SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Featuring rivalries in both games this coming Friday, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) announced Monday the start times for the semifinals of the 2023 NCHC Frozen Faceoff, which is set for March 17-18 at Xcel Energy Center. Following best-of-three quarterfinal series this past weekend, the four teams to qualify for the 2023 NCHC Frozen Faceoff are Colorado College, Denver, North Dakota and St. Cloud State.

In the first semifinal on Friday, March 17, top-seeded and third-ranked Denver faces its in-state rival, No. 7 seed Colorado College, at 4:07 p.m. CT. The nightcap will then feature No. 4 seed and eighth-ranked St. Cloud State against No. 6 seed North Dakota at 7:37 p.m. CT. The semifinal winners then advance to the Championship Game on Saturday, March 18 at 7:38 p.m. CT. All three games will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.

Denver (30-8-0) remains the only NCHC team to advance to the Frozen Faceoff every year it has been held (nine times since the inaugural 2014 tournament) after sweeping No. 8 seed Miami in the NCHC Quarterfinals. DU rolled to 6-2 and 7-2 victories at home over the RedHawks to move on to Saint Paul and is now tied for the NCAA lead this year with 30 wins. The defending NCAA National Champions have won back-to-back Penrose Cups as NCHC regular-season champions, while the Pioneers are searching for their third Frozen Faceoff title. Denver won the inaugural NCHC Tournament in 2014 and the first Frozen Faceoff at Xcel Energy Center in 2018.

Colorado College (12-21-3) made history over the weekend, becoming the first No. 7 seed to make the Frozen Faceoff and the second-lowest seed ever to qualify. The Tigers upset No. 2 seed and seventh-ranked Western Michigan on the road in Kalamazoo with a 3-1 win on Friday and a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday to finish the quarterfinal series sweep. CC is making its second appearance ever at the Frozen Faceoff and first since 2019.

Denver and Colorado College met four times during the regular season this year, with the Pioneers sweeping the Gold Pan rivalry. DU has won 11 straight in the series overall dating back to Jan. 1, 2021. Their only previous meeting at the Frozen Faceoff came in the last-ever third-place game in 2019, won by the Pioneers.

The second semifinal pits a pair of teams that needed three games to win their NCHC Quarterfinal series. St. Cloud State (22-12-3) heads to Saint Paul after topping in-state rival Minnesota Duluth in the first round of the NCHC playoffs. The Huskies won, 3-1, on Friday and by the same score in Sunday’s decisive tilt, after UMD won Saturday’s Game 2 by a score of 5-1. Eighth-ranked SCSU is making its sixth appearance in the Frozen Faceoff semifinals and first since 2021 (in Grand Forks, N.D.), but it’s the Huskies first Frozen Faceoff at Xcel Energy Center since 2019. St. Cloud State won the 2016 Frozen Faceoff for their lone NCHC Tournament title.

Sixth-seeded North Dakota (18-14-6) needed three games to dispatch of third-seeded and No. 17 Omaha over the weekend in the NCHC Quarterfinals. The Fighting Hawks dropped the opening game in Omaha on Friday, 2-1, before picking up 3-1 and 5-2 road wins on Saturday and Sunday to book their ticket to Saint Paul. UND has made the NCHC Frozen Faceoff in eight of the nine championships held, with its lone Frozen Faceoff crown coming in 2021 on home ice at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

St. Cloud State and North Dakota also met four times during the regular season this year, with the Huskies going 2-1-1 in those games, including a sweep in St. Cloud. UND’s lone win came in overtime in Grand Forks. These two teams have met twice previously in the Frozen Faceoff semifinals, with the Huskies prevailing both times, including in overtime in 2018 at Xcel Energy Center.

All-session and single-day tickets to the 2023 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 Friday and Saturday, fans in Saint Paul will have plenty of other events and activities to participate in. On Thursday, March 16, fans can attend team practices throughout the day, starting at 10:15 a.m. CT and running until 3 p.m. CT. Following each practice on Thursday, a press conference will be held with the head coach and select student-athletes. Fans can watch all of Thursday’s press conferences live (or archived) for free on NCHC.tv.

Later on Thursday night, the Conference will host its annual NCHC Awards Celebration at the St. Paul Event Center, when the Conference will announce its individual award winners. The Awards Celebration can also be seen live for free on NCHC.tv. That same night back at Xcel Energy Center, fans can skate on the same ice as the Frozen Faceoff as part of the annual NCHC Fan Skate, which runs from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. CT Thursday night.

Fan Fest once again returns to the Frozen Faceoff on Friday and Saturday. Featuring music, tasty food and drink, interactive hockey games and more, Fan Fest will take place on Friday from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. CT and Saturday from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. CT outdoors at The Apostle Supper Club (253 Kellogg Blvd.) across West 7th Street from Xcel Energy Center. Fan Fest is free and open to the public.

Prior to the Frozen Faceoff Championship Game Saturday night, the Minnesota Wild battle the Boston Bruins at Xcel Energy Center at 1 p.m. CT Saturday afternoon. A separate ticket is required for the Wild game.

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, including bag policy, click here. For the latest Frozen Faceoff news, schedule, videos and more, visit NCHChockey.com and follow the NCHC on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

GAME SCHEDULE
Friday, March 17 (times CT) 

• Colorado College vs. Denver - 4:07 p.m. 
• North Dakota vs. St. Cloud State - 7:37 p.m.

Saturday, March 18 (times CT) 

• Minnesota Wild vs. Boston Bruins - 1:00 p.m. (separate ticket required)
• Championship Game - 7:38 p.m.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE (open to public/enter through Gate 1)
Thursday, March 16 (times CT) 

• CC Practice: 10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
• Denver Practice: 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 
• SCSU Practice: 12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. 
• UND Practice: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.