The consolation game of the NCHC Frozen Face Off was an odd situation where people outside the arena likely cared a lot more about the result than the people inside it.
Denver beat North Dakota 5-1 to take third place at the Frozen Face Off. With the win, Denver temporarily moves into the final #1 seed in the Pairwise, ahead of Michigan Tech, though Michigan Tech can still pass them with a win in the WCHA championship.
North Dakota, meanwhile, lost any chance of regaining the top overall spot in the Pairwise with the loss. Minnesota State will finish the season #1 overall and more than likely draw the winner of the Atlantic Hockey championship next weekend in South Bend.
The Denver win doesn't quite officially put Minnesota in the Tournament. Via College Hockey News, this combination of results still has the Gophers just barely out, but that appears to be the only remaining scenario:
- Atlantic Hockey Championship: Mercyhurst def. RIT
- Big Ten Championship: Michigan def. Minnesota
- ECAC Championship: Colgate def. Harvard
- Hockey East Championship: Mass.-Lowell def. Boston University
- NCHC Championship: Miami def. St. Cloud State
- WCHA Championship: Minnesota State def. Michigan Tech