The Blackhawks will have three prospects in the NCAA men’s hockey tournament during the next two weeks in defensemen Ian Mitchell and Ryan Shea and forward Beau Starrett.
The No. 1 seeds are St. Cloud State (West), Minnesota Duluth (Midwest), Minnesota State (East) and Massachusetts (Northeast), the selection committee reveled Sunday. St. Cloud State was given the top overall seed after falling to Minnesota Duluth in double overtime in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff title game Saturday.
Shea (No. 2 Northeastern) and Starrett (No. 3 Cornell) will face off in the first round of the East Regional in Providence, Rhode Island. The winner will meet the winner of No. 1 Minnesota State and No. 4 Providence for a spot in the Frozen Four.
Shea, a 2015 fourth-round draft pick, has three goals and 13 assists in 38 games during his junior season, while Starrett, a 2014 third-rounder, has seven goals and 14 points in 34 games as a senior.
Mitchell and No. 2 Denver will face No. 3 Ohio State in the West Regional in Fargo, North Dakota. The 2017 second-rounder leads all Denver defensemen with 28 points (six goals, 21 assists) in 36 games during his sophomore campaign.
EAST — Providence, Rhode Island (Dunkin’ Donuts Center)
1. Minnesota State (32-7-2)
2. Northeastern (27-10-1)
3. Cornell (20-10-4)
4. Providence (22-11-6)
WEST — Fargo, North Dakota (Scheels Arena)
1. St. Cloud State (30-5-3)
2. Denver (22-11-5)
3. Ohio State (20-10-5)
4. American International (22-16-1)
NORTHEAST — Manchester, New Hampshire (SNHU Arena)
1. Massachusetts (28-9)
2. Clarkson (26-10-2)
3. Notre Dame (22-13-3)
4. Harvard (19-10-3)
MIDWEST — Allentown, Pennsylvania (PPL Center)
1. Minnesota Duluth (25-11-2)
2. Quinnipiac (25-9-2)
3. Arizona State (21-12-1)
4. Bowling Green (25-10-5)
The winners of each regional will advance to the Frozen Four on Thursday, April 11 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. The championship game will be Saturday, April 13.
Local boys
The tournament field also features more than 30 Illinois natives.
St. Cloud State: Forward Kevin Fitzgerald (Oak Brook)
Minnesota State: Goaltender Dryden McKay (Downers Grove), defenseman Connor Mackey (Tower Lakes)
UMass: Forward Brett Boeing (Barrington), defenseman Jake McLaughlin (Hinsdale)
Clarkson: Defenseman Shane Kuzmeski (Grayslake)
Northeastern: Forward Biagio Lerario (Addison)
Quinnipiac: Defenseman Brogan Rafferty (Dundee)
Denver: Defenseman Erich Fear (Winnetka) and goaltender Michael Corson (Darien)
Ohio State: Forwards Tanner Laczynski (Shorewood) and Kamil Sadlocha (Carpentersville)
Arizona State: Forwards Jack Rowe (Cary) and Peter Zhong (Orland Park)
Cornell: Defenseman Alex Green (Chicago)
Notre Dame: Forwards Pierce Crawford (Park Ridge), Jake Pivonka (Naperville), Jake Jenkins (Lake Bluff) and defenseman Tory Dello (Crystal Lake), Bobby Nardella (Rosemont), Charlie Raith (Winnetka)
Harvard: Forwards Jack Drury (Winnetka) and Michael Floodstrand (Hinsdale), defenseman Adam Baughman (Chicago)
Bowling Green: Forwards Casey Linkenheld (Bartlett), Lukas and Sam Craggs (Elmhurst), John Schilling (Oswego)
American International: Forwards Ryan Papa (Prospect Heights) and Chris Dodero (West Chicago), defensemen Nicolas Luka (Bartlett) and Brennan Kapcheck (Mount Prospect)
Chicago Steel alums
The tournament will have more than 30 Chicago Steel alums.
St. Cloud State: Forward Robby Jackson
Minnesota State: Forwards Walker Duehr, Jake Jaremko and Reggie Lutz, defenesmen Wyatt Aamodt and Alec Vanko
Clarkson: Defensemen Brian Hurley, Shane Kuzmeski, and Jere Astren, forward Haralds Egle
Quinnipiac: Defenseman Karlis Cukste (Sharks 2015)
Ohio State: Forwards Brendon Kearney and Tanner Laczynski (Flyers 2016), defenseman Grant Gabriele, goaltender Tommy Nappier
Arizona State: Forward Johnny Walker
Notre Dame: Defenseman Charlie Raith and goaltender Cale Morris
Harvard: Forwards Baker Shore, Jack Badini (Ducks 2017) and Reilly Walsh (Devils 2017)
Providence: Defenseman Ben Mirageas (Islanders 2017), forwards Jack Dugan (Golden Knights 2017), Brandon Duhaime (Wild 2016), Greg Printz and Jason O’Neill
Bowling Green: Defenseman Connor McDonald and forward John Schilling
American International: Forwards Chris Dodero and Eric Otto (IR)
Northeastern: Forwards Biagio Lerario and Bobby Hampton