Top-seeded Minnesota will open the NCAA hockey tournament against Air Force in the West Regional, while No. 2 Notre Dame will face Alabama-Huntsville in the Midwest.
Minnesota, seeded No. 1 Sunday after beating North Dakota 3-2 in overtime Saturday night in the Western College Hockey Association final, will face Air Force on Saturday in Denver. In the other game at the Pepsi Center, North Dakota will play Michigan.
Air Force earned its first trip to the NCAA tournament with a 6-1 victory over Army on Saturday night to win the Atlantic Hockey Association title.
The Golden Gophers (30-9-3) have won five NCAA titles, including the 2002 and 2003 championships. WCHA teams have won the last five championships, with Denver winning in 2004 and 2005 and Wisconsin taking the 2006 title.
Denver failed to make the 16-team tournament field this year for the second straight season.
Notre Dame (31-6-3), a 2-1 winner over Michigan on Saturday night in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association title game, will open against Alabama-Huntsville on Friday night in Grand Rapids, Mich. Boston University will play Michigan State in the other first-round game at Van Andel Arena.
On Friday in the East Regional in Rochester, N.Y., third-seeded Clarkson will face Massachusetts, and St. Cloud State will play Maine. Clarkson won the ECAC final Saturday, beating Quinnipiac 4-2.
On Saturday in the Northeast Regional in Manchester, N.H., fourth-seeded New Hampshire will open against Miami of Ohio, and Boston College will face St. Lawrence. Boston College beat New Hampshire 5-2 on Saturday in the Hockey East final.
The NCAA Frozen Four is April 5-7 in St. Louis.
