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The boys’s faculty hockey season is heating up, with convention tournaments getting underway and the Frozen 4 (April 7 and 9 at TD Backyard in Boston) close by.
The primary steps towards filling the NCAA discipline are the convention tournaments, which, along with crowning league champions, will decide the six automated qualifiers. From there, 10 at-large groups can be chosen, based mostly largely on the PairWise rankings. The NCAA choice present is March 20 at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU, with regional play to start March 24.
Here is a take a look at every of the convention tournaments, together with schedules and outlooks. This web page can be up to date all through the tournaments and as NCAA berths are secured.
Atlantic
The highest six seeds of the 10-team league get first-round byes. Seeds 7-10 play best-of-three first-round sequence. After a reseed, the highest 4 seeds host best-of-three quarterfinal sequence. Winners transfer on to the semifinals.
First spherical, March 4-6: No. 9 Bentley at No. eight Niagara; No. 10 Holy Cross at No. 7 Mercyhurst
Quarterfinals, March 11-13: Niagara/Bentley/Holy Cross at No. 1 AIC; Mercyhurst/Niagara/Bentley at No. 2 Canisius; No. 6 Air Pressure at No. three Military; No. 5 Sacred Coronary heart at No. Four RIT
Semifinals and finals, March 18 and 19: at Adirondack Financial institution Middle, Utica, N.Y.
AIC, which received its fourth straight regular-season title, is the group to beat, however the Yellow Jackets had at the very least one loss (regulation, OT or shootout) to seven of its convention foes, so they don’t seem to be a shoo-in. There are not any NCAA at-large candidates within the Atlantic.
Huge Ten
Common-season champ Minnesota will get a bye into the semifinals. Seeds 2-7 play best-of-three quarterfinal sequence earlier than the single-game semis and ultimate, all on campus websites.
Quarterfinals, March 4-6: No. 7 Michigan State at No. 2 Michigan; No. 6 Wisconsin at No. three Notre Dame; No. 5 Penn State at No. Four Ohio State
Semifinals, March 12: at highest remaining seeds
Ultimate, March 19: at increased remaining seed
Prime seed Minnesota is surging, successful its final eight video games, as is Notre Dame, which swept Michigan to shut the common season and is 4-Zero in opposition to the Wolverines. These three groups are among the many high seven within the PairWise rankings, in order that they’re NCAA locks. Ohio State needs to be fairly secure for an at-large berth, however might use a sequence win over Penn State to solidify its standing.
CCHA
Greatest-of-three quarterfinals on the high 4 seeds, adopted by single-game semifinals and ultimate, all on campus websites
Quarterfinals, March 4-6: No. eight St. Thomas at No. 1 Minnesota State; No. 7 Ferris State at No. 2 Michigan Tech; No. 6 Bowling Inexperienced at No. three Bemidji State; No. 5 Northern Michigan at No. Four Lake Superior State
Semifinals, March 12: at two highest remaining seeds
Ultimate, March 19: at increased remaining seed
Minnesota State has been dominant from begin to end this season, successful 20 of its final 21 video games, and is the probably total No. 1 NCAA seed. The Mavericks received their 4 video games with Michigan Tech, however all of them had been tight, with two going to extra time. Tech is in place for an at-large spot if it may well’t pull off an upset and seize the CCHA’s automated bid.
ECAC
Prime 4 seed obtain first-round byes, with seeds 5-12 taking part in best-of-three sequence. After a reseed, the highest 4 seeds host best-of-three quarterfinal sequence. Winners transfer on to single-game semifinals and ultimate.
First spherical, March 4-6: No. 12 Yale at No. 5 Colgate; No. 11 Dartmouth at No. 6 Rensselaer; No. 10 Princeton at No. 7 Union; No. 9 Brown at No. eight St. Lawrence
Quarterfinals, March 11-13: Collection hosted by No. 1 Quinnipiac, No. 2 Clarkson, No. three Harvard and No. Four Cornell
Semifinals and ultimate, March 18 and 19: at Herb Brooks Enviornment, Lake Placid, N.Y.
Quinnipiac, the league’s solely NCAA lock, suffered losses to Cornell, Harvard and Clarkson over the previous few weeks, so there’s potential for a stolen bid right here. Coming into the event, Clarkson seems to be simply exterior the NCAA discipline, with Harvard and Cornell even farther from the image.
Hockey East
Single elimination all through. Seeds 6-11 play within the first spherical, then the eight remaining groups are reseeded for the quarterfinals. Winners transfer on to the semifinals and ultimate.
First spherical, March 9: No. 11 seed at No. 6 seed; No. 10 seed at No. 7 seed; No. 9 seed at No. eight seed
Quarterfinals, March 12: at campus websites of high 4 seeds
Semifinals and ultimate, March 18 and 19: at TD Backyard, Boston
Maybe essentially the most wide-open convention event, and with essentially the most at stake. Seeding from high to backside may be very a lot up within the air getting into the ultimate weekend of the common season, and solely UMass can contemplate itself safely within the NCAA discipline. UMass Lowell, Boston College, Northeastern, Merrimack, Windfall and UConn all are lurking on, or at the very least close to, the bubble — and any are able to sparing themselves the choice present drama by successful the league’s automated berth.
NCHC
Prime 4 seeds host best-of-three quarterfinal sequence, then winners transfer on to the single-game semifinals and ultimate.
Quarterfinals, March 12: at campus websites of high 4 seeds
Semifinals and ultimate, March 18 and 19: at Xcel Middle, St. Paul, Minnesota
North Dakota and Denver have separated themselves from the pack getting into the ultimate weekend of the common season. They would be the high two seeds, with Colorado Faculty and Miami (Ohio) the underside two seeds (matchups nonetheless to be decided). Western Michigan, St. Cloud and Minnesota Duluth needs to be in fine condition for at-large NCAA spots and positively might make some noise right here, and even Omaha, with wins over North Dakota and Denver in February, cannot be discounted.
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