Every Big East fan's favorite college hockey team (hopefully?), the Providence Friars, earned an at-large bid to the 2014 NCAA Hockey Tournament.
The NCAA's are made of 16 teams, with four single-elimination regional brackets.
The "Frozen Four" out of these brackets play in Philadelphia, next Thursday and Saturday, at the Wells Fargo Center.

PC is in the East, in Bridgeport CT, home arena of the Fairfield Stags hoops team (Ed Cooley's old home!).

The schedule in Bridgeport:
(4) Vermont vs (1) Union, Friday 2pm, ESPN-U.
(3) Providence vs (2) Quinnipiac, Friday 5:30pm, ESPN-U.

There are interesting storylines here...
Providence coach Nate Leaman was hired at PC in 2011 after having built Union (Albany NY) into a powerhouse.
Vermont (the Catamounts) coach Kevin Sneddon was the coach of Union in 2003.
Union (the Flying Dutchmen) coach Rick Bennett was a former Providence player and assistant coach.
Quinnipiac (the Bobcats) made the national final last April, losing to crosstown rival Yale.

Union finished 1st in the ECAC, 28-6-4 overall and 18-3-1 in conference.
Quinnipiac finished 3rd in the ECAC, 24-9-6 overall and 12-6-4 in conference.
Providence finished 3rd in Hockey East, 21-10-6 overall and 11-7-2 in conference.
Vermont finished 7th in Hockey East, 20-14-3 overall and 10-10 in conference.

The Friars have at least 3 future NHL'ers:
- outstanding sophomore goalie Jon Gillies, drafted by Calgary,
- dynamic sophomore center Mark Jankowski, also drafted by Calgary, and
- freshman defenseman Rob Florentino, drafted by Buffalo.

Noel Acciardi, from Johnston RI
(wearing 1964 throwbacks honoring PC's first Final Four team of 50 years ago, game was at Fenway Park in Boston):


Other regions include:
NORTHEAST, from Worcester, Mass. ("WUSS-tuh").
4 Denver vs 1 Boston College, Sat 4pm, ESPN-U.
3 Minnesota State vs 2 UMass-Lowell, Sat 7:30pm, ESPN-3.

WEST, from St Paul, Minn.
4 Robert Morris vs 1 Minnesota, Sat 5:30pm, ESPN2.
3 St Cloud vs 2 Notre Dame, Sat 9pm, ESPN-U.

MIDWEST, from Cincinnati, O.
4 North Dakota vs 1 Wisconsin, Fri 8pm, ESPN-U.
3 Colgate vs 2 Ferris State, Fri 4:30pm, ESPN-3.

The four 1-seeds are Minnesota, Boston College, Wisconsin and Union.

Go Irish. Tough draw.

Go Denver!

Know nothing about Pioneers hockey but their AD Peg Bradley-Doppes is a great person.

Lets go PC! 5 hockey east schools!

Keep it in the state! Go Quinnipiac!!!

Correction: Union College are just Dutchmen, not Flying Dutchmen.

I know this because I am a Dutch-American and their hockey team is my only source of ethnic pride rooting interest in all of D1.

(03-27-2014 08:44 PM)justinslot Wrote:  Correction: Union College are just Dutchmen, not Flying Dutchmen.

I know this because I am a Dutch-American and their hockey team is my only source of ethnic pride rooting interest in all of D1.

Thanks, wow, always thought they were "Flying"...!

(03-27-2014 06:18 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  Keep it in the state! Go Quinnipiac!!!

You know, Providence was a key part of getting the UConn men into Hockey East...! Man, at least stay neutral tomorrow...! I mean, c'mon...! We already got your women's team in HE years ago...!

(03-27-2014 09:12 PM)billyjack Wrote:  

(03-27-2014 08:44 PM)justinslot Wrote:  Correction: Union College are just Dutchmen, not Flying Dutchmen.

I know this because I am a Dutch-American and their hockey team is my only source of ethnic pride rooting interest in all of D1.

Thanks, wow, always thought they were "Flying"...!

Hofstra used to be Flying Dutchmen, and then the 90s happened and everything was offensive.

(03-27-2014 09:16 PM)billyjack Wrote:  

(03-27-2014 06:18 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  Keep it in the state! Go Quinnipiac!!!

You know, Providence was a key part of getting the UConn men into Hockey East...! Man, at least stay neutral tomorrow...! I mean, c'mon...! We already got your women's team in HE years ago...!

Providence is the second team I'd root for out of this year's field. It's unfortunate they drew Quinnipiac in the first round. I'll be cheering on whoever wins that game throughout the rest of the tourney. Good luck.

Denver, St. Cloud... y'all know what to do. Take down the big boys!

(03-28-2014 01:57 AM)justinslot Wrote:  

(03-27-2014 09:12 PM)billyjack Wrote:  

(03-27-2014 08:44 PM)justinslot Wrote:  Correction: Union College are just Dutchmen, not Flying Dutchmen.

I know this because I am a Dutch-American and their hockey team is my only source of ethnic pride rooting interest in all of D1.

Thanks, wow, always thought they were "Flying"...!

Hofstra used to be Flying Dutchmen, and then the 90s happened and everything was offensive.

Yet the most offensive of them all Fighting Irish remains....funny what having money on your side can do.

(03-28-2014 01:29 PM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  

(03-28-2014 01:57 AM)justinslot Wrote:  

(03-27-2014 09:12 PM)billyjack Wrote:  

(03-27-2014 08:44 PM)justinslot Wrote:  Correction: Union College are just Dutchmen, not Flying Dutchmen.

I know this because I am a Dutch-American and their hockey team is my only source of ethnic pride rooting interest in all of D1.

Thanks, wow, always thought they were "Flying"...!

Hofstra used to be Flying Dutchmen, and then the 90s happened and everything was offensive.

Yet the most offensive of them all Fighting Irish remains....funny what having money on your side can do.

Offensive to whom?????

Union was the first to punch a ticket to the Frozen Four by beating Providence.

North Dakota beat Ferris St in Cincinnati to also go to the Frozen Four in Philly.

BC plays UMass-Lowell Sunday.
Minnesota plays St Cloud or Notre Dame for the 4th spot.

Tough to see NoDak go to the Frozen Four after Miami killed them last week in the NCHC semifinals. Congrats to all schools who make it, Philly is a great city and there should be some great college hockey played next week.

(03-29-2014 10:16 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Tough to see NoDak go to the Frozen Four after Miami killed them last week in the NCHC semifinals. Congrats to all schools who make it, Philly is a great city and there should be some great college hockey played next week.

I live in Cincinnati and I attended both the semis and final down at US Bank Arena. Pleasantly surprised with the attendance.

The arena was hardly "bursting at the seams", but there was a legit ~3500 for the 2nd semifinal, and even a few more for the final.

Good showing from everyone (saw A LOT of Miami sweaters in the crowd), and I'd think Miami hosting the regional here would be considered a success by all of the NCAA, Miami, and the city.

One last thought: US Bank Arena doesn't have a beverage deal with either Coke or Pepsi. Rather it's RC Cola. Never seen that before.

(03-29-2014 10:16 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Tough to see NoDak go to the Frozen Four after Miami killed them last week in the NCHC semifinals. Congrats to all schools who make it, Philly is a great city and there should be some great college hockey played next week.

Miami could have been the true host of the Cincy regional if they would have.followed through with a win over Denver. Instead of.DU being whooped by BC, it probably would been us. BC has been our nemesis for the past decade.

Frozen Four set in Philadelphia April 10th

Boston College vs Union

North Dakota vs Minnesota

Minnesota wouldn't schedule N Dakota during this season and next, but now the hated hockey rivals get to face off anyway.

Natty's
UND: 7
Minnesota: 5
BC: 5
Union: 0

Minnesota, BC, and Union were #1 seeds in their regionals. UND was the last at-large team selected. If Ohio St would have won the B1G champ game vs Wisconsin and gotten the B1G autobid, Ohio St would have knocked UND out of the tourney. Wisconsin, which also refused to schedule UND, was the only #1 seed to lose (to UND).

I'm not exactly rooting for UND (them Fightin Sues and all), but better them than the Gophers. I'd like to see Union win it all though.