NCAA Hockey Field Set

NCAA Hockey Field Set

After an exciting weekend of conference tournament hockey, the work belonged to the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. The panel had to figure out how to set the field of 16 for the NCAAs.

Though the Pairwise rankings do correctly mimic the process used to select to select the tournament, there was much decision-making to be made. Four number-one regional seeds had to be placed in regionals, but the committee also had to account for the integrity of an overall 16-team bracket. With the committee's work done, the Road to the Frozen Four can officially begin.

As expected, Boston University is the overall number-one seed. The Terriers won the Hockey East regular season and tournament championships, and also plowed through a non-conference schedule that included convincing wins over North Dakota, Michigan, and Denver. The Terriers are led by Hobey Baker finalist Colin Wilson (NHL rights: Nashville), along with an experienced group of upperclassmen like Brandon Yip (Colorado) and Jason Lawrence (undrafted).

BU was placed in the Northeast Regional, hosted by New Hampshire. The Wildcats are seeded third, playing second-seed North Dakota in the first round. Boston University draws Ohio State out of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association for their opening-round game.

Notre Dame, the regular season and tournament champion in the CCHA, got the second overall seed. The Irish had a 20-game unbeaten streak through the middle of the season, and they will play in the Midwest Regional at Grand Rapids, Mich. Notre Dame draws College Hockey America champion Bemidji (Minn.) State for their opening-round game. The other game in that bracket pits Northeastern against Cornell.

The third overall seed is Denver. The Pioneers finished second in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, then were runner-up to Minnesota-Duluth in the WCHA playoffs. Denver draws Miami (Ohio) in the opening round of the West Regional in Minneapolis. UMD is seeded second in the regional, and they will play Princeton.

The last number-one seed goes to Michigan, the CCHA runners-up. Michigan will head east to Bridgeport, Conn., where they play Atlantic Hockey champion Air Force in the first round. East Regional host Yale is the second seed, and will draw Vermont.

The East and West regionals play opening round games Friday, and regional finals Saturday. Northeast and Midwest regional games are Saturday and Sunday. Winners advance to the NCAA Men's Frozen Four April 9-11 at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

Source: Fanhouse