North Dakota To Represent WCHA at 2008 NCAA Men's Frozen Four; League Seeks 37th Title
April 2, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
MADISON, Wisc. - For the fourth consecutive season, the University of North Dakota has earned a berth in the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, with the 2008 championship set for April 10-12 at Pepsi Center (18,007) in Denver, Colo. The No. 2-ranked Fighting Sioux (28-10-4), representing the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, are joined by Central Collegiate Hockey Association-members University of Michigan (33-5-4) and University of Notre Dame (26-15-4), and Hockey East Association-member Boston College (23-11-8).
North Dakota head coach Dave Hakstol, one of the league's two finalists along with Minnesota State's Troy Jutting for the Spencer Penrose Award, presented annually to the American Hockey Coaches' Association Division 1 Men's Coach of the Year, has guided his Sioux into the Frozen Four in each of his first four seasons behind the bench. On Thursday (April 10) in Denver, North Dakota will face-off against Boston College in the day's first semi-final matchup at 4:00 pm MT (6:00 pm ET). The second semi-final will have Michigan against Notre Dame at 7:00 pm MT (9:00 pm ET). Both semi-final games will be telecast live by ESPN2.
Then on Saturday, April 12, the two semi-final winners will play for the the national championship, with face-off at Pepsi Center set for 5:00 pm MT (7:00 pm ET). The title game will be telecast live by ESPN.
The Fighting Sioux, marking their 23rd appearance overall in the national tournament and 18th in the Frozen Four, are seeking the program's eighth national championship. Previous Frozen Four titles won by UND came in 1959 (Troy, NY), 1963 (Chestnut Hill, MA), 1980 (Providence, RI), 1982 (Providence, RI), 1987 (Detroit, MI), 1997 (Milwaukee, WI) and 2000 (Providence, RI). North Dakota is 40-17-0 all-time in NCAA tournament play, including their most recent two victories over Princeton and league-rival Wisconsin in the 2008 NCAA Midwest Regional, held March 29-30 in Madison. In Frozen Four play, North Dakota is 21-12-0 (.636) all-time.
The WCHA placed a record six teams into this season's NCAA tournament, with North Dakota earning the No. 2 seed for the Midwest Regional in Madison, regular season champion and MacNaughton Cup-winner Colorado College earning the No. 2 seed for the West Regional in Colorado Springs, Colo., 2008 Red Baron WCHA Final Five and Broadmoor Trophy-champion University of Denver earning the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Regional, St. Cloud State University earning the No. 2 seed for the East Regional in Albany, N.Y., University of Minnesota earning the No. 3 seed for the Northeast Regional in Worcester, Mass., and University of Wisconsin earning the No. 3 seed for the Midwest Regional. North Dakota won 5-1 over Princeton and 3-2 (ot) over the Badgers to claim the Midwest Regional championship. Colorado College fell 3-1 to Notre Dame in a West Regional semi-final on March 28. Denver lost 6-2 to Wisconsin in a Midwest Regional semi-final on March 29. St. Cloud State was defeated by Clarkson, 2-1, in a East Regional semi-final on March 28. Minnesota fell by a 5-2 count to Boston College in a Northeast Regional semi-final on March 29. And Wisconsin defeated Denver, 6-2, in their Midwest Regional semi-final on March 29 and then lost to North Dakota, 3-2 in overtime, on March 30 in the Midwest Regional final.
Heading into the Frozen Four, the WCHA's 2007-08 non-conference mark stands at 49-21-10 for a .675 winning percentage. Over the past eight seasons, Western Collegiate Hockey Association-member teams are a collective 397-174-64 (thru 4/2/08) vs teams from the five other Division 1 men's conferences, for a winning percentage of .676.
2008 NCAA Men's Frozen Four • Pepsi Center • Denver, Colorado
Thursday, April 10 - Semi-Finals: North Dakota (28-10-4) vs Boston College (23-11-8), 4:00 pm MT (6:00 pm ET) (TV - ESPN2/ESPN360.com); Michigan (33-5-4) vs Notre Dame (26-15-4), 7:00 pm MT (9:00 pm ET) (TV-ESPN 2/ESPN360.com).
Saturday, April 12 - National Championship Game: North Dakota/Boston College winner vs Michigan/Notre Dame winner, 5:00 pm MT (7:00 pm ET) (TV - ESPN/ESPN360.com).
|
|
 |
