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8 Blackhawks prospects to play in 2018 NCAA hockey tournament

The Chicago Blackhawks will have eight prospects in the NCAA men’s hockey tournament during the next two weeks.

The No. 1 seeds are St. Cloud State (West), Notre Dame (East), Ohio State (Midwest) and Cornell (Northeast), the selection committee reveled Sunday. The Huskies were given the top overall seed despite falling to Denver, the reigning NCAA champion, in the NCHC tournament title game Saturday.

Notre Dame, the Big 10 regular-season and tournament champion, and defenseman Dennis Gilbert are the No. 1 seed in the East Regional. The Fighting Irish are looking to make a return trip to Frozen Four after falling in the semifinals to Denver last year in Chicago. Notre Dame will face Michigan Tech in the first round.

Cornell and forward Beau Starrett are the No. 1 seed in the Northeast Regional. The Big Red meet Boston University and defenseman Chad Krys in the first round.

The Northeast Regional boast the most Hawks prospects with four players. Northeastern’s Dylan Sikura and Ryan Shea will meet Michigan.

Denver, who will try to be the first team to repeat as NCAA champions since the Pioneers did in 2004-05, and defenseman Blake Hillman and Ian Mitchell meet Penn State and forward Evan Barratt.

WEST – Sioux Falls, South Dakota

No. 1 St. Cloud State vs. No. 4 Air Force

No. 2 Minnesota State vs. No. 3 Minnesota-Duluth

MIDWEST – Allentown, Pennsylvania

No. 1 Ohio State vs. Princeton

No. 2 Denver vs. No. 3 Penn State

NORTHEAST – Worcester, Massachusetts

No. 1 Cornell vs. No. 4 Boston

No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Northeastern

EAST – Bridgeport, Connecuticut

No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 4 Michigan Tech

No. 2 Providence vs. No. 3 Clarkson

The winners of each regional will advance to the Frozen Four on Thursday, April 5 at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The championship game will be Saturday, April 7.

SCHEDULE

Friday, March 23

East Regional: No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 4 Michigan Tech, 2 p.m. ESPN2

West Regional: No. 1 St. Cloud State vs. No. 4 Air Force, 3 p.m. ESPNU

East Regional: No. 2 Providence vs. No. 3 Clarkson, 5:30 p.m., ESPNU

West Regional: No. 2 MSU-Mankato vs. No. 3 Minnesota-Duluth, 6:30 p.m. ESPN3

Saturday, March 24

Northeast Regional: No. 1 Cornell vs. No. 4 Boston, Noon ESPNews

Northeast Regional: No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Northeastern, 3:30 p.m. ESPNews

Midwest Regional: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Princeton, 2:30 p.m. ESPNU

East Regional: Title game, 5 p.m. ESPNU

Midwest Regional: No. 2 Denver vs. No. 3 Penn State, 6 p.m. ESPN3

West Regional: Title game, 8 p.m. ESPN2

Sunday, March 25

Northeast Regional: Title game, 3 p.m. ESPN2

Midwest Regional: Title game, 5:30 p.m. ESPNU

Thursday, April 5

Semifinal 1: West Regional champ vs. Midwest Regional champ, ESPN2

Semifinal 2: East Regional champ vs. Northeast Regional champ, ESPN2

Saturday, April 7

Championship: Semifinal winner 1 vs. Semifinal winner 2, 6:30 p.m. ESPN2

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