SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Featuring a field of four teams ranked in the top-10 nationally, the 2022 NCHC Frozen Faceoff is set to make its return to Xcel Energy Center for the first time since 2019. With all four National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) best-of-three quarterfinal series ending in two-game sweeps Saturday night, the Conference announced semifinal times for the 2022 NCHC Frozen Faceoff on Sunday.  

In the first semifinal on Friday, March 18, top-seeded and third-ranked Denver will take on fifth-seeded and No. 10 Minnesota Duluth with puck drop set for 4:07 p.m. CT. In the nightcap, second-seeded and No. 5 North Dakota will tangle with third-seeded and 7th-ranked Western Michigan at 7:37 p.m. CT. The semifinal winners then advance to the Championship Game on Saturday, March 19 at 7:38 p.m. CT. All three games will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.

Denver (27-8-1) is the only team to advance to every Frozen Faceoff semifinal in Conference history, sweeping No. 8 seed Miami in the NCHC Quarterfinals this weekend with 5-2 and 5-1 victories. The Pioneers have won the Frozen Faceoff twice previously, including the inaugural championship in 2014 and again in 2018 at Xcel Energy Center.

The Bulldogs (19-15-4) qualified for their sixth straight Frozen Faceoff semifinals, including all three held at Xcel Energy Center, with UMD winning the tournament in 2017 and 2019. UMD was the lone road team to win its NCHC Quarterfinal series this year, edging in-state rival No. 4 seed St. Cloud State with a 5-2 win Friday and a 4-3 overtime win on Saturday night.

Denver and UMD met in both the 2018 and 2019 Frozen Faceoff semifinals at Xcel Energy Center with DU winning in 2018 and the Bulldogs in 2019. This season, the Bulldogs and Pioneers split their four meetings with each team winning once at home and once on the road.

In the second semifinal, North Dakota (24-12-1) booked its first trip to Saint Paul since 2018 with a sweep of No. 7 seed Colorado College, topping the Tigers by 2-1 scores both nights. UND is the defending Frozen Faceoff champions, winning their first NCHC Tournament title last year on home ice at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Western Michigan (24-10-1) earned its third berth in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff and first since 2017 with a sweep of sixth-seeded Omaha. WMU topped UNO, 4-2, on Friday and, 5-4 in overtime, Saturday to earn its first trip to the Frozen Faceoff at Xcel Energy Center. The Broncos are searching for their first NCHC Tournament title and first Frozen Faceoff win, including dropping the Third-Place Game to UND back in the inaugural 2014 Frozen Faceoff.

This season, the teams split their four meetings, with WMU sweeping North Dakota in Kalamazoo in January and UND returning the favor in Grand Forks in February.

All-session and single-day tickets to the 2022 Frozen Faceoff are on sale at ticketmaster.com. For ticket information, click here. Discounted student tickets to the Frozen Faceoff are available through each participating team’s athletic department ticket office.

In addition to the three Frozen Faceoff games at Xcel Energy Center next weekend, fans in Saint Paul will have plenty of other events and activities to participate in. On Thursday, March 17, fans can attend team practices throughout the day, starting at 10:15 a.m. CT and running until 3 p.m. CT. That same night back at Xcel Energy Center, fans can skate on the same ice as part of the annual NCHC Fan Skate, which runs from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. Thursday night.

On Friday and Saturday, NCHC Fan Fest takes place from 3-7 p.m. CT near Herbie’s on the Park and adjacent to Xcel Energy Center between Washington Street and Kellogg Ave. NCHC Fan Fest, which is free and open to the public, will feature ice-cold beverages, tasty food, interactive hockey games and music, along with a big screen to watch the Frozen Faceoff and Minnesota Wild games.

Prior to the Frozen Faceoff Championship Game Saturday night, the Minnesota Wild battle the Chicago Blackhawks at Xcel Energy Center at 1 p.m. CT Saturday afternoon for fans wanting to watch more hockey. A separate ticket is required for the Wild game.

Following the Frozen Faceoff games each night, the official NCHC Post-game Party will take place at Tom Reid’s Hockey City Pub only two blocks down 7th Street West from Xcel Energy Center. Owned by a former NHL defenseman, fans can enjoy food and drink specials at this signature hockey-themed establishment during the Frozen Faceoff.

Fans traveling to Saint Paul for the Frozen Faceoff can book discounted hotel rooms at select hotels through a special link from Visit Saint Paul here.

For more information on Xcel Energy Center and its fan policies, click here. For the latest Frozen Faceoff news, schedule, videos and more, visit Frozen Faceoff Live.

GAME SCHEDULE
Friday, March 18 (times CT) 

• Minnesota Duluth vs. Denver - 4:07 p.m. 
• Western Michigan vs. North Dakota - 7:37 p.m.

Saturday, March 19 (times CT) 

• Minnesota Wild vs. Chicago Blackhawks - 1:00 p.m. (separate ticket needed)
• Championship Game - 7:38 p.m.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE (open to public)
Thursday, March 17 (times CT) 

• Practice 1: 10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
• Practice 2: 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 
• Practice 3: 12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. 
• Practice 4: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. 

--#NCHChockey--