2024 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four Preview: How Boston College, Boston University, Denver and Michigan stack up
After months of hard work and numerous battles, only four teams remain in the 2024 NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament, each looking to claim the national title.
This year’s Frozen Four features programs that have a history of ending up on top, and with loads of future NHL talent scattered throughout the field. Among the four blue blood programs, 28 national championships have been won.
There is certainly going to be no shortage of exciting action this weekend in St. Paul.
Let’s take a look at the two semifinal matchups.
Michigan vs. Boston College
Boston College Eagles
NHL affiliates: Jacob Fowler, G (Montreal Canadiens), Drew Fortescue, D (NY Rangers), Aidan Hreschuk, D (Columbus Blue Jackets), Charlie Leddy, D (New Jersey Devils), Aram Minnetian, D (Dallas Stars), Eamon Powell, D (Tampa Bay Lightning), Colby Ambrosio, C (Colorado Avalanche), Andre Gasseau, C (Boston Bruins), Cutter Gauthier, LW (Anaheim Ducks) Oskar Jellvik, LW (Boston Bruins), Ryan Leonard, LW (Washington Capitals), Jack Malone, RW (Vancouver Canucks), Gabe Perreault, RW (NY Rangers), Will Smith, C (San Jose Sharks)
There are many reasons to like Boston College, despite the fact that the program hasn’t been to the Frozen Four in eight years.
Led by a dominant freshman class, the Eagles have been the no. 1 team in the NCAA for most of the season, and laid waste to their opponents on their path to the team’s first Hockey East Championship in 12 years, with their run in 2012 marking the last time the team won the national championship.
They got to this point by winning the Providence Regional. After a dominating win over Michigan Tech in the opening round, Jack Malone’s goal overtime winner against Quinnipiac, the defending champions, punched BC’s ticket to St. Paul.
Boston College has players ready to take the next step, including Hobey Baker Award finalist Cutter Gauthier. The Anaheim Ducks prospect leads the nation in goals (37) and tied for second in the country in overall scoring, with his 69 points just five behind Washington Capitals prospect Will Smith.
Smith leads a trio of talented college rookies. He, Ryan Leonard, and Gabe Perreault are showing that they are going to be NHL-ready before you know it.
This is the Eagles’ 26th trip to the Frozen Four.
Michigan Wolverines
NHL affiliates: Seamus Casey, D (New Jersey Devils), Ethan Edwards, D (New Jersey Devils), Jacob Truscott, D (Vancouver Canucks), Gavin Brindley, RW (Columbus Blue Jackets), Kienan Draper, RW (Detroit Red Wings), Dylan Duke, C (Tampa Bay Lightning), Jackson Hallum, LW (Vegas Golden Knights), Rutger McGroarty, C (Winnipeg Jets), Nicholas Moldenhauer, RW (Toronto Maple Leafs), Frank Nazar, C (Chicago Blackhawks)
Even though the Wolverines lost loads of players to the pro ranks after getting knocked out by Quinnipiac in last year’s national semifinals, the Maize and Blue are back in the Frozen Four for the third straight season, and 28th time in program history.
Don’t let that stat fool you, Michigan was on nobody’s radar to be alive at this point. A strong second half of the season moved the Wolverines up the PairWise rankings, and the team snuck into the tournament with an at-large bid.
However, the Wolverines did not look like a mere .500 team in December at the beginning of the tournament. In the Maryland Heights Regional, two strong third periods helped Michigan take down North Dakota and the Big Ten Champions, rival Michigan State.
A healthy cast of characters stepped up in the opening stage of the tournament, including Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick Dylan Duke, who scored twice against the Spartans.
TJ Hughes, Frank Nazar and Big Ten Player of the Year, Gavin Brindley, can take games over when the Wolverines need it most.
Goaltender Jake Barczewski is a dark horse on this team. The Canisius transfer was sensational during the second half for the Wolverines and made some big saves in the regionals.
It has been 13 years since Michigan played in the national championship game.
Tale of the Tape
Michigan leads the all-time series against Boston College, 12-7, including their legendary battle in the 1998 title game, when the Wolverines beat the Eagles in overtime in Boston. U-M is 3-2 in the national tournament against BC.
Denver vs. Boston University
Boston Terriers
NHL affiliates: Aiden Celebrini, D (Vancouver Canucks), Ty Gallagher, D (Boston Bruins), Lane Hutson, D (Montreal Canadiens), Gavin McCarthy, D (Buffalo Sabres), Cade Webber, D (Toronto Maple Leafs), Tom Willander, D (Vancouver Canucks), Ryan Greene, C (Chicago Blackhawks), Jack Harvey, LW (Tampa Bay Lightning), Jack Hughes, C (Los Angeles Kings), Devin Kaplan, RW (Philadelphia Flyers), Shane Lachance, LW (Edmonton Oilers), Dylan Peterson, C (St. Louis Blues), Luke Tuch, LW (Montreal Canadiens)
For the first time since the 1990s, the Terriers are in the Frozen Four in back-to-back seasons.
The team was knocked out in the national semis by Minnesota last season, but BU got revenge on the Golden Gophers by beating them in the Sioux Falls Regional Final to advance to the Frozen Four for the 24th time in program history.
What is strange about the 2023-24 Boston University team is that it is better than last season. While the team has experienced talent like Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson and Ryan Greene, the Terriers were bolstered by the consensus no. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NHL Draft, Macklin Celebrini.
Celebrini comes into the weekend tied with Gauthier for second in the nation in scoring, with his 32 goals the most in NCAA history by an under-18 player. The way Celebrini has dominated this season, especially in the tournament’s first two games, there is no question he is ready for the next level. The Vancouver native is one of the hat-trick finalists for the Hobey Baker Award.
BU has not been to the championship game since they fell to Providence in the 2015 Final.
Denver Pioneers
NHL affiliates: Sean Behrens, D (Colorado Avalanche), Garrett Brown, D (Winnipeg Jets), Shai Buium, D (Detroit Red Wings), Tristan Broz, C (Pittsburgh Penguins), Jack Devine, RW (Florida Panthers), Sam Harris, LW (Montreal Canadiens), Rieger Lorenz, LW (Minnesota Wild), Miko Matikka, RW (Arizona Coyotes), Massimo Rizzo, C (Philadelphia Flyers), Aidan Thompson, C (Chicago Blackhawks), McKade Webster, LW (Tampa Bay Lightning), Jared Wright, RW (Los Angeles Kings)
Denver entered the national tournament with the nation’s highest-scoring offense. However, they had to grind their way out of the Springfield Regional. Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Tristan Broz’s goal in the second overtime helped the Pioneers survive against UMass. Then, DU snuck away with a 2-1 victory in the regional final against Cornell, sending the team to the Frozen Four for the first time since they won it all in 2022, and the 19th time in program history.
Despite their struggles to score in the regionals, the NCHC champions have plenty of firepower to score their way out of problems. Florida Panthers draft pick Jack Devine has steadily been producing this season, along with Shai and Zeev Buium.
DU is expected to get a big boost this weekend, as Massimo Rizzo–a Philadelphia Flyers prospect–is expected to return after missing the last 14 games.
Denver also has a very stable netminder. While his numbers were not earth-shattering during the regular season, Matt Davis came in clutch during the regional tournament, turning away 80 shots in the two games.
Tale of the Tape
DU is 17-15-2 against BU, though is the first meeting between the storied programs since 2017. The Pioneers are 3-2 against the Terriers in the national tournament, with Boston University last beating Denver in the 1997 regionals.
Schedule
(3) Denver vs. (2) Boston University – Thursday, April 11 (5 p.m. ET) ESPN2, ESPN+, TSN+
(10) Michigan vs. (1) Boston College – Thursday, April 11 (8:30 p.m. ET) ESPN2, ESPN+, TSN+
National Championship Game – Saturday, April 13 (6 p.m. ET) ESPN2, ESPN+, TSN+