Sizing up the men’s hockey bracket on the way to the Frozen Four
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Steve RichardsESPN
The NCAA men’s hockey tournament field is set, with 16 teams vying for a trip to Tampa, Florida, for the Frozen Four and a chance at the national championship.
The top four seeds include three of the sport’s most decorated programs — Minnesota, Michigan and defending champ Denver — plus a recent powerhouse in Quinnipiac, which has the best record in the country.
The 16-team field, which includes the six conference champions and 10 at-large teams, will compete in regional play Thursday and Friday, with the regional finals to be played Saturday and Sunday.
The Frozen Four will be at Amalie Arena in Tampa, with the national semifinals April 6 and the national championship game April 8.
Every game of the tournament will be on either ESPN 2, ESPNU or ESPNews and will be available to stream on the ESPN app.
Below are the pairings and schedules for the tournament and a team-by-team look at the field. The schedule will be updated with results as games are played. For a bracket that will update as games are completed, click here.
Schedule
All times Eastern
Manchester, New Hampshire, regional
Thursday: Western Michigan vs. Boston University, 2 p.m. (ESPN2); Cornell vs. Denver, 5:30 p.m. (ESPNews)
Saturday: Regional final, 4 p.m. (ESPNU)
Fargo, North Dakota, regional
Thursday: Minnesota State vs. St. Cloud State, 5 p.m. (ESPNU); Canisius vs. Minnesota, 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
Saturday: Regional final, 6:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
Bridgeport, Connecticut, regional
Friday: Ohio State vs. Harvard, 2 p.m. (ESPNU); Merrimack vs. Quinnipiac, 5:30 p.m. (ESPNews)
Sunday: Regional final, 4 p.m. (ESPN2)
Allentown, Pennsylvania, regional
Friday: Michigan Tech vs. Penn State, 5 p.m. (ESPNU); Colgate vs. Michigan, 8:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
Sunday: Regional final, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Frozen Four
at Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida
April 6: National semifinals, 5 and 8:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
April 8: National championship game, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)
Manchester regional
Denver (30-9-0)
How they got in: At-large bid (lost NCHC semifinal to Colorado College)
NCAA appearances: 32
Frozen Four appearances: 18 (nine national titles, last in 2022)
Last NCAA finish: Won national title over Minnesota State in 2022
Of note: Denver was rolling along, winning 11 of 12, before a stunning 1-0 loss to Colorado College in the NCHC semis likely snapped the team to attention. … Special teams could be a key for Denver’s quest to defend its national title. The Pioneers have the third-best power play in the country (26.6%), but their penalty kill ranks just 45th (78%).
Boston University (27-10-0)
How they got in: Won Hockey East championship
NCAA appearances: 38
Frozen Four appearances: 22 (five national titles, last in 2009)
Last NCAA finish: Lost first round to St. Cloud in 2021
Of note: First-year coach Jay Pandolfo was captain of BU’s national title team in 1995-96. … Freshman Lane Hutson, a Montreal Canadiens draft pick, scored the overtime winner in the Terriers’ Hockey East final win over Merrimack. He is the highest-scoring U19 defenseman (47 points) in the NCAA since Brian Leetch in 1986-87. … For some BU fans, a Frozen Four run is needed to erase the sting of the Terriers’ fourth-place finish in Boston’s beloved Beanpot.
Western Michigan (23-14-1)
How they got in: At-large bid (lost to Colorado College in NCHC quarterfinals)
NCAA appearances: 8
Frozen Four appearances: 0
Last NCAA finish: Lost to Minnesota in regional final in 2022
Of note: The Broncos are well rested after a surprising two-game sweep by Colorado College (13-22-3) in the NCHC quarterfinals (although it must be noted CC knocked off Denver in the semis as well). … Senior Jason Polin leads the nation with 29 goals and is second with 149 shots.
Cornell (20-10-2)
How they got in: At-large bid (lost to Harvard in ECAC semifinal)
NCAA appearances: 23
Frozen Four appearances: 8 (two national titles, last in 1970)
Last NCAA finish: Lost regional final to Providence in 2019
Of note: Cornell is tied with Minnesota State for second in the nation in scoring defense (2.0 goals per game), and the Big Red also can score (eighth with 3.4 goals per game), particularly on the man advantage (25.9%, fourth in NCAA).
Fargo regional
Minnesota (26-9-1)
How they got in: At-large bid (lost Big Ten final to Michigan)
NCAA appearances: 40
Frozen Four appearances: 22 (five national titles, last in 2003)
Last NCAA finish: Lost national semifinal to Minnesota Duluth in 2022
Of note: Much of last season’s Frozen Four team is back, but the Gophers have gotten a huge spark from freshmen Logan Cooley and Jimmy Snuggerud, who are 1-2 on the team in points and plus-minus (Cooley at 52, plus-34; Snuggerud at 49, plus-31). … Minnesota is 11-6 against teams in the NCAA field.
St. Cloud State (24-12-3)
How they got in: Won NCHC championship
NCAA appearances: 17
Frozen Four appearances: 2
Last NCAA finish: Lost first round to Quinnipiac in 2022
Of note: After a disappointing season last year, St. Cloud State looks to get back to the national title game after losing to UMass in 2021. … The battle-tested Huskies have won three of four against Denver. They went through a 1-5-3 stretch late in the regular season, but turned things around in the NCHC tournament.
Minnesota State (25-12-1)
How they got in: Won CCHA championship
NCAA appearances: 9
Frozen Four appearances: 2
Last NCAA finish: Lost national championship game to Denver in 2022
Of note: The Mavericks have been to the last two Frozen Fours, but their spot in the field this season was not fully secured before their stirring comeback OT win over Northern Michigan in the CCHA title game. They scored twice in the last 2:19 of regulation to tie it, then won on Zach Krajnik’s goal 1:08 into overtime.
Canisius (20-18-3)
How they got in: Won Atlantic Hockey championship
NCAA appearances: 2
Frozen Four appearances: 0
Last NCAA finish: Lost in first round to Quinnipiac in 2013
Of note: The Golden Griffins emerged from an upset-filled tournament to claim the Atlantic’s automatic bid. Although checking in at No. 41 in the PairWise rankings, Canisius has at least one thing going for it — experience (albeit not on this stage). The Griffs are the second-oldest team in the country, with an average age of 23.2.
Bridgeport regional
Quinnipiac (30-4-3)
How they got in: At-large bid (lost ECAC semifinal to Colgate)
NCAA appearances: 9
Frozen Four appearances: 2
Last NCAA finish: Lost regional final to Michigan in 2022
Of note: Again led by Yaniv Perets (1.52 GAA), Quinnipiac put up absurd defensive numbers for the second straight season. This year, the Bobcats also scored 3.92 goals per game and the ECAC was much stronger.
Harvard (24-7-2)
How they got in: At-large bid (lost ECAC final to Colgate)
NCAA appearances: 27
Frozen Four appearances: 13 (one national title, in 1989)
Last NCAA finish: Lost first round to Minnesota State in 2022
Of note: The Crimson, who are in the top seven nationally in both goals scored and goals allowed per game, are led by junior Sean Farrell (1.58 points per game, second in the country). … Ted Donato, who keyed Harvard’s run to its lone national title in 1989, has led his alma mater to eight NCAA appearances in 18 seasons at the helm.
Ohio State (20-15-3)
How they got in: At-large bid (lost to Michigan in Big Ten semifinal)
NCAA appearances: 10
Frozen Four appearances: 2
Last NCAA finish: Lost in first round to Denver in 2019
Of note: The Buckeyes take a ton of shots (1,378, second only to Penn State) and hung a 6-spot on Minnesota and a 7-spot on Michigan in early-season wins over the Gophers and Wolverines. But OSU also lost 7-3 to Michigan in the Big Ten tourney and was outscored 9-2 in a weekend sweep at Minnesota to close the regular season. … Ohio State has the best penalty kill in the country (89.5%).
Merrimack (23-13-1)
How they got in: At-large bid (lost to BU in Hockey East final)
NCAA appearances: 3
Frozen Four appearances: 0
Last NCAA finish: Lost in first round to Notre Dame in 2011
Of note: The Warriors were the surprise team of the early season, getting well into the top 10 of the rankings, before a rough 2-8-1 stretch at the start of the new year. But they rebounded with a weekend sweep of Boston University and closed strong, securing the final at-large bid despite losing to the Terriers in overtime in the Hockey East championship game.
Allentown regional
Michigan (24-11-3)
How they got in: Won Big Ten championship
NCAA appearances: 40
Frozen Four appearances: 26 (nine national titles, last in 1998)
Last NCAA finish: Lost national semifinal to Denver in 2022
Of note: As has been the case of late, the Wolverines don’t lack for star power. Freshman sensation Adam Fantilli, the likely No. 2 pick in the upcoming NHL draft, leads the nation with 1.85 points per game, while sophomore defenseman Luke Hughes may well be wearing a New Jersey Devils uniform in a few weeks.
Penn State (21-15-1)
How they got in: At-large bid (lost to Ohio State in Big Ten quarterfinals)
NCAA appearances: 3
Frozen Four appearances: 0
Last NCAA finish: Lost in first round to Denver in 2018
Of note: Penn State got off to a 9-0 start that included a 3-0 win over Michigan. The Nittany Lions also beat Minnesota and lost in OT to the Gophers and Wolverines, so they’ve hung with the big boys, but they’ll need to recapture their early mojo to make some noise. … PSU leads the country with 1,462 shots (nearly 40 per game) and is third in faceoff percentage (55%).
Michigan Tech (24-10-4)
How they got in: At-large bid (lost CCHA semifinal to Northern Michigan)
NCAA appearances: 15
Frozen Four appearances: 10 (three national titles, last in 1975)
Last NCAA finish: Lost in first round to Minnesota Duluth in 2022
Of note: Michigan Tech’s best shot at making its first Frozen Four since 1981 is for senior goalie Blake Pietila to stand on his head. Pietila is fifth in the country with a 1.99 GAA, tied for third with a .929 save percentage and No. 1 with 10 shutouts.
Colgate (19-15-5)
How they got in: Won ECAC championship
NCAA appearances: 6
Frozen Four appearances: 1
Last NCAA finish: Lost in first round to Ferris State in 2014
Of note: Colgate, which entered the ECAC tournament at the No. 5 seed, won its first league title in more than 30 years and second ever by beating Harvard 3-2. Goalie Carter Gylander was the key for the Raiders with 34 saves, 14 in the third period.
Note: NCAA tournament and Frozen Four appearances since tournament began in 1948
ARLINGTON, Texas — Boston Red Sox designated hitter Rafael Devers became the first major leaguer to strike out 12 times in a season’s first four games.
Devers went 0-for-4 with two more strikeouts Sunday in Boston’s 3-2 loss to the Texas Rangers.
Devers’ latest mark for futility came a day after he became the first big leaguer to be fanned 10 times in the first three games of a season.
He’s 0-for-16, though he did draw a two-out walk in the ninth Sunday to keep the inning alive and put the potential tying run in scoring position.
The 12 strikeouts broke the previous record of 11 in the first four games, which had been done four times previously since 1901, according to SportRadar.
Brent Rooker of the Athletics struck out 11 times to open last season. The others were Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. in 2020, Minnesota’s Byron Buxton in 2017 and Houston’s Brett Wallace in 2013.
Devers is now solely the Red Sox DH after their offseason acquisition of third baseman Alex Bregman.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The two teams suing NASCAR over antitrust allegations said Wednesday in a filing that a countersuit against 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports and Michael Jordan’s manager is “an act of desperation” and asked that it be dismissed.
NASCAR’s countersuit contends that Jordan business manager Curtis Polk “willfully” violated antitrust laws by orchestrating anticompetitive collective conduct in connection with the most recent charter agreements.
23XI and Front Row were the only two organizations out of 15 that refused to sign the new agreements, which were presented to the teams last September in a take-it-or-leave-it offer 48 hours before the start of NASCAR’s playoffs.
The charters were fought for by the teams ahead of the 2016 season and twice have been extended. The latest extension is for seven years to match the current media rights deal and guarantee 36 of the 40 spots in each week’s field to the teams that hold the charters, as well as other financial incentives. 23XI — co-owned by Jordan — and Front Row refused to sign and sued, alleging NASCAR and the France family that owns the stock car series are a monopoly.
Wednesday’s filing claims that NASCAR’s counterclaim is “retaliatory” and “does not allege the facts necessary to state a claim.”
“NASCAR is using the counterclaim to engage in litigation gamesmanship, with the transparent objective of intimidating the other racing teams by threatening them with severe consequences if they support Plaintiffs’ challenge to the unlawful NASCAR monopoly,” the response says.
23XI and Front Row have requested NASCAR’s counterclaim be dismissed because it “fails at the threshold because it does not allege facts plausibly showing a contract, combination or conspiracy in restraint of trade.
“The counterclaim allegations instead show each racing team individually determining whether or not to agree to NASCAR’s demands through individual negotiations — the opposite of a conspiracy.”
The filing also defends Polk, who was specifically targeted in NASCAR’s counterclaim as the mastermind of the contentious two-year battle between the teams and the stock car series. NASCAR claimed in its countersuit that Polk threatened a team boycott of Daytona 500 qualifying races, but the teams argued Wednesday “there is no allegation that such a threatened boycott of qualifying races ever took place.”
“None of NASCAR’s factual claims fit into the very narrow categories of blatantly anti-competitive agreements that courts summarily condemn as per se unlawful,” the teams said.
Jordan, through a spokesperson, sent word to The Associated Press that Polk speaks for him and the NBA icon views any attack on Polk as “personal.”
NASCAR’s attorney has warned that a consequence of the 23XI and Front Row lawsuit could lead to the abolishment of the charter system outright — NASCAR argues it would be a consequence and not what NASCAR actually wants to do — and that 23XI first made this personal by naming NASCAR chairman Jim France in the original antitrust lawsuit.
The teams struck back at the threat to eliminate the charter system in Wednesday’s filing. It alleges it is an empty threat meant to scare the 13 organizations that did sign the charter agreements.
The claim also says Front Row should be dismissed from NASCAR’s countersuit because “NASCAR does not allege any specific conduct by Front Row or its owners or employees to support a claim that it participated in the alleged conspiracy.”
“The other allegations in the counterclaim against Front Row are all entirely conclusory or improper group pleading that seeks to lump in Front Row with 23XI Racing, Mr. Polk, and “others,” while never identifying what — if anything — Front Row Motorsports itself has done to purportedly participate in the alleged conspiracy.”
There is no deadline for a judge’s decision.
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