Boston College Hockey Solidifies Status As Nation's Premier Program

After their 4-1 win over Ferris State in the 2012 NCAA Men's Hockey National Championship Game on Saturday night in Tampa Bay, Florida, the Boston College Eagles have solidified their place as the nation's best collegiate hockey program.

Frozen Four 2012: Boston College Crowned National Champs After 4-1 Win Over Ferris State

Boston College won its third national title in five years, beating Ferris State Saturday evening, 4-1. Eagles' goalie Parker Milner earned Most Valuable Player honors after a 27 save performance.

Frozen Four 2012: Boston College Maintains 2-1 Lead Over Ferris State After Two Periods

Boston College’s speed let up a bit in the second period, but the Eagles still maintain a 2-1 lead over Ferris State after two periods of the NCAA Championship game.

The second period was peppered with penalties for the Eagles, who got a little too physical in the period. Just a minute and a half into the frame, Boston College’s Michael Sit and Ferris State’s Scott Czarnowczan were called for hitting after the whistle.

Ferris State had several grade-A chances in the second period, and the threat frustrated Boston College. The Eagles’ Paul Carey was sent to the box for tripping four minutes into the period. Tommy Cross hooked a Ferris State player on the brink of a game-changing breakaway, and served two minutes for the call. The Eagles headed back to the box for too many men on the ice five minutes after Cross’ penalty.

Through all of Ferris State’s power play opportunities, Boston College goaltender Parker Milner stood tall. Milner continued his stellar play, making 15 saves in the second period, good for 21 so far in the game.

Ferris State will be on their fourth power play of the game when the third period starts, as Boston College’s Bill Arnold was called for roughing with just 24 seconds left in the second.

Frozen Four 2012: Boston College Leads Ferris State, 2-1, After First Period

Boston College overcame a strong Ferris State push to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission of the NCAA Men's Hockey Championship.

2012 Frozen Four, Boston College Vs. Ferris State: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

One team is accustomed to the bright lights and the big stage of the Frozen Four. The other isn't.

The Boston College Eagles are competing for their fifth national title on Saturday night against the Ferris State Bulldogs, who qualified for the NCAA tournament for just the second time in the program's history and had never reached a national championship game in any sport before.

Boston College entered the NCAA tournament as the nation's No. 1 team and enter the championship riding an 18-game winning streak. But Ferris State, being painted as David to BC's Goliath, was ranked No. 1 for two weeks in the season and had a 15-game unbeaten streak entering the regular season finale.

Game Time: 7 p.m. ET, Saturday, April 7

TV Schedule: ESPN, ESPN 3

For more coverage of the 2012 Hockey Tournament, stay tuned to our StoryStream. Here's a complete look at the NCAA Tournament 2012 bracket. For the TV schedule,click here.

Frozen Four 2012, Boston College Vs. Minnesota: Eagles Win 6-1 Move On To Face Ferris State In The National Championship Game

Paul Carey scores two goals and leads the Boston College Eagles to a 6-1 win against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Eagles Forward Steven Whitney scored on a give-and-go from Senior Barry Almeida with 13:50 remaining in the first period. Boston has scored first in 20 of their last 21 games.

Paul Carey, Kevin Hayes and Chris Kreider added goals in the second period to extend the Eagles lead to 4-0. Kevin Hayes was the first Eagle to score on a Power Play goal with assists from Steven Whitney and Tommy Cross. Chris Kreider scored on a two on one break and then Paul Carey added the final goal in the period.

The Eagles goaltender Parker Milner held strong throughout the game recording 30 saves and only one goal against. Minnesota’s Kent Patterson has only 19 saves on six goals against.

The Eagles are hot after reeling off 18 straight wins and shutting out Air Force 2-0 and UMD Bulldogs 4-0. The Eagles move on to face Ferris State in the NCAA Championship Game.

Boston College Vs. Minnesota, 2012 Frozen Four: Eagles Lead 4-0 After A Flurry Of Goals In The 2nd Period

Paul Carey, Kevin Hayes and Chris Kreider added goals in the second period to extend the Eagles lead to 4-0. Kevin Hayes was the first Eagle to score on a Power Play goal with assists from Steven Whitney and Tommy Cross. Chris Kreider scored on a two on one break and then Paul Carey added the final goal in the period.

Eagles Forward Steven Whitney scored on a give-and-go from Senior Barry Almeida with 13:50 remaining in the first period. Boston has scored first in 20 of their last 21 games.

The Eagles goaltender Parker Milner withstood a flurry of shots at the end of the first period to maintain the Eagles shutout. The Golden Gophers pressured the goalie with only one official shot on goal. The Eagles had two shots on goal in the first period.

Boston College has won the NCAA tournament four times and are playing against a Minnesota team with five championships to their own credit. The Eagles are hot after reeling off 17 straight wins and shutting out Air Force 2-0 and UMD Bulldogs 4-0.

Boston College Vs. Minnesota, 2012 Frozen Four Scores: Boston College leads 1-0 after the 1st Period

Boston leads Minnesota 1-0 after Eagles Forward Steven Whitney scored on a give-and-go from Senior Forward Barry Almeida with 13:50 remaining in the first period. Boston had scored first in 19 of their last 20 games and proceeded to add another game to that streak.

Boston dominated the puck throughout most of the first period. The Eagles goaltender Parker Milner withstood a flurry of shots at the end of the first period to maintain the Eagles shutout. The Golden Gophers pressured the goalie with only one official shot on goal. The Eagles had two shots on goal in the first period.

Boston College has won the NCAA tournament four times and are playing against a Minnesota team with five championships to their own credit. The Eagles are hot after reeling of 17 straight wins and shutting out Air Force 2-0 and UMD Bulldogs 4-0.

2012 Frozen Four, Boston College Vs. Minnesota: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

Boston College and Minnesota have arrived in Tampa, set to square off in the opening round of the Frozen Four on Thursday night. It's the tenth time BC has reached the Frozen Four since 1998, and they're seeking their fifth National Championship in program history.

The Eagles entered the tournament as the top-ranked team in the country, and they've played like it so far, having yet to allow a goal and outscoring their first two opponents 6-0.

That shutout streak may soon come to a close, because no team has scored more goals thus far in the tournament than the Golden Gophers, who have put up 12 already through two contests.

On Thurdsay night, something has to give.

Game Time: 8:00 p.m. EST

TV Coverage: ESPN2

For more coverage of the 2012 Hockey Tournament, stay tuned to our StoryStream. Here's a complete look at the NCAA Tournament 2012 bracket. For the TV schedule, click here.

2012 Frozen Four, Boston College: How They Got Here

The Boston College Eagles have had another stellar season and are two wins away from taking home their fifth NCAA Mens Ice Hockey championship.

The Eagles take on the second-seeded Minnesota Golden Gophers who have won five titles of their own on Thursday evening.

Boston College (29-10-1) rolled into the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1seed after dominating the regular season and Hockey East Tournament.

The Eagles haven't lost since Jan. 21 when they were defeated 7-4 by Maine University. Since then, Boston College has gone 17-0-0. Those wins include a Beanpot Tournament championship (third consecutive), conference championship and two wins in the NCAA Tournament.

They've kept it going in a big way. In fact, the Eagles are yet to allow a goal in the tournament, outscoring the Air Force Falcons and Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs 6-0 combined.

Chris Kreider and freshman forward Johnny Gaudreau will have to continue leading the team as they have all year. Kreider scored twice against Air Force while Gaudreau tallied one in the win over the Bulldogs.

If they get past Minnesota, Boston College will take on the winner of Union and Ferris State in the title game on Saturday.

For more on the NCAA Frozen Four, be sure to check out our StoryStream, BC Interruption and SB Nation Boston for all the latest news and updates.

2012 Frozen Four Preview: Boston College Faces Minnesota In Semi-Final

The 2012 Men's Ice Hockey Tournament has reached the Frozen Four. The games will be played at the Tampa Bay Times Forum in Tampa, Florida on April 5 and April 8.

The Boston College Eagles meet the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the second national semi-final on April 5 at 8 p.m. Union College plays Ferris State on the other side of the bracket at 4:30 p.m.

BC made it to the semis by defeating Air Force (2-0) and Minnesota-Duluth (4-0). While the Eagles have not allowed a goal, Minnesota has scored more goals (12) than any of the other teams through their first two games. The Gophers defeated Boston and North Dakota.

Union defeated Michigan State and UMass-Lowell to make it to the other semi-final game while Ferris State defeated Denver and Cornell.

For more coverage of the 2012 Hockey Tournament, stay tuned to our StoryStream. Here's a complete look at the NCAA Tournament 2012 bracket. For the TV schedule, click here.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Boston College Scores Frozen Four Berth After 4-0 Shutout Of Minnesota-Duluth

Boston College continued its winning ways with a 4-0 shutout of defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth to earn a trip to the Frozen Four.

Eagles goalie Parker Milner made 33 saves, including 18 saves in the third period alone. Milner showed his mettle as he made several quick and nuanced saves as Minnesota-Duluth’s J.T. Brown pressured during a two man advantage midway through the third period. Milner kept opponents scoreless during both Northeast Regional games.

After a scoreless first period for both teams, the Eagles scored two goals within a minute and a half in the second period. Pat Mullane rushed up to the skates of Bulldogs’ goaltender Kenny Reiter and shoveled the puck in for Boston College’s first goal four minutes into the second frame.

Just a minute and 26 seconds later, Steven Whitney slid the puck from behind the net to teammate Bill Arnold, who stuffed it past Reiter’s right side. The tally gave Boston College a 2-0 lead that they carried into the second intermission.

Patrick Wey scored an unexpected goal over a minute into the third period. Wey was trying to keep the puck in the Minnesota-Duluth zone and flung the puck on an unsuspecting Reiter. The goal gave Boston College a 3-0 lead.

Brown and Jack Connolly pushed a flurry of shots on Milner on a Minnesota-Duluth power play midway through the third period. After a frustrated Brown received a roughing call after a hit on Boston College’s Arnold, Johnny Gaudreau saddled up on the left side of Reiter and scored a power play goal to put the game away. The goal was the freshman’s 20th goal of the season and fourth in as many games.

Boston College will face another team from the Land of 10,000 Lakes in their Frozen Four semifinal on April 5th in Tampa, Florida: Minnesota, who defeated North Dakota 5-2 earlier on Sunday.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Boston College Up On Minnesota-Duluth 2-0 After Second Period

Boston College found the back of the net in the second period of their NCAA Northeast Regional matchup against Minnesota-Duluth. They take a 2-0 lead into the second intermission.

The Eagles’ two goals were scored within a minute and a half of each other. Pat Mullane rushed up to the skates of Bulldogs’ goaltender Kenny Reiter and shoveled the puck in for Boston College’s first goal four minutes into the second frame.

Just a minute and 26 seconds later, Steven Whitney showed good awareness, sliding the puck from behind the net to teammate Bill Arnold, who stuffed it past Reiter’s right side.

Boston College goalie Parker Milner made eight saves in the second period, good for 15 for the game so far. Reiter made six saves in the second period, good for 14 overall.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Boston College Scoreless With Minnesota-Duluth After One

Boston College and Minnesota-Duluth are scoreless after the first period in their NCAA Northeast Regional final Sunday night.

NCAA Hockey Tournament, Boston College Vs. Minnesota-Duluth: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Boston College Eagles hockey program is just one NCAA Tournament victory away from advancing to the Frozen Four, and the Eagles will get there shot Sunday when they face Minnesota-Duluth at 8 p.m. ET on ESPNU/ESPN3.

On Saturday, the Eagles downed Air Force, 2-0, to advance in their regional bracket in Worcester, Ma. Meanwhile, Minnesota-Duluth defeated Maine 5-2 in the regional's nightcap. The results setup a Elit 8 contest that will feature the winner moving on to play either Minnesota or North Dakota in the tournament's semifinals, April 5. The Golden Gophers and Fighting Sioux play at 5 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

On the other side of the bracket, both the Union Dutchmen and Ferris State advance to the Frozen Four, which will be played in Tampa Bay, Fl.

For a radio stream of Boston College vs. Minnesota-Duluth, click here.

For the TV schedule, click here. View a full NCAA Hockey Tournament bracket here. For more coverage of the NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012, return to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's NCAA Hockey Tournament hub.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Maine Falls To Minnesota-Duluth, 5-2

Maine had Hobey Baker finalist Spencer Abbott back in their lineup, but it wasn’t enough for the Black Bears to defeat defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth in Saturday night’s NCAA Northeast Regional semifinal. Minnesota-Duluth advanced to the regional’s championship game with a 5-2 win.

Maine took advantage of three Minnesota-Duluth penalties in the first period to keep the game’s momentum going in their favor. Abbott, who was injured in last week’s Hockey East Tournament, provided a first period spark to his teammates. He connected with linemate Brian Flynn to notch the game’s first goal 17 minutes into the first period.

In the second period, Maine continued to fly down the ice with confidence. Matt Mangene scored on a beautiful shot while sailing down the the left side of Minnesota-Duluth goaltender Kenny Reiter. There was some question as to if the goal would be allowed because Maine’s own net had come loose, but the goal stood after the officials’ review. Despite Maine’s strong play up to that point in the game, Mangene’s tally would be the Black Bears’ last goal of the night.

Minnesota-Duluth controlled the action from there on out. Hobey Baker finalist Jack Connolly kicked off the scoring for the Bulldogs, pressuring Maine goalie Dan Sullivan on the power play and finally getting the puck in. Teammates Caleb Herbert and Jake Hendrickson followed with two more goals on Sullivan before the close of the second period.

Maine skated sleepy in the third period, and Minnesota-Duluth took advantage. They padded their lead with a back handed goal by J.T. Brown, giving the Bulldogs a 4-2 lead with just over ten minutes left in the game.

Minnesota-Duluth’s David Grun went to the penalty box on an untimely charging call with just three minutes left in the game, but Maine couldn’t take advantage of the man advantage. Maine pulled Sullivan for the extra attacker, but it only resulted in an empty-net goal for Minnesota-Duluth’s Hendrickson.

Sullivan ended the night with 21 saves for the Black Bears, while Reiter amassed 25 for the Bulldogs. Maine finishes the season with a 23-14-3 record.

Minnesota-Duluth will play Boston College for a Frozen Four berth at 8 p.m. on Sunday.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: UMass Lowell's Rebound Season Draws To A Close With 4-2 Loss To Union

UMass Lowell went from worst to…well, very close to first this season.

The Riverhawks drastically turned around their program with a 24-13-1 season, but it drew to a close Saturday evening with a 4-2 loss to Union College in the NCAA East Regional Final in Bridgeport, CT.

UMass Lowell played a close game with Union, neutralizing the strong Dutchman first line of Matt Hatch, Kelly Zajac and Wayne Simpson. Even with the Riverhawks’ strong defense, Union took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, thanks to Daniel Ciampini’s third goal of the season.

Union added to their lead with second line center Jeremy Welsh’s 27th goal of the season at the 7:12 mark of the second period. UMass Lowell finally answered about seven minutes later, as senior David Vallorani assisted Terrence Wallin to get the Riverhawks on the board.

A Riley Wetmore holding call sent Union on the power play, where Josh Jooris scored to reclaim a two goal lead for the Dutchmen.

Five minutes into the third period, Matt Ferreira scored a sneaky unassisted goal for UMass Lowell, bringing the game within one. The rest of the game was played without penalty. UMass Lowell pulled Doug Carr to gain the man advantage to try to even the game, but it only resulted in a Union empty-net goal with 40 seconds remaining in the game.

Carr kept up his steady ways for the Riverhawks, making 35 saves on the evening. Carr is only a sophomore, and will be a key cog in the well-working UMass Lowell machine as they try to better this year’s success next season. Troy Grosenick made 19 saves for Union.

With the win, Union punches the first ticket to the Frozen Four, advancing to the NCAA championships for the first time in program history.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: UMass Lowell Down 3-1 To Union After Second Period

UMass Lowell will fight for their season in the third period against Union College. The Riverhawks are down 3-1 after two periods in the NCAA East Regional Final.

Terrance Wallin got UMass Lowell on the board 14 minutes into the second period, connecting with David Vallorani and William Eiserman for a goal. The goal put the Riverhawks within one goal of Union, 2-1.

Union answered three minutes later with a Josh Jooris goal past UMass Lowell goaltender Doug Carr to give the Dutchmen another two goal lead. Union took the 3-1 lead into the locker room.

Carr has made 28 saves so far, and his team has 17 shots on net.

The game is live on ESPNU.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Maine Leads Minnesota-Duluth, 1-0, After First Period

Hobey Baker finalist Spencer Abbott’s ability to play in the NCAA Northeast Regional was questioned all week due to an injury suffered in last week’s Hockey East Tournament. But Abbott showed he was more than ready to play when he took the ice in Worcester against Minnesota-Duluth and put the Black Bears up 1-0 after the first period.

Abbott scored on Minnesota-Duluth goalie Kenny Reiter 17 minutes into the first period. Abbott’s linemate Brian Flynn and defenseman Will O’Neill had the helpers on the power play goal.

Minnesota-Duluth gave up three power play opportunities to Maine in the first period. Maine put 14 shots on net in the first, and Minnesota-Duluth made 9 shots.

The game is currently airing on Fox College Sports Pacific and ESPN3.com.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Boston University's Season Ends With 7-3 Loss To Minnesota

Boston University’s intensity had been a big question mark over the last two months of the college hockey season. Never was the lack of consistent effort more evident as it was in the Terriers’ 7-3 loss to Minnesota in the NCAA West Regional semifinal Saturday evening.

Minnesota showed speed and improved puck work throughout the game, and that showed with Kyle Rau’s first period goal to give their Gophers their first lead of the evening just over five minutes into the game. Minnesota carried that 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

Boston University was rejuvenated after the intermission, and their speed and passing improved. They knotted the game with a Wade Megan power play goal slid past the left side of Minnesota goalie Kent Peterson. Jake Parenteau shot the puck easily through by Terrier goalie Kieran Millan less than two minutes later to give the Gophers a 2-1 lead.

BU forward Ross Gaudet continued his tendency this season to score goals at crucial times, taking advantage of a slip up by a Minnesota player in their own zone to score and knot the game at 2-2.

Minnesota quickly responded again. Within minutes, Seth Helgeson stuffed the puck behind Millan to give Minnesota a 3-2 lead. A frustrated BU began to get a bit too physical, with Justin Courtnall removed from the game due to a contact to the head call. Minnesota’s Jake Hansen took advantage of the resulting power play, scoring a goal to put the Gophers ahead, 4-2, heading into the second intermission.

Minnesota continued to pepper Millan as the third period started, but found themselves on the penalty kill after a Justin Holl hooking call three minutes in. On the resulting power play, BU defenseman Adam Clendening shot a booming slapper from the blue line to get the Terriers within one.

BU showed some hustle as the third continued, with a series of eight shots on Patterson within a three minute span. The Gophers gained possession of the puck, and Nico Sacchetti scored to put Minnesota up by two.

The Terriers pulled Millan as the game drew to a close, but sloppy passes and lack of communication negated the advantage for the BU skaters. Minnesota scored two empty-netters during the last two minutes to end the game.

BU finished the game with 34 shots on goal, while Minnesota had 42. The Terriers finish the season with an overall record of 23-15-1. Minnesota advances to play North Dakota on Sunday afternoon for a spot in the Frozen Four.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: UMass-Lowell Vs. Union, 1st Period Score: Dutchmen Lead River Hawks, 1-0

The UMass-Lowell River Hawks trail the Union Dutchmen, 1-0, after one period of play in the two team's first round match-up in the 2012 NCAA Hockey Tournament.

Lowell could have potentially taken an early 1-0 lead, but the puck stopped just before the line and after review, was determined not to be a goal, as a Dutchmen defensemen scooped it up just before crossing the line. Moments later, Daniel Ciampini of Union scored, giving the Dutchmen a one to nothing lead.

The Dutchmen have out-shot the River Hawks, 18 to nine, in the first period. Chad Ruhwedel has recorded a game-high, three shots on goal.

The remainder of the game can be seen on ESPN U.

For the TV schedule, click here. View a full NCAA Hockey Tournament bracket here. For more coverage of the NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012, return to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's NCAA Hockey Tournament hub.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Boston University Down 4-2 To Minnesota After Second Period

Boston University is down 4-2 to Minnesota after two periods of play in their NCAA West Regional semifinal game.

The Terriers came out of the first intermission more composed than they had played in the first period. First line forwards Chris Connolly and Wade Megan threw several shots on net in the first half of the period, but Boston University’s struggles to win faceoffs limited those opportunities.

It was Megan who would finally get the Terriers on the board. Minnesota’s Nico Sacchetti went to the penalty box for goaltender interference, and Megan took advantage. He slid the puck on the left side of Minnesota goalie Kent Patterson to even the game for BU at 1.

Minnesota answered quickly, with a Jake Parenteau goal easily let through by Terrier goalie Kieran Millan less than two minutes later. Frustrated, BU’s Ross Gaudet went to the box after the resulting faceoff for hooking. Gaudet took the ice immediately following his penalty, gained control of a Minnesota turnover in their own zone and chipped the puck in to even the game at 2 all.

The Gophers started to pepper Millan incessantly after the Gaudet goal. Seth Helgeson stuffed one behind Millan to give Minnesota a 3-2 lead. An increasingly panicked BU started to play a tad too physically, resulting in third liner Justin Courtnall earning a game misconduct for a contact to the head call. Minnesota took advantage of the resulting power play, with a Jake Hansen goal to put them ahead 4-2.

As the second period’s time ticked down, both teams began to get in each other’s faces more. Four players went to the penalty box due to holding and roughing calls with just seconds left in the period.

Boston University put 11 shots on net in the second, good for 21 total in the game so far. Minnesota had 14 shots on net in the second, good for 23 so far during the game.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Boston College vs. Air Force Final Score: Eagles Win 2-0, Advance

The number one overall seed in the 2012 NCAA Hockey Tournament, Boston College, defeated the Air Force Falcons in their first round match-up by a score of 2-0. Chris Kreider scored both of the game's goals – the first coming early in the first period, and the second coming in the waning minutes of the game, sealing the deal.

Boston College out-shot the Falcons 34 to 20, but a great performance from the Falcons goalie, Jason Torf, allowed the Air Force to hang around.

Paul Carey of the Eagles attempted an impressive nine shots on goal, but failed to convert a single one.

With the victory the Eagles advance to face the winner between Minnesota-Duluth and Maine.

For the TV schedule, click here. View a full NCAA Hockey Tournament bracket here. For more coverage of the NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012, return to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's NCAA Hockey Tournament hub.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Boston University Vs. Minnesota, 2nd Period Score: Terriers Down, 1-0

The Boston University Terriers trail the Minnesota Golden Gophers in their first round match-up in the 2012 NCAA Tournament by a score of 1-0, after one period of play. Kyle Rau has scored the game's only goal, coming 5 minutes and 55 seconds into the period. It came on a Gopher power play. Erick Haula and Nate Schmidt both assisted on Rau's goal.

There was a rare stretch early in the first where the teams played four on four for 50 seconds, following consecutive penalties by the teams. Tom Serratore and Alexx Privitera were the guilty parties.

Minnesota has out-shot Boston University 10 to 8 thus far.

The rest of the game can be seen on NESN and ESPN3.com.

For the TV schedule, click here. View a full NCAA Hockey Tournament bracket here. For more coverage of the NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012, return to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's NCAA Hockey Tournament hub.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Boston College Vs. Air Force, 2nd Period Score: Eagles Lead Falcons, 1-0

The number one overall seed in the 2012 NCAA Hockey Tournament, the Boston College Eagles lead the Air Force Falcons in their first round match-up by a score of 1-0 after two periods of play. Chris Kreider has scored the game's lone goal.

Boston College out-shot the Falcons nine to eight in the first period, and turned up the pressure in the second period. At one point, they had eight straight shots, taking the shots lead on the Falcons by a count of 18-10. At the end of the period they lead Air Force in shots, 19-12.

Despite the discrepancy in shots on goal, Boston College still only leads by a single goal heading into the third and final period.

The rest of the game can be seen on ESPN U.

For the TV schedule, click here. View a full NCAA Hockey Tournament bracket here. For more coverage of the NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012, return to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's NCAA Hockey Tournament hub.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Boston University - Minnesota Line Preview

Boston University and Minnesota will face off in the NCAA West Regional at 5 p.m. on NESN, ESPN3.com and Fox Sports Pacific. Here are the line charts for the game, as reported by the Boston Hockey Blog:

Boston University
Forwards:
Wade Megan – Chris Connolly – Alex Chiasson
Matt Nieto – Sahir Gill – Evan Rodrigues
Justin Courtnall – Cason Hohmann – Ryan Santana
Ross Gaudet – Ben Rosen – Yasin Cisse

Defensemen:
Garrett Noonan – Patrick MacGregor
Sean Escobedo – Adam Clendening
Alexx Privitera – Ryan Ruikka

Starting Goalie: Kieran Millan

Changes of Note: After missing the Hockey East Tournament, winger Yasin Cisse is back in action for the Terriers after an injury. He takes the place of senior Kevin Gilroy on the fourth line.

Minnesota
Forwards:
Kyle Rau – Nick Bjugstad – Zach Budish
Sam Warning – Erik Haula – Jake Hansen
Nate Condon – Travis Boyd – Taylor Matson
Tom Serratore – Nico Sacchetti – Seth Ambroz

Defensemen:
Seth Helgeson – Justin Holl
Ben Marshall – Mark Alt
Jake Parenteau – Nate Schmidt

Starting Goalie: Kent Patterson

Changes of Note: The Golden Gophers switched up a few forwards on their third and fourth forward lines between their game last Friday against North Dakota. Travis Boyd and Nico Sacchetti have flipped lines.

NCAA Hockey Scores: Boston College Leads Air Force 1-0 After One Period

The No. 1 overall seed in the 2012 NCAA Hockey Tournament, the Boston College Eagles, lead the Air Force Falcons by a score of 1-0 after one period of play.

Chris Kreider scored the game's only goal for Boston College. Only one penalty has been called thus far – a tripping penalty on Paul Weisgarber.

Below are the starting lineups for each team.

Boston College: Barry Almeida, Bill Arnold, and Steven Whitney as the forwards, and Tommy Cross and Edwin Shea as the two defensemen. Parker Milner as the goaltender.

Air Force: Kyle De Laurell, Paul Weisgarber, and John Kruse as the forwards, and Scott Mathis and Tom Kirby as the two defenseman, with Jason Torf is manning the net.

For the TV schedule, click here. View a full NCAA Hockey Tournament bracket here. For more coverage of the NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012, return to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's NCAA Hockey Tournament hub.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012, Minnesota-Duluth Vs. Maine: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Maine Black Bears meet the defending national champions, the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, on Saturday during the opening round of the 2012 NCAA Hockey Tournament in Worcester, Mass. (Game Time: 7:30 p.m., ESPN U, ESPN 3)

Maine lost to top-ranked Boston College 4-1 in the Hockey East tournament championship game, but still received an at-large berth into the Northeast Regional. The Black Bears are paced by Spencer Abbott, who has 20 goals and 41 assists for 61 points, and Joey Diamond, who netted a team-high 25 goals to go along with 22 assists.

Minnesota-Duluth begins its title defense on Saturday after receiving an NCAA tournament berth for the third consecutive season. The Bulldogs are led by Jack Connolly, who has 19 goals and 39 assists for 58 points.

For the TV schedule, click here. View a full NCAA Hockey Tournament bracket here. For more coverage of the NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012, return to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's NCAA Hockey Tournament hub.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012, Minnesota Vs. Boston University: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The third-seeded Boston University Terriers meet the second-seeded Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota in a matchup of two of college hockey's most successful programs during the first round of the 2012 NCAA Hockey Tournament. (Game Time: 5 p.m., TV Schedule: NESN)

BU earned an at-large berth into the field by virtue of a 23-14-1 record, including a 17-9-1 mark in the Hockey East. Oddly enough considering the Terriers' long history of NCAA tournament appearances, only two of the current players have tournament experience. Chris Connolly and Kieran Millan both impacted the 2009 championship run -- Connolly registered three points, including a goal and an assist in the national championship game, and Millan earned a spot on the All-Tournament team after posting a 4-0 record with a 2.65 goals-against average.

For the TV schedule, click here. View a full NCAA Hockey Tournament bracket here. For more coverage of the NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012, return to this StoryStream or visitSB Nation's NCAA Hockey Tournament hub.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012, Boston College Vs. Air Force: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Boston College Eagles begin the 2012 NCAA Hockey Tournament on Saturday afternoon against the Air Force Falcons. (Game Time: 4 p.m., TV Schedule: ESPN U, ESPN 3)

Boston College earned the tournament's No. 1 overall seed by winning its final 15 games entering the tournament. The Eagles, who captured the Hockey East tournament title by outlasting Maine in the championship game, are hardly in foreign territory in the NCAA Tournament -- this is their 13th tournament berth in the last 15 seasons, and 31st overall.

Air Force earned an automatic berth into the tournament by winning the Atlantic Hockey Association Tournament. The Falcons smoked RIT in the championship game, 4-0, to capture the AHA tournament title for the fifth time in the past six seasons.

For the TV schedule, click here. View a full NCAA Hockey Tournament bracket here. For more coverage of the NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012, return to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's NCAA Hockey Tournament hub.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Miami vs. UMass-Lowell Final Score: River Hawks Win 4-3 In Overtime

The Miami Redhawks made things interesting on Friday night in their matchup against the UMass-Lowell River Hawks, even though it was the River Hawks that will advance to the next round to face the top-seeded Union Dutchmen in the next round. After heading into the third period with a 3-0 lead, the River Hawks allowed Miami to score three goals in the third period, forcing overtime, where UMass-Lowell won by scoring first.

The third period was all Miami. At the 3:06 mark in the third,Trent Vogelhuber score the Redhawks' first goal of the game. Then, less than a minute later,Austin Czarnik scored Miami's second goal. At the 9:56 mark, Alden Hirschfeld scored the Redhawks' third, and final goal, tying the game. Neither team was able to score in the second half of the third period and the two colleges went to overtime.

Even though Miami had all the momentum, it was UMass-Lowell that came away with the win by scoring first in overtime. After just 2:13 had passed in overtime, Riley Wetmore, who scored the team's goal in the second period, sent the puck into the net to end the game and allow the team to advance to the next round to face the Dutchmen.

That game will take place on Saturday, March 24 at 6:30 p.m. ET.

For more on UMass-Lowell's trip through the NCAA hockey tournament, follow SB Nation Boston's StoryStream.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Miami Vs. UMass-Lowell, 2nd Period Score: River Hawks Extend Lead To 3-0

The UMass-Lowell River Hawks lead the Miami University Redhawks by a score of 3-0 at the end of the second period in their first-round game of the 2012 NCAA hockey tournament. The River Hawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period and extended that lead to 3-0 in the second 20 minutes of play.

After scoring on a power play and while short handed in the first, the River Hawks finally got an even play goal at the 2:21 mark in the second. Riley Wetmore sent the puck into the net after getting assists from David Vallorani and Derek Arnold. River Hawks goalie have faced 15 shots on goal, deflecting all of them, including nine in the second period, and he is two thirds of the way to a shut out in the first round of the tournament.

The winner of this game will go on to face the top-seeded Union Dutchman in the second round after they defeated Michigan State by a score of 3-1.

For more on the NCAA tournament and UMass-Lowell's trip through the NCAA tournament, follow SB Nation Boston's StoryStream.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Miami Vs. UMass-Lowell, 1st Period Score: River Hawks Lead, 2-0

The UMass-Lowell River Hawks lead the Miami (OH) RedHawks, 2-0, after the first period of play in the First Round of the 2012 NCAA Hockey Tournament from the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn.

UMass-Lowell took an early lead on the power-play after a lengthy review of the goal. Miami's Tyler Biggs was sent to the penalty box for boarding at the 1:25 mark. Josh Holmstrom scored nine seconds after the power-play started on a rebound. The referees were reviewing whether or not Holmstrom directed the puck into the net with his glove. Tim Corcoran was credited with an assist on the goal.

The River Hawks looked as if they extended their lead a few minutes later when they pounced on another rebound. However, the referees deemed that there had been goaltender interference on Miami goalie Connor Knapp during the initial shot. The goal was waived off, but no penalty was assessed.

UMass-Lowell looked to be the quicker team in the first period and it paid off on a penalty kill as the period was winding down. Miami made one too many passes at the blue line of the attacking zone. Colin Wright anticipated the pass and got his stick on it and set himself up for a breakaway chance on Knapp. Wright beat Knapp on the ice between the pads on a quick wrist shot to make it 2-0.

Doug Carr turned away all six of the RedHawks' shots in the first period. Knapp made seven saves in the first period for Miami.

For the TV schedule, click here. View a full NCAA Hockey Tournament bracket here. For more coverage of the NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012, return to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's NCAA Hockey Tournament hub.

Boston College Hockey Looking For Redemption In NCAA Tournament

Last year, the Boston College men's hockey team appeared to be well on their way to defending their national title until a shocking first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament. This time around, the Eagles will be looking for some redemption.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012, Miami Vs. UMass Lowell: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The 2012 NCAA Hockey Tournament will begin on Friday, with half of the 16 teams in action, including the field's number two and three overall seeds, Michigan and Union. The Tournament's one seed, Boston College, will play on Saturday.

Miami (OH) went 24-14-2 overall in the regular season and 16-7-5-2 in the CCHA. This marks the team's 10th tournament appearance in school history. They have made the Frozen Four in two of the previous three seasons.

Lowell is making their first tournament appearance since 1996, and only fourth all-time. They followed up an atrocious 5-24-5 record one season ago with a sparkling 23-12-1 record this year.

What: No. 2 Miami (OH) Redhawks vs. No. 3 UMass-Lowell River Hawks

Where: Bridgeport, Connecticut

When: 6:30 PM EST

TV: ESPNU and ESPN3

For the TV schedule, click here. View a full NCAA Hockey Tournament bracket here. For more coverage of the NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012, return to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's NCAA Hockey Tournament hub.

Media Roundup: ESPN Preps For Hockey's Version Of March Madness

With four local teams in action, many eyes in Boston will be turned to the NCAA Hockey Tournament Regionals this weekend. ESPN is planning several enhancements to their coverage of hockey's version of March Madness.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Maine's Spencer Abbott Unlikely To Play In Regionals

Hockey East Player of the Year Spencer Abbott most likely will not be available for the University of Maine Black Bears when they play defending national champion University of Minnesota-Duluth Saturday evening in the NCAA Northeast Regional. Abbott suffered a head injury during last weekend's Hockey East Tournament.

Maine head coach Tim Whitehead told reporters Tuesday that his team is planning to play without the senior left wing, even though there is a slight chance he could be cleared for play. The Biddeford Journal Tribune quoted Whitehead as saying:

“As you know, with these types of head injuries you have to be patient. It’s a delicate situation and it should be. That’s the nature of that kind of injury...We’re going to assume he’s not playing."

Abbott suffered the concussion after tripping by the boards and subsequently being hit by a Boston University defenseman during the third period of last Friday's Hockey East semifinal. Maine won the game, 5-3, but lost the next night's championship game to Boston College, 4-1.

The NCAA Tournament has adopted the same concussion management protocol as the regular season, and explicitly informs teams in tournament related paperwork that they must follow the same plan they would regarding concussions that they would during the regular season. Even if Abbott feels motivated to return to the ice because of the nature of the tournament, the NCAA expects that Maine would handle his injury like if he suffered it during the season.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Boston College Earns No. 1 Overall Seed After 15 Straight Wins

Riding a 15-game winning streak, the Boston College Eagles earned the No. 1 overall seed in the 2012 NCAA Hockey Tournament.

Boston College enters the NCAA Tournament with a 29-10-1 record after capturing the 2012 Hockey East Tournament with four consecutive wins, including a 4-1 victory over Maine in the final game.

Led by Chris Kreider (20 goals, 21 assists, 41 points), Johnny Gaudreau (19 goals, 20 assists, 39 points) and Barry Almeida (22 goals, 16 assists), the Eagles have not lost since Jan. 27.

Still, after all those wins, BC isn't perfect. In a "Hunger Games"-themed tournament preview, the SB Nation blog BC Interruption addressed the Eagles' flaws:

On paper, BC has all the tools capable of winning the Hunger Games. Speed, defense, solid goaltending. Winners of 15 straight, the Eagles truly are "the team on fire." But in practice, no one gives them a chance. Sure, they looked great during the regular season, but is that goaltending going to hold up? How many "tributes" that score highest actually win the Hunger Games? What chance do they have against Careers like North Dakota and Michigan? Mentor Jerry York (Haymitch) can only help so far.

View a full NCAA Hockey Tournament bracket here. For more coverage of the NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012, return to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's NCAA Hockey Tournament hub. If you want further analysis and news regarding Boston College hockey, head to the SB Nation blog BC Interruption.

NCAA Hockey Tournament 2012: Boston College First Overall Seed; Maine, BU, UMass Lowell Make Cut

Boston College takes the first overall seed into the NCAA Hockey Tournament. UMass Lowell, Maine and Boston University also made the tournament, which begins Friday.