is Penn State’s fifth NCAA appearance. In 2023, the Nittany Lions lost in the regional finals to Michigan in overtime. Penn State has never been to the Frozen Four.
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Andrea Adelson
Close
Andrea Adelson
ESPN Senior Writer
- ACC reporter.
- Joined ESPN.com in 2010.
- Graduate of the University of Florida.
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David Hale
Close
David Hale
ESPN Staff Writer
- College football reporter.
- Joined ESPN in 2012.
- Graduate of the University of Delaware.
After an awkwardly handled replay late in the first half of last weekend’s game between UConn and Syracuse, a longtime ACC official has quit his post over frustration with the way the review was handled, sources told ESPN on Friday.
Gary Patterson, who served as the head referee for Saturday’s matchup between the Huskies and the Orange and has worked as an official with the ACC since 2002, abruptly terminated his contract with the conference after the game.
The ACC confirmed Patterson’s departure from the conference’s roster of officials Friday but said that adjustments to officiating crews have already been made and that there will be no disruption to league officiating. Patterson had been scheduled to referee Saturday’s game between Pitt and West Virginia.
The sequence that reportedly led to Patterson’s departure began with 1:02 remaining in the half and UConn leading 14-3. Syracuse opened a drive at the Huskies’ 25-yard line, and on first down, quarterback Steve Angeli dropped back to pass. His arm was hit as he threw, and the ball went forward about 8 yards, landing on the turf.
The officials immediately ruled the pass incomplete. Syracuse then snapped the ball again with 58 seconds left on the clock, though about 25 seconds of real time passed between plays. The second-down throw was nearly intercepted before two UConn players collided and the pass fell incomplete, bringing up a third-and-10 with 53 seconds to go.
A flag was thrown after the play, however, and Patterson could be seen talking on his headset to the ACC’s command center for nearly 90 seconds before announcing that “replay had buzzed in prior to the previous play.”
Sources who have reviewed numerous camera angles of the sequence said there was no physical indication by any official on the field that they had been buzzed by the replay booth before the second-down snap. An ACC spokesperson said that officials were buzzed to initiate the review but that the timing was not ideal for it to be a seamless replay. The conference has addressed the handling of this sequence internally, the spokesperson said.
Officials reviewed the first-down play to see whether Angeli had fumbled, negating the second-down play, before ultimately upholding the original call of an incomplete pass.
Syracuse and UConn officials were told the referee had simply “not heard” the initial request from the replay booth before the second-down snap.
ESPN rules expert Bill LeMonnier, who has decades of experience as an official, said the series of events was uncharacteristic of how a replay would normally be handled.
“Let’s say they’re right up at the line, the ball’s being snapped, and the buzzers go off,” LeMonnier said. “It’s the referee’s discretion to shut the play down vs. saying it’s too late. It’s supposed to be in the referee’s hands.”
LeMonnier also said a flag thrown after the second-down play, which was presumably due to a high hit on Angeli by a UConn defender, was ignored, despite rules saying a personal foul would be enforced even during a dead ball period.
“The mistakes were completely created by either the replay booth or the command center,” LeMonnier said. “It’s not the fault of the officials on the field.”
Every play is subject to review. When officials are buzzed to begin the process, they get on the headset with the replay booth in the stadium and the ACC command center and the review is initiated.
Two sources with knowledge of the situation said the directive came from the ACC command center.
One source said Patterson was upset at the ACC’s interference in forcing a replay after the next play had already occurred, instigating his resignation. Patterson did not respond to requests by ESPN for comment.
After the second-down incompletion was wiped out, Syracuse went 61 yards on its next seven plays and kicked a field goal as time expired in the half. The Orange went on to win the game 27-20 in overtime.
For select games this season, the ACC has allowed cameras and audio access to the review process, offering transparency into the discussions between on-field officials and replay officials at the command center. Last week’s game between UConn and Syracuse, however, was not among those with command center coverage.
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David Hale
The Backyard Brawl is set to continue until at least 2036 after Pitt and West Virginia agreed to an extension of the series.
The two schools will face off Saturday for the 108th time in their history before taking a three-year break. The series will begin again in 2029 and be played each year thereafter until 2036.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled for what this means for both Pitt and West Virginia,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said in a statement. “But this goes far beyond four more games and the 75 miles separating us. This paves the way for future Panthers to carry on the history of this rivalry, while current ones get to forge new legacies for years to come. This extension isn’t just for Pitt and West Virginia, but for college football fans everywhere.”
The rivalry dates back to 1895, but it was interrupted after the 2011 meeting when West Virginia departed the Big East for the Big 12. Pitt joined the ACC a year later. The Brawl disappeared for 10 years until it was reignited as a nonconference matchup in 2022. Pitt holds an all-time edge, 63-41-3, and has won two of the past three.
The two schools had already scheduled games from 2029 through 2032 before Friday’s announcement of an extension.
West Virginia, which hosts Saturday’s showdown, will also welcome the Panthers in 2030, 2032, 2034 and 2036. Pitt will host the game in 2029, 2031, 2033 and 2035
Narduzzi was critical of West Virginia earlier this week, suggesting the Mountaineers could have added Pitt in 2026, too, after a home-and-home series against Alabama was shelved. Instead, the Mountaineers will face Coastal Carolina next season.
“I think our athletic director has reached out to them, and they already got it filled up, which means maybe they didn’t want to play us,” Narduzzi said. “I don’t know. They filled it up. I know if we knew that was going to happen, that would be our first call. Whatever. Can’t do anything about it. Stay in my lane.”
Narduzzi told ESPN earlier this week that “nobody’s chicken” and he may have gotten bad information but that he is eager to keep the rivalry alive, adding Pitt will “take Penn State, too” — referring to another heated rivalry that’s been played just four times since 2000.
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