2018 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament



The 2018 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Tournament is the national championship tournament for men's college ice hockey in the United States in 2018. The tournament involves 16 teams in single-elimination play to determine the national champion at the Division I level of the NCAA, the highest level of competition in college hockey. The tournament's Frozen Four – the semifinals and finals – will be hosted by the University of Minnesota Twin Cities at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota April 5-7, 2018.

Automatic Bids
The post season champions of the six division I confences will automatically qualify for the tournament
 * Atlantic Hockey: Air Force Falcons
 * Big Ten Conference: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
 * ECAC: Princeton Tigers
 * Hockey East: Boston University Terriers
 * National Collegiate Hockey Conference: Denver Pioneers
 * Western Collegiate Hockey Association: Michigan Tech Huskies

At-large Bids
The tournament committee will extend 10 "at large" bids to the tournament.
 * Clarkson Golden Knights
 * Cornell Big Red
 * Michigan Wolverines
 * Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs
 * Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks
 * Northeastern Huskies
 * Ohio State Buckeyes
 * Penn State Nittany Lions
 * Providence Friars
 * St. Cloud State Huskies

Tournament procedure
The tournament consisted of four groups of four teams in regional brackets. The winner of each regional advanced to the Frozen Four:

Northeast Regional
DCU Center, Worcester, Massachusetts March 24-25

Semifinals

 * Boston University Terriers defeated Cornell Big Red 3-1
 * Michigan Wolverines defeated Northeastern Huskies 3-2

Final

 * Michigan Wolverines defeated Boston University Terriers 6-3

East Regional
Webster Bank Arena, Bridgeport, Connecticut March 23-24

Semifinals

 * Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated Michigan Tech Huskies 4-3 (ot)
 * Providence Friars defeated Clarkson Golden Knights 1-0

Final

 * Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated Providence Friars 2-1

Midwest Regional
PPL Center, Allentown, Pennsylvania March 24-25

Semifinals

 * Ohio State Buckeyes defeated Princeton Tigers 4-2
 * Denver Pioneers defeated Penn State Nittany Lions 5-1

Final

 * Ohio State Buckeyes defeated Denver Pioneers 5-1

West Regional
Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota March 23-24

Semifinals

 * Air Force Falcons defeated St. Cloud State Huskies 4-1
 * Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs defeated Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks 3-2 (ot)

Final

 * Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs defeated Air Force Falcons 2-1

Frozen Four
Will be hosted by the University of Minnesota Twin Cities at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota April 5-7, 2018.

Semifinals

 * Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs defeated Ohio State Buckeyes 2-1
 * Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated Michigan Wolverines 4-3

National Championship

 * Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs defeated Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2-1