UMD Bulldogs Men’s Hockey Team Advances Over Michigan Tech In Opening Round Of NCAA Tournament
UPDATE: 3/24/22
The Bulldogs defeated Michigan Tech in the opening round of the NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Tournament, now just one game away from returning to the Frozen Four. They will face Denver on Saturday afternoon, with the winner heading to the college semifinals.
The Bulldogs will play Denver to advance out of the Loveland regional. Denver, who is 28-9, is the #4 seed overall and the top seed in the Loveland regional. UMD and Denver, both NCHC rivals, have played each other 5 times already this season.
UMD has the 3-2 advantage in those games this season. The two teams split their two regular season series, and the Bulldogs beat Denver 2-0 in the Frozen Faceoff semifinals.
They will face off for the 6th time at 3 pm on Saturday, March 26. The game is scheduled for 3 pm and will be aired on ESPNU.
The winner of this game will be one of four remaining teams heading into championship weekend. The semifinals will be on Thursday, April 7 (times to be announced after all teams are determined), and the National Championship will be on Saturday, April 9 at 7 pm.
Both Frozen Four semifinal games and the championship game will be heard on the Northland FAN 106.5 FM and 560 AM, so be sure to tune in to catch all the action!
Original Story 3/21/22
The UMD Bulldogs men's hockey team won the NCHC conference tournament, defeating Western Michigan 3-0 in the "Frozen Faceoff" Championship game over the weekend.
Following the win, the Bulldogs are on their way to the 2022 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament.
The matchups in this year's Division I tournament were announced on Sunday, with UMD earning a 2 seed in the Loveland regional, drawing Michigan Tech in the opening round of the tournament.
The Bulldogs are one of 4 Minnesota teams in this year's tournament. Also appearing are Minnesota State Mankato, St. Cloud State, and the University of Minnesota, all of which are in different regionals. This once again sets up opportunities for an all-Minnesota Frozen Four if each team can advance through the first two rounds. I know, that's a lot easier said than done.
The Bulldogs will play their first game of the tournament on Thursday, March 24 at 2 pm. This game will be broadcast on ESPNU and ESPN+.
If you want to follow all of the Minnesota teams (and we'll lump in North Dakota as well), here's when those games are all scheduled:
- Minnesota State vs. Harvard: 3/24 @ 11 am on ESPNU
- UMD vs. Michigan Tech: 3/24 @ 2 pm on ESPNU
- North Dakota vs. Notre Dame: 3/24 @ 5 pm on ESPNU
- U of MN vs. Massachusetts: 3/25 @ 5 pm on ESPNU
- St. Cloud State vs. Quinnipiac: 3/25 @7 pm on ESPNews
If UMD advances past Michigan Tech, they will take on the winner of Denver/UMass Lowell. That game would be on Saturday, March 26. Times and other details would be determined once the teams are known for this game.
Tournament appearances are nothing new to the Bulldogs in recent years. The team made Frozen Four appearances in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021 (2020 was cancelled due to COVID-19). During that span, UMD won championships in 2018 and 2019. Last year, the Bulldogs were defeated 3-2 by Massachusetts in the Frozen Four. Massachusetts went on to win the 2021 Championship.