The field for the 2014 Frozen Four in Philadelphia is now set following the conclusion of the two regional finals on Sunday. Boston College and Minnesota joined Union and North Dakota as the four participants in college hockey's penultimate event.
It's been an exciting NCAA Hockey Tournament with two overtime games, including a double overtime in Saturday night's Midwest Regional Final.
Union College was the first team to advance to the Frozen Four. The Dutchmen, champions of both the regular season and tournament titles in ECAC Hockey, captured the East Regional Championship after beating Vermont, 5-2, and Providence, 3-1.
It will be the second Frozen Four appearance in three seasons for the Dutchmen, who also made it in 2012. Union has made four straight appearances in college hockey's version of March Madness after not making it prior to 2011.
Matt Hatch, Mat Bodie and Max Novak provided the goal scoring and Colin Stevens was terrific in net. Junior defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere is the best blue liner in college hockey and proved why in the Bridgeport Regional. It will be a homecoming of sorts for Gostisbehere, a Philadelphia Flyers third round draft pick in the 2012 NHL Draft.
Boston College will be the Dutchmen's competition in the first semifinal at the Frozen Four. The Eagles defeated UMass Lowell, 4-3, in the Northeast Regional. Jerry York's team demolished Denver, 6-2, in the regional semifinal in Worcester.
The region's Most Outstanding Player was Johnny Gaudreau, who had three goals and three assists in the win over Denver. He added a goal and an assist in Sunday's final against UMass Lowell.
The Eagles have won the NCAA Championship in the last three Frozen Fours during even-numbered, winning in 2008, 2010 and 2012. Jerry York also won in 2001 with BC and 1984 with Bowling Green. The Eagles had not won the NCAA Championship since 1949 prior to York's arrival at his alma mater.
North Dakota is making its first appearance in the Frozen Four since 2011. Dave Hakstol's club came out of the Midwest Regional in Cincinnati after a double overtime victory over Ferris State. North Dakota upset the region's No. 1 seed in Wisconsin.
North Dakota will face archrival Minnesota in the night's second semifinal. The Golden Gophers defeated in-state rival St. Cloud State on Sunday in the NCAA West Regional in St. Paul. Don Lucia's team was victorious over Robert Morris by a score of 7-3 in the regional semifinal.
The Frozen Four semifinals will be broadcast on ESPN2 on Thursday, April 10. The national championship game will be televised live on ESPN Saturday, April 12. John Buccigross and Barry Melrose will have the call of the three games for the ESPN Network.
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Jeff Cox covers college, junior and high school hockey, NCAA recruiting and NHL Draft prospects. Follow him on twitter @JeffCoxSBNation.