Men’s Frozen Four

There will be a perfect bracket in College Hockey Pickem 2014.

If you were hoping to check out the Hobey Baker Award presentation in person Friday night, well, you’re probably out of luck — it’s closed to the public.

North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol and players Nick Mattson, Dillon Simpson and Stephane Pattyn answered questions from the media after a 2-1 loss to Minnesota, April 10, 2014,  in the 2014 NCAA national semifinal game.

Minnesota coach Don Lucia and players Justin Holl, Sam Warning and Adam Wilcox answered questions from the media after a 2-1 win over North Dakota, April 10, 2014, in the 2014 NCAA national semifinal game.

PHILADELPHIA — Here’s video of Minnesota defenseman Brady Skjei talking about teammate and game-winning goal scorer Justin Holl and more after the Gophers’ 2-1 victory over North Dakota on Thursday in the Frozen Four semifinals. [youtube_sc url=http://youtu.be/gypufvIO_UA]

PHILADELPHIA — North Dakota defenseman Nick Mattson talks after a 2-1 loss to Minnesota in the Frozen Four semifinals on Thursday. [youtube_sc url=http://youtu.be/diHXoBIWxRY]

Union coach Rick Bennett and players Mat Bodie, Shayne Gostisbehere and Daniel Ciampini answered questions from the media after a 5-4 win over Boston College, April 10, 2014, in the 2014 NCAA national semifinal game.

Boston College coach Jerry York and players Bill Arnold, Patrick Brown and Johnny Gaudreau answered questions from the media after a 5-4 loss to Union, April 10, 2014,  in the 2014 NCAA national semifinal game.

PHILADELPHIA — Union’s Matt Hatch talks about watching from the locker room after his game misconduct penalty, and goaltender Colin Stevens talks about the final seconds of a 5-4 victory over Boston College on Thursday at the Frozen Four. [youtube_sc url=http://youtu.be/VJ7AVWsMNRY] [youtube_sc url=http://youtu.be/Hi1Z5evBalQ]

PHILADELPHIA — Boston College freshman Ryan Fitzgerald talks after a 5-4 loss to Union on Thursday in the Frozen Four semifinals. [youtube_sc url=http://youtu.be/ujOvHHgn8zQ]

Here are the line combinations for the Frozen Four semifinal game between Minnesota and North Dakota.

Here are the line combinations for Thursday’s Frozen Four semifinal game between Boston College and Union.

Members of the USCHO staff give their thoughts and picks on Thursday’s Frozen Four semifinal games.

There are now three Division I men’s ice hockey programs in Pennsylvania: Mercyhurst, Penn State and Robert Morris. The D-I team closest to Philadelphia is Penn State, roughly 200 miles away; Robert Morris, near Pittsburgh, is 300 miles to the west, and Mercyhurst (Erie, Pa.) is another 100 miles farther away than that.

From the start of the 2013-14 season, Minnesota coach Don Lucia cautioned that this year’s Golden Gophers squad was different from what fans had seen previously.

Boston College may boast the nation’s No. 1 offense, but the Eagles know their school’s recent national championships (2008, 2010, 2012) haven’t come by outrunning and outgunning the opposition. They’ve come from being an excellent defensive team. This year’s squad is prepared to follow suit.

Following North Dakota’s 2-1 double-overtime Midwest Regional final victory over Ferris State two weeks ago, most of the praise was heaped upon one of UND’s leading lights and also upon one of the team’s more unsung heroes.

PHILADELPHIA — Minnesota sophomore defenseman Mike Reilly talks about what it’ll take for the Gophers to get past North Dakota in the Frozen Four in this video: [youtube_sc url=http://youtu.be/pc9A9udyxc4]