The NCAA men’s ice hockey tournament started March 26 with 16 teams and is now down to the final four teams: Michigan, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Denver.
Going into the Frozen Four, Michigan and Denver are the powerhouse teams. Michigan is on a six-game winning streak, and Denver is on an 11-game winning streak.
Denver Head Coach David Carle has led the team to two national championships and multiple Frozen Four appearances. Denver has a strong program that is always hard for teams to beat. They are an experienced team, especially in the NCAA tournament.
Denver, Michigan, and North Dakota all finished first in their conferences this season, with Wisconsin being the outlier, finishing fourth in the Big Ten. But since then, Wisconsin has proved many people wrong.
Wisconsin had a rough start to the season. They turned their season around and got into the Big Ten tournament, but they lost in the quarterfinals to Ohio State.
But they improved enough for them to punch their ticket to the NCAA tournament and also make it to the Frozen Four. If Wisconsin beats North Dakota on Thursday, they would go to the championship game for the first time in 16 years.
North Dakota is the opposite of Wisconsin. They are a strong team that secured the No. 2 seed for the tournament and also won their conference. They were consistent throughout the season, with the help of goalie Gibson Homer, whom they acquired through the transfer portal. Homer has been pivotal for them, helping them secure wins and help lead them to the Frozen Four.
Goaltending has played a huge role for many teams this season. Michigan has found luck with their young goalie, Jack Ivankovic, who has been crucial for the Wolverines, keeping them alive in the tournament.
Michigan and Denver are the two teams that have the most experience in postseason play. This is both teams’ third consecutive Frozen Four appearance. Both teams are looking for a national championship and will have to face each other to get it.
All four of these teams are seeking a national championship and to make history. They will play this Thursday to determine which two teams will reach the championship.
This Thursday in Las Vegas, Wisconsin will play North Dakota at 5 p.m., and then Michigan will play Denver at 8:30 p.m. The championship game will be at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
