Manchester Regional, March 28-30 | SNHU Arena, Manchester, N.H.
No. 1 Boston College (26-7-2) vs. No. 4 Bentley (23-14-2) | March 28, 2 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
No. 2 Providence (21-10-5) vs. No. 3 Denver (29-11-1) | March 28, 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Manchester Regional Championship | March 30, 4:30 p.m. or 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
BOSTON COLLEGE
How they got here: At-large bid, 1st in final PairWise
Overall season record: 26-7-2
Top players: G Jacob Fowler (24-6-2, 1.64, .940), F Andre Gasseau (15-15-30), D Eamon Powell (4-16-20), F James Hagens (10-25-35), F Gabe Perreault (15-32-47), F Ryan Leonard (29-18-47)
Why they will advance to the Frozen Four: There’s really no reason for the Eagles not to. They’re the No. 1 seed in the tournament for a reason. They have all the tools, starting with Hobey Baker finalist Ryan Leonard (the league’s sole representative among the top 10) and Mike Richter finalist Jacob Fowler.
Why they won’t advance to the Frozen Four: The Eagles haven’t been terrific in tournaments this year. While they might not have been playing with the same urgency in the Hockey East quarterfinals that they would have if their season was on the line, the Eagles got its offense going too late before losing 3-1 to Northeastern. Also, they lost in the Beanpot final and amazingly sport the longest championship drought (last win in 2016) of the tournament’s four participants. And while BC should beat Bentley Friday, its next opponent could be Denver, the school that scuttled the Eagles’ national championship dreams last year in the NCAA final.
PROVIDENCE
How they got here: At-large bid, 8th in final PairWise
Overall season record: 21-10-5
Top players: F Logan Will (15-23-71), G Philip Svedebäck (14-7-4, 2.36, .915 SV%), D Guillame Richard (2-12-14), F Tanner Adams (11-11-22), D Connor Kelley (1-3-4), F Hudson Malinoski (11-12-23)
Why they will advance to the Frozen Four: The Friars sport a 10-2-0 non-conference record and went 4-0-0 at a pair of neutral-site regular-season tournaments this year, which could bode well for their NCAA tournament chances.
Why they won’t advance to the Frozen Four: Yeesh — look at that draw. They got defending national champ Denver in the first round, and should the Friars be fortunate enough to make it to the regional final, they’ll likely have to face last year’s NCAA runner up (and this year’s No. 1 seed) Boston College. Good luck.
DENVER
How they got here: At-large, 9th in final PairWise
Overall season record: 29-11-1
Top players: F Jack Devine (13-43-56), F Aidan Thompson (19-32-51), F Carter King (20-20–40), D Zeev Buium (11-32–43), G Matt Davis (27-9-1, 2.12 GAA, .920 SV%)
Why they will advance to the Frozen Four: The defending national champion Pioneers are just as loaded at the top end of their lineup as they were last season. That includes Davis, whose numbers are better at this point than they were heading into the 2024 NCAA tournament.
Why they won’t advance to the Frozen Four: Right away, Denver gets a Providence team that will have proverbial bells on, reaching the NCAA tournament for the first time in six years. Could the Friars reach the Frozen Four, like they did in 2019? Or does Boston College make its 27th Frozen Four in program history? I’m less worried about Denver than I am about the rest of this regional field.
BENTLEY
How they got here: Won the Atlantic Hockey America tournament, 22nd in final PairWise
Overall season record: 23-14-2
Top players: F Ethan Leyh (18-24–40), D Nick Bochen (9-19-28), F Nick Armstrong-Kingkade (12-15–27), F A.J. Hodges (9-9–18), G Connor Hasley (21-12-2, 1.95 GAA, .923 SV%)
Why they will advance to the Frozen Four:
Because Atlantic Hockey America typically sends only its champion to the NCAA tournament, that team enters the tourney on a roll. Bentley has won five in a row and 10 out of its last 12, including six shutouts. Falcons goalie Connor Hasley has posted 11 shutouts this season, one away from the all-time record.
Everyone remembers Holy Cross knocking off Minnesota in 2006, but AHA champions have also won first-round games in 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019, often as the 16th overall seed. Atlantic Hockey America teams have defeated the overall top seed three times in the past nine seasons.
Bentley is 1-1 against the NCAA field this season, defeating Maine 4-2 in Portland and losing to Massachusetts 5-4 in its season opener. Boston College is 0-2 against Bentley all-time with the most recent meeting a 6-2 Falcons win back in 2021.
Why they won’t advance to the Frozen Four:
As the 16th overall seed, the Falcons have the toughest path to St. Louis. Boston college has 12 NHL draft picks on its roster, Bentley has none. Possible regional final opponents Denver has 13; Providence has 10.
And while Atlantic Hockey America teams have had success in the first round, it hasn’t happened recently. American International was the last to do it in 2019 when the Yellow Jackets upset St. Cloud in Fargo. The league is 0-4 most recently.
