An early look at the 2014 Frozen Four after Boston College, Minnesota, North Dakota, Union claim spots

A year ago, four teams new to the Frozen Four experience made it to Pittsburgh. With the tournament on the other side of Pennsylvania this year, it’s quite a different story. The 2014 NCAA Frozen Four in Philadelphia will include three of the five most-frequently-appearing teams in Frozen Four history in Boston College (24, tied … Read more

Travelogue: Back to real life

HAMDEN, Conn — Neil Ravin and I have landed back home and have finally unpacked. It is time to return to “real life,” as some have deemed it. There is no doubt that what we experienced the last four days was dream-like. Every day, all we did was eat, sleep and breathe college hockey. From … Read more

Travelogue: All good things must end

PITTSBURGH — A new champion has been crowned and what a first couple of periods it was. Congratulations to Yale on an incredible run since Atlantic City, N.J. To be the last at-large team to make the NCAA tournament and beat three No. 1 seeds and a No. 2 seed to win the national championship … Read more

Video: Yale’s Stu Wilson, Kenny Agostino, Tommy Fallen after title game win

PITTSBURGH — Yale forwards Stu Wilson and Kenny Agostino and defenseman Tommy Fallen talk in the winning locker room after a 4-0 victory over Quinnipiac in the Frozen Four championship game: [youtube_sc url=http://youtu.be/kqQ3IvTsCkg width=500] [youtube_sc url=http://youtu.be/fzEIyiSWGx0 width=500] [youtube_sc url=http://youtu.be/Yn53TM9Ybi0 width=500]

Video: Yale returns to the locker room after winning the national championship

PITTSBURGH — Here’s video of Yale returning to its locker room, with senior associate athletic director Wayne Dean holding the national championship trophy: [youtube_sc url=http://youtu.be/Ped462rkmlo width=500] Yale players take turns hoisting the trophy on ice in front of the Yale student section: [youtube_sc url=http://youtu.be/uxu8xYmG-wY witdh=500]  

Quinnipiac vs. Yale: The lines

PITTSBURGH — Here are the lines for Saturday’s Frozen Four championship game between Quinnipiac and Yale, as listed on the line charts: QUINNIPIAC (30-7-5) 20 Matthew Peca-10 Connor Jones-15 Kellen Jones 39 Clay Harvey-17 Jeremy Langlois-24 Travis St. Denis 12 Bryce Van Brabant-7 Ben Arnt-19 Jordan Samuels-Thomas 9 Kevin Bui-6 Cory Hibbeler-11 Russell Goodman 3 … Read more

Travelogue: Pleasantly surprised

photo-9.jpg

Frozen Friday is in the books and there is one thing that has become clear: Pittsburgh people are the nicest people on the planet. Neil and I both hail from Maine, where I always thought the people were nice, but everybody in Pittsburgh is always asking how your day is or how you have to … Read more

Video: Hobey winner Drew LeBlanc; finalists Johnny Gaudreau, Eric Hartzell

PITTSBURGH — Hobey Baker Award winner Drew LeBlanc of St. Cloud State and Hobey Hat Trick finalists Johnny Gaudreau of Boston College and Eric Hartzell of Quinnipiac met the media after the ceremony Friday night. [youtube_sc url=http://youtu.be/xjjjZDvrQDE width=500] [youtube_sc url=http://youtu.be/F0rOs-Q4s_k width=500] [youtube_sc url=http://youtu.be/onOnjuNlLLM width=500] [youtube_sc url=http://youtu.be/UXsg9CyWsCI width=500] [youtube_sc url=http://youtu.be/vz_Sy7AiQDs width=500]

ECAC Hockey commissioner sees title game as confirmation more than validation

PITTSBURGH — ECAC Hockey commissioner Steve Hagwell isn’t out to change anyone’s perception of the league. He’ll let Saturday’s national title game between Yale and Quinnipiac do that. “I think that speaks volumes to where our programs are currently. For me, it isn’t validation,” Hagwell said. “It’s a testament to what people in this league … Read more

A Frozen Four refereeing hat trick for the Shepherd family

I0000FdUQVqu1Abk.jpg

PITTSBURGH — It isn’t an official designation, but the Shepherds may have become the first family of Frozen Four officiating. Brad Shepherd was one of the referees for Thursday’s national semifinal game between Yale and Massachusetts-Lowell, making him the third member of his family to wear the orange stripes for a Frozen Four game. Derek … Read more

Final thoughts from Quinnipiac before the title game

PITTSBURGH — Quinnipiac met with the media Friday morning for the final time heading into Saturday’s national title game against Yale. The Bobcats are 3-0 against their closest rivals this season. Here’s some of what they were saying: “I think some of them read the stories and were a little shocked. They didn’t know how … Read more