The 2015 Frozen Four at TD Garden in Boston, Mass is finally here. Nebraska-Omaha and Providence will take the ice in the first semifinal at 4 p.m. CT on Thursday, and Boston University and North Dakota will follow in the second semifinal with an approximate 7:30 p.m. CT puck drop.
The two winners will play in the Frozen Four championship game Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT. John Buccigross and Barry Melrose will call all three games with Quint Kessenich as the bench reporter. The semifinals will be broadcast on ESPN2 and the national championship on ESPN.
The tournament began with seven Chicago Blackhawks prospects, but now features just four in Omaha’s freshman defenseman Luc Snuggerud (2014 fifth-rounder) and North Dakota’s freshman forward Nick Schmaltz (2014 first-rounder), sophomore forward Luke Johnson (2013 fifth-rounder) and senior defenseman Nick Mattson (2010 sixth-rounder).
Snuggerud had two assists against RIT in UNO’s 4-0 victory to win the Midwest Regional and send the Mavericks to their first Frozen Four. Snuggerud has two goals and 14 assists in 38 games this season.
Johnson scored a goal in each game — his ninth and 10th on the season — as North Dakota cruised past Quinnipiac and St. Cloud State by identical 4-1 scores to become West Regional Champions. It’s UND’s second consecutive Frozen Four appearance.
Schmaltz is fourth on the team with 26 points (five goals, 21 assists) in 37 games, Johnson posted 10 goals and 13 assists in 41 games and Mattson registered four goals and 16 assists in 32 games this season.
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