2022 NCAA Frozen Four Championship

[Brewin Flames]

2022 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament Bracket Revealed

Michigan is the No. 1 overall seed, while UMass looks to repeat as champions

By Max Molski • Published 31 mins ago

  

2022 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament bracket revealed originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

 

March Madness is about to cool off, and it has nothing to do with the action on the court.

 

Along with the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments, the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament is set to commence this week. After Sunday’s selection show, we now know who each of the 16 teams will be facing.

 

Conference tournaments were held over the weekend to determine the final automatic berths and give contenders one last opportunity to cement their seeding. Michigan, Minnesota State, Minnesota Duluth, UMass, Harvard and America International punched their tickets by winning their conference tournaments over the weekend, leaving 10 at-large bids for the rest of the field.

 

Michigan was awarded the No. 1 overall seed after going 29-9-1 and winning the Big Ten Tournament. Minnesota State, Western Michigan and Denver were also named the top seeds in their respective regionals.

 

The defending champions are a No. 3 seed in their regional in 2022. UMass, coming off a dominant 2021 national championship victory over St. Cloud State, won the Hockey East Tournament with an overtime win over UConn on Saturday. The Minutemen are hoping to do what Minnesota Duluth did in 2019: become back-to-back champs.

 

With the bracket now set, here’s a look at the full tournament field and the schedule for the first two rounds:

East Regional: MVP Arena, Albany, N.Y.

1. Minnesota State
2. North Dakota
3. Notre Dame
4. Harvard

West Regional: Budweiser Events Center, Loveland, Colo.

1. Denver
2. Minnesota Duluth
3. Michigan Tech
4. UMass-Lowell

Midwest Regional: PPL Center, Allentown, Pa.

1. Michigan
2. Quinnipiac
3. St. Cloud State
4. American International

Northeast Regional: DCU Center, Worcester, Mass.

1. Western Michigan
2. Minnesota
3. UMass
4. Northeastern

 

March 24

East Regional: No. 4 Harvard vs. No. 1 Minnesota State, 12 p.m. ET

West Regional: No. 3 Michigan Tech vs. No. 2 Minnesota Duluth, 3 p.m. ET

East Regional: No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 North Dakota, 6 p.m. ET

West Regional: No. 4 UMass-Lowell vs. No. 1 Denver, 9 p.m. ET

March 25

Northeast Regional: No. 4 Northeastern vs. No. 1 Western Michigan, 12 p.m. ET

Midwest Regional: No. 4 American International vs. No. 1 Michigan, 3 p.m. ET

Northeast Regional: No. 3 UMass vs. No. 2 Minnesota, 6 p.m. ET

Midwest Regional: No. 3 St. Cloud State vs. No. 2 Quinnipiac, 8 p.m. ET

March 26

East Regional Final: No. 4 Harvard/No. 1 Minnesota State vs. No. 3 Notre Dame/No. 2 North Dakota, Time TBD

West Regional Final: No. 4 UMass-Lowell/No. 1 Denver vs. No. 3 Michigan Tech/No. 2 Minnesota Duluth, Time TBD

March 27

Midwest Regional Final: No. 4 American International/No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 3 St. Cloud State/No. 2 Quinnipiac, Time TBD

Northwest Regional Final: No. 4 Northeastern/No. 1 Western Michigan vs. No. 3 UMass/No. 2 Minnesota, Time TBD

Where is the 2022 Frozen Four?

The Frozen Four will be held April 7-9 at TD Garden in Boston. The arena last hosted the Frozen Four in 2015, with Providence beating Boston University in the national title game.

[Brewin Flames]

Go Umass, Go Michigan...

[OccamsRazor]

On 3/20/2022 at 7:57 PM, Brewin Flames said:

Quinnipiac

 

Upsets Michigan first round.

 

 

Denver wins it all.

 

Calling it now....

[SaucyJack]

Good to see Yooper representation!  (Winning fer sherr, Tech that to the bank!)

[Jimtown guy]

I’m an absolute UND fan and have been since 70’. With that said I’m going with Minnesota St and the purple cows

[Brewin Flames]

7 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Upsets Michigan first round.

 

 

Denver wins it all.

 

Calling it now....

 

 

That would suck...but then Power goes right to the NHL

[OccamsRazor]

1 hour ago, Brewin Flames said:

 

 

That would suck...but then Power goes right to the NHL

 

I would love to see Flyers prospects Bobby Brink vs Ronnie Attard but I am not sure i could be that lucky.

 

When do they announce the Hobey Barker award it would be suspect if Bobby Brink doesn't win it.

[flyercanuck]

3 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

I would love to see Flyers prospects Bobby Brink vs Ronnie Attard but I am not sure i could be that lucky.

 

When do they announce the Hobey Barker award it would be suspect if Bobby Brink doesn't win it.

 

 Doesn't Brink need surgery? Or is he playing through it?

[mojo1917]

21 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

 

 Doesn't Brink need surgery? Or is he playing through it?

Are you thinking of Gavin Hain?

Bobby Brink, Ronnie Attard, and Noah Cates headline list of Flyers prospects competing in the 2022 NCAA Tournament (msn.com)

Edited March 24, 2022 by mojo1917

[OccamsRazor]

23 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

 

 Doesn't Brink need surgery? Or is he playing through it?

 

Haven't seen that unless you are thinking about Jay O'Brien and yes OB does lower body surgery is all that was reported.

 

And he is going back to BU for another year.

 

As far as I know Brink is good and I have to ask have the Flyer's ever had a home grown Hobey Baker winner? 

 

Brink should easily win it this year.

[flyercanuck]

3 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Haven't seen that unless you are thinking about Jay O'Brien and yes OB does lower body surgery is all that was reported.

 

And he is going back to BU for another year.

 

As far as I know Brink is good and I have to ask have the Flyer's ever had a home grown Hobey Baker winner? 

 

Brink should easily win it this year.

 

Yes it was O'Brien...thanks.

[OccamsRazor]

20 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

 

Yes it was O'Brien...thanks.

 

All this time waiting I sure hope this kid can help when he leaves school.

 

As far as Hobey Baker winner I am aware of that played for the Flyers is Matt Carle.

 

 

[radoran]

21 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

I have to ask have the Flyer's ever had a home grown Hobey Baker winner? 

 

I don't think so?

 

Honestly, it's only started to be "a thing" in the past 10 years or so after Gaudreau, Eichel, and then Vesey won it. Gaudreau and Eichel both have their defenders and detractors. Vesey is a run of the mill NHLer. I'd love for them to get more out of Brink, but Vesey had better numbers at the same point in their careers. The two guys who won before Gaudreau never played an NHL game.

 

Three of the next four winners aren't really much to write home about, with Makar the standout.

 

2 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

As far as Hobey Baker winner I am aware of that played for the Flyers is Matt Carle.

 

I think that's right (see list above).

The Sabres had two - back to back - Hobey Baker winners on the roster for three years. Miller and Leopold. The first year they lost to the Flyers in the first round. Franchise hasn't been back to the playoffs since.

 

Sabres seem to have an inordinate number of Hobey Baker winners - Miller, Leopold, Drury, Eichel, Kevin Porter, Will Butcher.

[OccamsRazor]

4 minutes ago, radoran said:

 

I don't think so?

 

Honestly, it's only started to be "a thing" in the past 10 years or so after Gaudreau, Eichel, and then Vesey won it. Gaudreau and Eichel both have their defenders and detractors. Vesey is a run of the mill NHLer. I'd love for them to get more out of Brink, but Vesey had better numbers at the same point in their careers. The two guys who won before Gaudreau never played an NHL game.

 

Three of the next four winners aren't really much to write home about, with Makar the standout.

 

 

I think that's right (see list above).

The Sabres had two - back to back - Hobey Baker winners on the roster for three years. Miller and Leopold. The first year they lost to the Flyers in the first round. Franchise hasn't been back to the playoffs since.

 

Sabres seem to have an inordinate number of Hobey Baker winners - Miller, Leopold, Drury, Eichel, Kevin Porter, Will Butcher.

 

Yes this award doesn't guarantee squat really.

 

I am more concerned with Brink's career in the NHL.

 

However a national title win this year could be a great experience for him.

 

And I can't see them not giving it to Brink unless they just hate Flyers prospects.

 

If so I blame it on taking down Kate Smith's statue...

 

[radoran]

5 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

If so I blame it on taking down Kate Smith's statue...

 

Hextall!

 

[Jimtown guy]

UND once again will be without Jake Sanderson. He’s probably the best D man in college hockey. Not that UND isn’t use to it as he’s missed plenty of games this season. Still sucks 

[Jimtown guy]

Per CHN- 21/22 # of underclassmen (Fr/So) on roster of each tourney team.

SCSU- 8      QU- 10     MN- 11       Irish- 11               
UMD- 11      AIC- 12    MSU- 12     MTU- 13         
UMass- 13  UML- 13  Harvard- 15   NE- 15    MI- 15    UND - 16     DU- 17      WM- 19
 

[Brewin Flames]

 

 

 

 

In the 2022 NCAA hockey tournament’s battle of (future) Pros vs. Joes, it turns out Michigan hockey, with its NCAA-record seven first-round NHL draft picks — did indeed have talent to cruise past American International in Friday’s first-round game in the Allentown, Pennsylvania, regional.

 

 

The top-seeded Wolverines scored two goals 39 seconds apart in the first period, then added two goals early in the second in a 5-3 victory over the fourth-seeded Yellow Jackets (who Michigan coach Mel Pearson called “scrappy” on Thursday).

 

The win sends the Wolverines to the regional final at the PPL Center, where they’ll face the winner of Friday’s late game between second-seeded Quinnipiac and third-seeded St. Cloud State on Sunday.

 

Of Michigan’s seven first-rounders, four went in the top five picks of last summer’s draft, and all four picked up points Friday.

AIC coach Eric Lang didn't mince words when describing the success of Michigan's youngsters.

"I think when you fast-forward the tape here in five or seven years, when you can see this thing play out, you may be looking at one of the best college hockey teams ever assembled," Lang said. "It certainly felt like that for the first five or seven minutes as our guys adjusted to the pace of the game."

Freshman defenseman Luke Hughes, the No. 4 overall pick (New Jersey Devils) in 2021, started the attack by carrying the puck into the left-side corner about 3½ minutes into the first; as the AIC defense collapsed on him, Hughes sent the puck to the middle, where Garrett Van Wyhe wristed it past goalie Alex Calvaruso, a much-traveled grad student originally from Livonia.

 

Less than a minute later, Matty Beniers (No. 2 overall, Seattle Kraken) sent the puck to Brendan Brisson (a 2020 first-rounder), who gave it to Ethan Edwards for the Wolverines’ second goal.

 

"It was just kind of Brendan Brisson coming up the wall," Edwards said. "He created a lane for me, and I just took advantage of it, nice play by him. I waited out the goalie and put it in the back of the net."

 

Hughes, a Hobey Baker Award finalist, was involved on the next goal, as well; a Brian Rigali shot for AIC pinballed around the crease before it hit Hughes’ hip and zoomed past Michigan goalie Erik Portillo with 7:28 remaining in the first period.

 

Still, the Wolverines were riding high, thanks to their hot start.

 

"I feel like tonight we could have had five in the first," Brisson said.

 

Early in the second, the sophomore picked up a power-play goal, crushing a one-timer in the right circle on a feed from Owen Power (No. 1, Buffalo Sabres) at the top of the zone. Power received the puck from Kent Johnson (No. 5, Columbus Blue Jackets), his Olympic teammate for Canada in February.

For Lang, the goal was the beginning of the end for AIC.

 

"If you're going to pick off a team like the University of Michigan, things have to go your way," Lang said. "You know that they're going to have to miss some net. We're going to have to limit the power plays we give them. There's a script that it takes. You give those guys an early power play on a fresh sheet of ice, they're going to make you pay."

 

Two minutes later, Beniers, Michigan's other Hobey Baker finalist, provided the Wolverines’ fourth goal — and the eventual game-winner — on a backdoor score from Brisson and Johnson.

 

Power picked up his second assist on freshman Dylan Duke’s goal with 13:17 remaining in the second period to make it 5-2.

 

Blake Bennett, credited with an assist on AIC’s first goal, finished off the scoring with a blast just over six minutes into the third period.

AIC pulled Calvaruso with about three minutes left, but the Yellow Jackets couldn’t cut the deficit any further.

 

Portillo, the 6-foot-6 Swedish goalie who came into the NCAA tournament as the Big Ten tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, stopped 29 of 32 shots he faced. Calvaruso, who landed at AIC after stints in net for Colorado College and RPI, had 26 saves.

 

Brisson finished with three points, while Johnson, Beniers and Power each had two; 10 Wolverines picked up at least one point.

Quinnipiac 5, St. Cloud State 4

After the Bobcats went the entire season without allowing more than three goals in a game, the Huskies finally broke through for a fourth. Unfortunately for them, the Bobcats already had five, on just 16 shots on Friday night in Allentown.

 

Jayden Lee scored the eventual winning goal with 11:23 remaining in the third period. Nolan Walker scored his second goal, with an extra attacker, for the Huskies with 1:16 remaining to make it a one-goal game, but Quinnipiac goalie Yaniv Perets, a Hobey Baker finalist, stopped five shots in the final minute to send the Bobcats to their first regional final since 2019.

 

Quinnipiac captain Wyatt Bongiovanni, who hails from Birmingham, had one assist, notching a point on the Bobcats' fourth goal of the night.

[OccamsRazor]

Denver is coming on....crazy game winner...

 

https://www.ncaa.com/game/5958161

 

Minnesota State moving on...

 

https://www.ncaa.com/game/5958163

 

 

[Jimtown guy]

Would love to see Minnesota St raise a championship banner 

[OccamsRazor]

Minnesota moving on....

 

https://www.ncaa.com/game/5958162

 

Michigan moving on as well...

 

https://www.ncaa.com/game/5958160

[OccamsRazor]

So April 7th

 

#1 Denver vs #1 Michigan 5 pm ESPN2

 

#2 Minnesota vs #1 Minnesota St. 8:30 pm ESPN2

 

Should be a very good Frozen Four 

[Brewin Flames]

No. 1 seed Michigan Wolverines show off star power, secure last bid to men's hockey Frozen Four

Michigan, complete with a star-laden roster that includes four of the top five picks in the 2021 NHL draft, dispatched Quinnipiac, 7-4, on Sunday in the NCAA hockey tournament, securing the final bid to next month's Frozen Four.

 

The Wolverines, seeded No. 1 overall, flexed their muscle in the Allentown, Pennsylvania regional, eliminating a pair of New England teams, American International, champion of the Atlantic Hockey Conference on Friday and then the Bobcats of the ECAC on Sunday night.

Michigan will be joined by Minnesota State, Denver and Minnesota in the Frozen Four, scheduled to begin April 7 in Boston. The Wolverines will face the Pioneers at TD Garden, while the Gophers will draw the state-rival Mavericks.

 

Michigan, the most talked-about team in the sport this season with all of its star power, had some ups and downs during the regular season due to roster flux. The Wolverines, who had players miss time to play in the Olympics and at the World Junior tournament in Calgary, Alberta, finished second in the Big 10, but turned a corner earlier this month in the conference tournament, when they defeated the Gophers to win the title.

 

In their 39th NCAA appearance, tied with Minnesota for the most of all time, the Wolverines secured their 26th Frozen Four appearance and will head to Massachusetts seeking their 10th national championship.

 

Quinnipiac, the lone East Coast team left headed into Sunday's action, fell into a 3-0 hole in Allentown and couldn't keep up with the speed and skill of the No. 1 seed until the third period when the Bobcats scored four times. Nolan Moyle, Jimmy Lambert and Thomas Bordeleau opened the scoring for Michigan, with Owen Power, the No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft by the Buffalo Sabres, assisting on two of those goals.

 

Garrett Van Wyhe added a short-handed goal to give Michigan a 4-0 lead after two periods. Michael Pastujov, Moyle and Brendan Brisson, the No. 29 overall pick by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2020 NHL draft, added late tallies to seal the scoring for the Wolverines. Jayden Lee, Wyatt Bongiovanni, Desi Burgart and Zach Metsa scored for the Bobcats.

 

"The main thing is that we're on to Boston," Michigan coach Mel Pearson said. "I did not like our third period. But give [Quinnipiac] a lot of credit. They had us on the ropes. But we hung on, we regrouped, and that's all that matters."

 

Earlier Sunday, the Gophers blanked Western Michigan, 3-0, to punch their ticket to Boston. Matthew Knies, a 2021 second-round pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Aaron Huglen and Blake McLaughlin scored for Minnesota.

 

On Saturday, Denver outlasted Minnesota-Duluth, 2-1, and Minnesota State shut out Notre Dame, 1-0.

 

In a tournament that has lacked offense, the Wolverines lead all teams with 12 goals. It may not be as easy, however, against Denver, a team that has allowed just three goals in its two tournament games.

"We're going to have make sure we play three periods," Pearson said, sizing up the Pioneers. "And just not two."

[Jimtown guy]

[OccamsRazor]

Bobby Brink sets up the GWer sends Michigan packing...

 

 

Very good win.