Despite not having any Hockey East teams for the first time since 2005, the Men's NCAA Hockey Tournament will go on Friday night as the Frozen Four commences from the Xcel center in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The action starts at 5 p.m. ET when CCHA champion Notre Dame takes on the nearly homestanding University of Minnesota-Duluth, but really heats up when top-ranked North Dakota faces off with Michigan. The two teams have only lost one game between them in their past 26 games played, a road loss by the Wolverines at then No. 12 Western Michigan; North Dakota hasn't lost in fifteen games, tying only once during that stretch.
On the off-day, national award winners, including the Hobey Baker award winner (which former BC F Cam Atkinson is a finalist for), will be announced.
The weekend schedule is as follows:
2011 Frozen Four
Thursday, April 7:
5 p.m. - Notre Dame vs. Minnesota-Duluth (ESPN2/ESPN3.com)
8:30 p.m. - Michigan vs. North Dakota (ESPN2/ESPN3.com)
Saturday, April 9:
7 p.m. - National Championship game: Notre Dame/Minnesota-Duluth winner vs. Michigan/North Dakota winner (ESPN)