When the UMass hockey team gets to the 2021 Frozen Four, a familiar foe will await them.
The Minutemen will face Minnesota Duluth, the same team that beat them in the 2019 national championshp game, in the semifinals on April 8 at either 5 or 9 p.m. Duluth advanced Saturday (Sunday techically) after beating North Dakota, 3-2, in five overtimes, the longest game in NCAA Tournament history.
There will be fans allowed at the Frozen Four in a limited capacity. A small number of tickets are currently available through TicketMaster.
After beating Bemidji State, 4-0 to advance easily, the UMass hockey team had plenty of time to travel back to Amherst from Bridgeport, Connecticut and get comfortable before learning who they were going to play. They knew it would either be the No. 1 team in the nation in North Dakota or the two-time defending national champions in Minnesota Duluth (2018 and 2019, there was no tournament in 2020).
But the Fighting Hawks and Bulldogs played deep into the night and into Sunday morning. Minnesota-Duluth finally prevailed in the fifth overtime. After neither team scored in the first two periods, Duluth jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third, forcing the Fighting Hawks to pull their goalie. North Dakota scored twice in the final 1:31 to earn overtime.
Duluth appeared to have the game won in the first overtime period as the team flooded onto the ice in celebration. But replay showed the Bulldogs forward was offsides heading into the zone and the goal was disallowed. They finally got to celebrate in period No. 8.
Duluth was ranked No. 9 in the final USCHO.com top 20 that came out on March. 20.
If UMass coach Greg Carvel wanted a chance to avenge his team’s title loss to Duluth, he wasn’t about to admit it. During his postgame video conference, long before he knew his opponent, he was asked which team he’d rather face.
“You know better than to ask those questions. Can’t answer that,” Carvel said smiling.
Oliver Chau said he didn’t care.
“I love our group. We just focus on what we’re going to do,” he said. “That’s out of our hands. We’re just focused on the next one.
Here are updated tournament results and schedule from the Associated Press:
BRIDGEPORT REGIONAL
At Webster Bank Arena Bridgeport, Conn.
First Round Friday
Bemidji St. 6, Wisconsin 3
UMass 5, Lake Superior St. 1
Championship Saturday
UMass, 4 Bemidji St. 0
FARGO REGIONAL
At Scheels Arena Fargo, N.D.
First Round Friday
Minn. Duluth vs. Michigan, no contest
North Dakota 5, American International 1
Championship Saturday
Minnestoa Duluth 3, North Dakota 2 (5 overtimes)
ALBANY REGIONAL
At Times Union Center, Albany, N.Y.
First Round Saturday
Boston College vs. Notre Dame, no contest
St. Cloud St. 6, vs. Boston U. 2
Championship Sunday
Boston College vs. St. Cloud State, 5:30 p.m.
LOVELAND REGIONAL
At Budweiser Events Center, Loveland, Colorado
First Round, Saturday
Minnesota St. 4, Quinnipiac 3, OT
Minnesota 7, vs. Omaha 2
Championship Sunday
Minnesota State vs. Minnesota, 9 p.m.
FROZEN FOUR
At PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh
National Semifinals Thursday, April 8
Fargo Regional Champion vs. UMass, 5 p.m. or 9 p.m.
Boston College/St. Cloud State winner vs. Minnesota/Minnesota State winner, 5 p.m. or 9 p.m.
National Championship
Saturday, April 10
Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.
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