2011 Frozen Four

[Sport]

The selection show was earlier today, the field of 16 is set, and the brackets are out

http://www.ncaa.com/brackets/icehockey-men/d1/2011

Make your predictions now

[NJTank]

Elite Eight

Yale

Minnesota-Duluth

Notre Dame

New Hampshire

Boston College

Michigan

Denver

North Dakota

Frozen Four

Yale

New Hampshire

Boston College

North Dakota

Final

New Hampshire

North Dakota

Champion

North Dakota

[gosioux76]

Champion

North Dakota

Amen.

[OnWis97]

I don't know anything about non-WCHA teams, but last year I picked BC over Wisconsin in the Title game and it happened, so what the heck...

Final 8

Yale

UMD

Merrimack

New Hampshire

BC

Michigan

Denver

North Dakota

Final 4

UMD

New Hampshire

BC

North Dakota

Title Game

BC over UMD

[Brass]

Yale def. Air Force

Union def. Minnesota-Duluth

Merrimack def. Notre Dame

Miami (OH) def. New Hampshire

Boston College def. Colorado College

Michigan def. Nebraska-Omaha

Denver def. Western Michigan

North Dakota def. Rensselaer

Yale def. Union

Merrimack def. Miami (OH)

Boston College def. Michigan

Denver def. North Dakota

Yale def. Merrimack

Boston College def. Denver

Boston College def. Yale

[Shumway]

If BC's defense is half as good as it was last year, they should repeat. They made Wisconsin look pathetic in the finals.

Side note: Anyone here going to the Frozen Four? I had a blast last year in Detroit.

[Joshawaggie]

If BC's defense is half as good as it was last year, they should repeat. They made Wisconsin look pathetic in the finals.

Side note: Anyone here going to the Frozen Four? I had a blast last year in Detroit.

I would love to go, as it is in St. Paul this year, only about an hour and a half for me. It probably won't happen, but if UND makes it to the championship I need to go. It'll probably be sold out if that happens though.

[WJMorris3]

You would think that they wouldn't send a seeded team to play a road game in the first round.

[Shumway]

If BC's defense is half as good as it was last year, they should repeat. They made Wisconsin look pathetic in the finals.

Side note: Anyone here going to the Frozen Four? I had a blast last year in Detroit.

I would love to go, as it is in St. Paul this year, only about an hour and a half for me. It probably won't happen, but if UND makes it to the championship I need to go. It'll probably be sold out if that happens though.

There were plenty of open seats at Ford Field for the finals. I'm sure you could get tickets off a scalper for cheap. Our tickets for both semis and the finals were under $50 total.

[OnWis97]

If BC's defense is half as good as it was last year, they should repeat. They made Wisconsin look pathetic in the finals.

Side note: Anyone here going to the Frozen Four? I had a blast last year in Detroit.

I would love to go, as it is in St. Paul this year, only about an hour and a half for me. It probably won't happen, but if UND makes it to the championship I need to go. It'll probably be sold out if that happens though.

There were plenty of open seats at Ford Field for the finals. I'm sure you could get tickets off a scalper for cheap. Our tickets for both semis and the finals were under $50 total.

I live in St. Paul and I am thinking about it. With the right teams, though, it could be pricy. No Gophers helps, but North Dakota brings 'em in droves. If the final is, say BC vs. Yale, I think I'll go down there and get a deal.

[omnivore]

UNO's ascent into the hockey elite trips me out. Wyoming should add D1 hockey. It'd be a lot easier to recruit kids there than basketball, that's for sure.

[Seadragon76]

UNO's ascent into the hockey elite trips me out. Wyoming should add D1 hockey. It'd be a lot easier to recruit kids there than basketball, that's for sure.

Wyoming playing hockey? There aren't enough kids in that state for basketball let alone hockey... Although you already made that point.

As for Nebraska-Omaha's rise to the top: This is no shocker. They've been preparing for the move to the WCHA when they hired Dean Blais (A name wilson should be familiar with since he was the former UND coach) and they got adjusted pretty damn quickly when they hammered Minnesota at their place. Although, those pesky Bemdiji State Beavers are still quite the issue (0-5-1 against BSU this season and it includes a playoff sweep)

Now, can the Mavs beat Michigan? Sure... Hell, they beat the Wolverines once in Ann Arbor during the regular season (They split the series with Michigan). Can they beat Boston College should UNO advance? Probably not... The Eagles just win in March and April. It's like they hit the switch and they go into 'Crush 'em all!' mode.

[lich0037]

I think I'm might be going to the Frozen Four. I was at the WCHA Final Five tournament last weekend and saw some good hockey there. I would expect the Frozen Four to sell out. Even if North Dakota doesn't make it.

I'm hoping my UMD Bulldogs can make it the Frozen Four. I was disappointed to see them go out east to play. I wanted them to get seeded in Green Bay so I could drive out a watch them play. But know I think they have good shot to win their regional.

[Sport]

I went to all three games of the 2005 Frozen Four. If you're within reasonable driving distance, I really suggest going. I had a blast.

As for who I'm rooting for? Not Miami, not Michigan. Anyone else, a-okay.

[gingerbreadmann]

East

I hate Yale and I hope they absolutely choke in front of the home crowd. Wishful thinking? Sure. But I have to take UMD making it out of this regional. Union hasn't sold me.

West

Jerry York. That's all I need to say.

Midwest

A real snoozefest for a Hockey East fan. I guess North Dakota seems like the best team here so I will pick them over WMU.

Northeast

This is an unbelievable regional. UNH is extremely talented but struggled down the stretch, so as much as I want them to win, I have to pick Miami. Merrimack came out of nowhere and if you watched the HE final, you know they are good. I'm hoping they annihilate South Bend CC. Merrimack vs. Miami should be awesome. Miami always plays great this time of year but I love Merrimack as the underdog in a local match. Too close to call... but I'll take Merrimack (at least MU finally loses to a team without "Boston" in its name)

Frozen Four

Minnesota-Duluth vs. Merrimack

These are the worst two teams in the FF, and Merrimack is less not-amazing (more great-but-not-elite?) comparatively. They will ride the momentum into the championship game. Note: If Yale makes it this far, I think they will marginally beat Merrimack, and if Miami makes it this far, I think they will beat anyone.

Boston College vs. North Dakota

This is the big matchup of the tournament. If they played it 50 times BC would probably win 45 (hah!). OK, as a huge, unabashed BC fan I have to take the Eagles. Besides, Jerry York.

Final: Boston College vs. Merrimack

Hockey East rules, and we just saw this game played on Saturday. We get the same result here, except less close this time. I cannot pick against BC in the tournament under any circumstance -- they have proven themselves over and over again.

Now we'll see how wrong I am. Go Eagles!

Also -- what does it take to get the Frozen Four up in New England again? Tampa and Pennsylvania, really? Do all four Beanpot teams need to win the NC consecutively (two of them isn't enough)?

[omnivore]

UNO's ascent into the hockey elite trips me out. Wyoming should add D1 hockey. It'd be a lot easier to recruit kids there than basketball, that's for sure.

Wyoming playing hockey? There aren't enough kids in that state for basketball let alone hockey... Although you already made that point.

As for Nebraska-Omaha's rise to the top: This is no shocker. They've been preparing for the move to the WCHA when they hired Dean Blais (A name wilson should be familiar with since he was the former UND coach) and they got adjusted pretty damn quickly when they hammered Minnesota at their place. Although, those pesky Bemdiji State Beavers are still quite the issue (0-5-1 against BSU this season and it includes a playoff sweep)

Now, can the Mavs beat Michigan? Sure... Hell, they beat the Wolverines once in Ann Arbor during the regular season (They split the series with Michigan). Can they beat Boston College should UNO advance? Probably not... The Eagles just win in March and April. It's like they hit the switch and they go into 'Crush 'em all!' mode.

I wasn't thinking local kids in Wyoming. I was just thinking it'd be easier to recruit cold weather kids to play hockey than it is to recruit basketball kids to the state. That's all I'm thinking. But there's a proud bball tradition here and they do have a national title, albeit from a bygone era. Anyway...back to the Frozen Four.

[Bmac]

UNO's ascent into the hockey elite trips me out. Wyoming should add D1 hockey. It'd be a lot easier to recruit kids there than basketball, that's for sure.

Wyoming playing hockey? There aren't enough kids in that state for basketball let alone hockey... Although you already made that point.

As for Nebraska-Omaha's rise to the top: This is no shocker. They've been preparing for the move to the WCHA when they hired Dean Blais (A name wilson should be familiar with since he was the former UND coach) and they got adjusted pretty damn quickly when they hammered Minnesota at their place. Although, those pesky Bemdiji State Beavers are still quite the issue (0-5-1 against BSU this season and it includes a playoff sweep)

Now, can the Mavs beat Michigan? Sure... Hell, they beat the Wolverines once in Ann Arbor during the regular season (They split the series with Michigan). Can they beat Boston College should UNO advance? Probably not... The Eagles just win in March and April. It's like they hit the switch and they go into 'Crush 'em all!' mode.

Too bad the Mavs never have much success in the post season. Most of these teams seem to. I agree, they can (and should) beat Michigan, but the road looks tough after that. As great as they are this season, I fear they won't show up for the playoffs.

[Joshawaggie]

Wow, Colorado College destroys BC 8-4. Nice job CC. Yale sqeaks by in OT. Duluth and Michigan advance.

[gingerbreadmann]

Worst I've ever seen BC play. I want to puke.

[Seadragon76]

Wow, Colorado College destroys BC 8-4. Nice job CC. Yale sqeaks by in OT. Duluth and Michigan advance.

To that, I say that Michigan got very -ing lucky last night... A 10 minute review on a called no-goal that the refs were struggling to find evidence to overturn shouldn't decide a game, you know.