The host and No. 1-seeded University of Denver hockey team will face No. 4 Massachusetts-Lowell on Thursday in the second West Regional semifinal at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, the NCAA Tournament selection committee announced Sunday.
The winner will play the winner of No. 2 Minnesota-Duluth vs. No. 3 Michigan Tech on Saturday for a berth to the NCAA Frozen Four at Boston’s TD Garden from April 7-9.
Thursday’s first regional semifinal begins at 1 p.m., followed by DU and UMass-Lowell at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s regional championship is slated for 4:30 p.m.
DU and Minnesota-Duluth are National Collegiate Hockey Conference rivals, with the Bulldogs upsetting the Pioneers 2-0 in Friday’s NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinal in St. Paul, Minn. They went on to win the conference tournament title with a 3-0 victory over Western Michigan on Saturday.
DU and Duluth are heavy favorites to meet in Saturday’s title game, playing for the sixth time this season. The Bulldogs have won three of the five previous games.
“The focus is, obviously, solely on UMass-Lowell and that’s what all of our preparation will be about this week,” DU coach David Carle said. “The other game will happen. At the end of day you have to win the first one to win the last one. That’s what our focus is about.
“Lowell, they’re a good hockey team. They’re big, they’re old, very detailed. Couple big forwards up front that are real good hockey players.”
The Pioneers (27-9-1), the NCHC co-regular season champions and No. 1 postseason seed, are making their NCAA-record 14th consecutive full-season NCAA Tournament appearance.
UMass-Lowell (21-10-3) is the 13th overall seed. The River Hawks lost to Massachusetts 3-1 in Friday’s Hockey East Tournament semifinals. They tied UMass for second in the Hockey East regular-season behind Northeastern.
