My fandom admittedly does not fall with college hockey, so I thought it would be beneficial to me as well as others to take some baby steps into the world of NCAA hockey. As this is also my first blog, it just seems appropriate to start with the basics.
Basics of NCAA Playoff Hockey
NCAA Division I playoffs have been in existence since 1948 when Michigan beat Dartmouth in the final game of a 3 game tournament. The structure of the championship is simple, there are 16 teams, split up into 4 regions: Northeast, East, Midwest, and West, with 4 teams per region. The teams that qualify participate in a single elimination tournament. The final four teams then participate in a part of the tourney known as the Frozen Four. Several teams have found themselves in the final match up of the Frozen Four, notably Boston College, which has appeared in the finals 5 times in the past 10 years. Other schools making multiple appearances in the last ten years include, Denver, Maine, Minnesota and Michigan State.
Why Watch?
This is a question with many answers. First, the NCAA Division I Hockey playoffs are worth watching because simply, it’s hockey. We all love the sport. If you have ever watched an IHL, WHL, ECHL, QMJHL, or any of a variety of other leagues game – you will likely be interested in this tournament.
Second, because it is American hockey. For as much as we love showboating Russians and temperamental Swedes, this tourney is full of good old American boys. No offense to our neighbors to the North, a handful of whom participate in the tournament, hockey may have the most tender place in Canadians’ hearts, but it is nice to watch some kids from neighborhoods and towns just like ours in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Minnesota and Michigan play against each other.
Lastly, because of the Hobey Baker award. The Hobey Baker award is to college hockey what the Heismen Trophy is to college football. This honor is awarded to the players who: exhibit strength of character on and off the ice, contribute to the team both with their skills and integrity, and exhibit great sportsmanship. These are all aspects that our greatest athletes at all levels should demonstrate. NHL greats such as Chris Drury (NYR), Ryan Miller (BUF) and Paul Kariya (STL) have been recipients of this award, and many great things are likely to come from the student athlete that receives it.
Resources
There is plenty of information out there for a deeper dive into NCAA hockey, see below for a list of some websites with great content on the sports and the championship tournament.
Also, the Frozen Four will be available for on ESPN360.com, where games will stream live (note: ESPN360.com is a free service to users with eligible ISPs – visit the website for details). [Editor's note: While Caty is an ESPN employee, her views and opinions do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of ESPN.]