The 2018 NCAA college hockey tournament, aka the “Frozen Four,” is down to its final two teams, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish & the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs. The “Frozen Four” is hockey’s version of basketball’s Final Four. The national semifinal took place on April 5th. The National Championship will take place on April 7th, 2018, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota.
National Championship Viewing Details:
Saturday, April 7th, 7:30 pm at the Xcel Energy Center (St. Paul, Minnesota)
Minnesota-Duluth vs. Notre Dame | TV: ESPN | Online: WatchESPN | Radio: Westwood One/Sirius/XM College Sports Nation (Channel 84)
For complete 2018 NCAA College Hockey bracket click here.
Semifinal Results:
Minnesota-Duluth 2, Ohio St. 1 Boxscore
Notre Dame 4, Michigan 3 Boxscore
Minnesota-Duluth Team Preview:
Minnesota-Duluth is no stranger to the national championship game. The Bulldogs lost last season to Denver in the championship. They will be looking to come out of this year’s championship game hoisting the trophy.
It is a bit of a surprise for Minnesota-Duluth to be back in the national championship game. They lost many key players from last season’s runner-up finish. The Bulldogs had to do what bulldogs do and fight their way into the tournament.
Key players:
Scott Perunovich: The defenseman is the anchor of the Bulldogs defense. He is an all-National Collegiate Hockey Conference first-teamer.
Riley Tuft: The left-winger is the first-round pick of the Dallas Stars. Tuft is the leading scorer on the team.
Notre Dame Team Preview:
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish has been the most dominant team in college hockey all season. The Irish had a stretch from Oct. 27 through Jan. 19 where they did not lose a game. So, unlike their counterpart Minnesota-Duluth, Notre Dame is no surprise.
Notre Dame had a dramatic semifinal win over Michigan in the semifinals. Senior leader Jake Evans scored the game-winning goal with 3.7 seconds left to propel the Irish to the 4-3 victory.
Key Players:
Jake Evans: The senior has been the offensive leader of the Irish for the past two seasons. He is the leader of the team and will be joining the Montreal Canadiens at seasons end.
Caleb Morris: The best goalie in college hockey is the most significant reason for the dominance of Notre Dame this season. Morris is coming off of a Most Outstanding Player award for the Big Ten tournament.