ESPN Frozen Four Press Release

2009 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four Features No. 1 National Seed Boston University vs. No. 3 Regional Seed Vermont; and Two No. 4 Regional Seeds, Bemidji State vs. Miami University

Div. I Championships Receive Extensive Live Coverage on ESPNU, ESPN2, ESPN and ESPN360.com

ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD and ESPN360.com will showcase the Frozen Four, live from the Verizon Center in Washington, DC, with the national semifinal games Thursday, April 9, on ESPN2 HD and ESPN360.com. The national championship will be telecast Saturday, April 11, at 7 p.m. on ESPN HD. ESPN360.com, ESPN’s broadband sports network, will complement the telecasts with complete live coverage of all three games.

Thursday’s first semifinal, set for 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2 HD and ESPN360.com, features two No. 4 regional seeds facing off as Bemidji State (20-15-1) matches up with Miami University (22-12-5). The second semifinal follows at 8:30 p.m. ET, as No. 3 regional seed Vermont (22-11-5), squares off with No. 1 overall seed Boston University (33-6-4). The complete Frozen Four schedule can be found below.

After defeating No. 3 seed New Hampshire in the Northeast Regional Final, Boston U., which was ranked No. 1 in the nation throughout most of the regular season, returns to the championship round for the first time in 12 years. This is the Terriers’ 21^st Frozen Four. In fact, according to the NCAA, this is the first time that any of these teams has made it to the Frozen Four since 1997.

In the East Regionals, Vermont upset No. 2 seed Yale 4-1, and defeated Air Force 3-2 in overtime to win the East Final and advance to the Frozen Four for just the second time in school history. In the Midwest Regionals, Bemidji State knocked off No. 2 seed Notre Dame, 5-1, before defeating Cornell in the regional final, 4-1. Miami, in the West, upset top seed Denver in a 4-2 decision, and claimed the regional final with a 2-1 defeat of No. 2 seed Minnesota-Duluth.

Other top story lines from the Frozen Four will include:

• Vermont junior left wing and Sweden native Viktor Stalberg, ranked No. 1 in Hockey East in goals; his parents have traveled from Sweden to be in attendance
• A look back at the game-winning goal in the East Regional Final by Vermont sophomore defenseman Dan Lawson. Officials analyzed the play for nearly 12 minutes before declaring the Catamounts had sealed the 3-2 win over Air Force
• Bemidji State’s Cinderella story – where in the world is Bemidji? What do folks do there?
• The groundbreaking Friday for Bemidji State’s new arena
• Jack Parker’s tenure as the longtime coach of the Boston University Terriers
• Four of Parker’s former BU players who went on to be members of theMiracle on Ice, the 1980 Olympic gold-medal winning United States hockey team – Mike Eruzione, Jack O’Callahan, Dave Silk and Jim Craig
• The bicentennial celebration this year at Miami University, the nation’s 10^tholdest university
• A campus-wide pep rally this past week to send off the Miami RedHawks in style

The Frozen Four telecasts will feature Gary Thorne (play-by-play), Barry Melrose(analyst), Clay Matvick (ice-level reporter) calling all the action from Washington, DC.

Also, on Friday, April 10, at 7 p.m., ESPNU will present the Hobey Baker Award live in high definition from the Verizon Center. The presentation honors college ice hockey’s top men’s player and the show will be hosted by Clay Matvick and Ben Holden. Boston University boasts two of the three Hobey Baker Award finalists: defenseman Matt Gilroy and forward Colin Wilson. Northeastern goaltender Brad Thiessen is also a finalist.

ESPN’s presentation of the Frozen Four will feature seven cameras, plus two robotics, all in high definition. Of the two robotics, the “Speed Shot,” which pans left to right as a team comes across the blue line, will be positioned at center ice. The other robotic will be positioned behind one of the goals.

Analysts’ One-liners: What it will take to win the Frozen Four
BOSTON U. – Game analyst Barry Melrose: “Everyone says BU is the most talented team in the Frozen Four, and for them to win they must match the work ethic of the other teams they will be playing.”

VERMONT – Play-by-play analyst Gary Thorne: “The Catamounts must continue to play team two-way hockey with the emphasis on their defense’s core ability to shut down better offenses.”

MIAMI – Reporter Clay Matvick: “Coach Enrico Blasi’s youngest team in four seasons will have to continue to get senior-like leadership from underclassmen such as freshman goaltender Cody Reichard, who was excellent in the West Regional.”

BEMIDJI STATE – SportsCenter‘s John Buccigross: “The dream of a small-town team winning it all is the essence of Minnesota hockey; small-town belief is the Beavers’ most important strategy.”

Frozen Four Schedule
Verizon Center, Washington, DC

Thu., Apr 9, 5 p.m., National Semifinal – Bemidji St. vs. Miami (OH) ESPN2 HD/ESPN360.com, Gary Thorne, Barry Melrose, Clay Matvick
8:30 p.m., National Semifinal – Vermont vs. Boston U., ESPN2 HD/ESPN360.com, Gary Thorne, Barry Melrose, Clay Matvick 

Fri., Apr 10, 7 p.m., Hobey Baker Award, ESPNU HD, Clay Matvick, Ben Holden

Sat., Apr 11, 7 p.m., NCAA Championship Final, ESPN HD/ESPN360.com, Gary Thorne, Barry Melrose, Clay Matvick