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NCAA Hockey: Tournament Update and Frozen Four Preview

By Rohan Yaradi

MANCHESTER, NH - MARCH 30: UMASS Minutemen forward Brett Boeing (22) fends off Notre Dame Fighting Irish defenseman Bobby Nardella (27) during the Northeast Regional final between the UMASS Minutemen and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on March 30, 2019, at SNHU Arena in Manchester, NH. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, NH - MARCH 30: UMASS Minutemen forward Brett Boeing (22) fends off Notre Dame Fighting Irish defenseman Bobby Nardella (27) during the Northeast Regional final between the UMASS Minutemen and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on March 30, 2019, at SNHU Arena in Manchester, NH. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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NCAA Hockey
Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images /

Northeast Regionals

My Prediction: University of Massachusetts Minutemen

March 29:

(1) Massachusetts over (4) Harvard, 4-0

(2) Notre Dame over (3) Clarkson, 3-2 (OT)

March 30:

(1) Massachusetts over (2) Notre Dame, 4-0

Winner: University of Massachusetts Minutemen

This region went exactly according to plan. Massachusetts was far-and-away the best team in this quadrant, and they dominated, outscoring their opposition 8-0 over the first two rounds. Led by Cale Makar, they continue to prove their mettle in the NCAA Hockey tournament.

As for the other teams, I had said that Notre Dame-Clarkson was a toss-up, and it was. Harvard may have been the second-best team in the quadrant, but they were up against a buzzsaw early on. This was a one-team region all the way through.

Must Read. Ranking Each Team's Chances Of Winning The Stanley Cup. light

East Regionals

My Prediction: Minnesota State University Mavericks

March 30:

(4) Providence over (1) Minnesota State, 6-3

(3) Cornell over (2) Northeastern, 5-1

March 31:

(4) Providence over (3) Cornell, 4-0

Winner: Providence University Friars

Technically, I got this prediction wrong, but realistically, I do not think I did. Let me direct you to a little tidbit from my tournament preview:

"If I were to choose potential upsets, at the top of my list would be Providence from the East…"

This team was always going to be one that caught fans by surprise. Statistically, they are massively underrated, and they also had a hometown advantage with the regionals being held in Providence. Add five straight periods of shutout goaltending, and they are hot at the right time.

That being said, Minnesota State should hold their heads high. They were up 3-0 over Providence at one point, and were far-and-away the second-best team in the quadrant. Cornell was ravaged by injuries, and Northeastern had far too many flaws that were exposed here.

Midwest Regionals

My Prediction: University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs

March 30:

(1) Minnesota-Duluth over (4) Bowling Green, 2-1 (OT)

(2) Quinnipiac over (3) Arizona State, 2-1

March 31:

(1) Minnesota-Duluth over (2) Quinnipiac, 3-1

Winner: University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs

Another predictable outcome, but the road to this result was not as smooth as Massachusetts’s. As I had predicted, Bowling Green gave a real fight in their return to the NCAA Hockey tournament, but in the end it was not enough.

This was a really tough quadrant, which explains these low-scoring games. In the end, all of these teams played very impressive hockey, and Minnesota-Duluth should feel great at how they were able to power through the regionals.

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