NCHC FROZEN FACEOFF MEDIA INFORMATION
March 20-22, 2025 | Xcel Energy Center | Saint Paul, Minn.
CREDENTIAL REQUESTS: Media credential requests for the 2025 NCHC Frozen Faceoff may be submitted HERE. Credential requests are due by Sunday, March 16.
CREDENTIAL PICK-UP
Media credentials for the NCHC Frozen Faceoff may be picked up at the media entrance located near Gate 1 in between the Xcel Energy Center box office and the RiverCenter Lobby on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 20-22, beginning two hours before the start of the first game on Friday (2:00 p.m. CT) and Saturday (5:30 p.m. CT). Due to a Minnesota Wild game on Saturday afternoon, Frozen Faceoff media will not be allowed in Xcel Energy Center until 5:30 p.m. CT even if you already have your credential. On Thursday, March 20 credential pick-up will be available beginning at 9:30 a.m. CT at the same location listed above for media attending team practices (first practice is at 10:15 a.m.). Media credentials will not be mailed ahead of time.
MEDIA PARKING/ENTRANCE
Media parking will be located in RiverCentre Parking Ramp (150 West Kellogg Blvd., Saint Paul, MN 55102) across from Xcel Energy Center. Registered media members who indicated they would need parking will be emailed a parking voucher for each day in advance. Media must print the voucher and present it upon arrival at the RiverCentre Parking Ramp to validate their parking each day they attend. Media members can then walk across the skyway to the RiverCentre and should take the Skyway hallway elevator (or stairs) on the East side (right side) down to level one (RiverCentre Lobby) and enter Xcel Energy Center through the Gate 1 East doors (adjacent to Xcel Energy Center Box Office). An alternate option is to walk across Kellogg Blvd. and enter the RiverCentre Lobby, then walk through the double doors to media check-in and into Xcel Energy Center. Media check-in will be set up in between the Xcel Energy Center box office and the RiverCenter Lobby (inside 'Door B').
Once a credential is picked up, media may then enter Xcel Energy Center through the doors by the box office, go through security screening, including a walk thru magnometer and the x-ray machine for any bags, and enter the arena through Gate 1.
GAME SCHEDULE
Friday, March 21 (times CT)
- Denver vs. Arizona State (Semifinal 1) - 4:00 p.m.
- North Dakota vs. Western Michigan (Semifinal 2) - 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 22 (times CT)
- Minnesota Wild vs. Buffalo Sabres - 1:00 p.m. (separate Wild credential required)
- Championship Game - 7:30 p.m. (Frozen Faceoff media may not enter until 5:30 p.m.)
PRACTICE SCHEDULE
Thursday, March 20 (times CT)
- Denver Practice: 10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. (media at 11:25 a.m.)
- Arizona State Practice: 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (media at 12:40 p.m.)
- Western Michigan Practice: 12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. (media at 1:55 p.m.)
- North Dakota Practice 4: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (media at 3:10 p.m.)
Team press conferences occur 10 minutes following the conclusion of each practice (Thursday only). Press conferences will be streamed live on NCHC.tv. Media check-in at Xcel Energy Center opens at 9:30 a.m. CT on March 20.
Friday, March 21 (times CT)
- Denver Practice: 9:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
- Arizona State Practice: 10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
- Western Michigan Practice: 11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- North Dakota Practice: 12:15 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
No media availability after practice on Friday, March 21 and practices are closed to the public.
HOTELS
Visit Saint Paul offers a variety of hotel options in and around Saint Paul to choose from here.
OTHER MEDIA INFORMATION
MEDIA MATERIALS: Game notes, line charts, box scores and other media information will be available in the Xcel Energy Center media room and in the press box before the games each day. In addition, all materials, including video, will be available electronically HERE.
MEALS: Media meals will be served prior to each game. The first meal on Friday will be available 90 minutes prior to the first semifinal (2:30 p.m. CT) while dinner will be served 75 minutes prior to the second semifinal (6:15 p.m. CT) on Friday. On Saturday, the only meal will be served 90 minutes prior to the championship game (6:00 p.m. CT). Media food will be located in the Xcel Energy Center media dining room on the event level, next to the media work room. Soft drinks will be available in the media dining room and in the press box work room.
MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL: A pre-tournament video call with head coaches and one student-athlete from each participating team was held on Tuesday, March 18. Video of all four media sessions are available to view and download HERE.
PRESS CONFERENCES: Press conferences will be held following each team's practice on Thursday, as well as after each game Friday and Saturday. Press conferences will take place in the press conference room on the event level and will be streamed live and archived on NCHC.tv. Press conference video will also be available for download HERE. Locker rooms will be closed to media at all times, however individual interviews may be conducted outside a team's locker room after a game.
RADIO INFORMATION
The NCHC retains complete broadcast rights to all NCHC Tournament games.
a. Space will automatically be reserved for each team’s commercial and student radio stations (as designated by the institution). Commercial radio stations will get priority on radio booths/broadcast location over student radio, though arrangements will be made to accommodate student radio if needed. Wi-Fi and Ethernet data lines are available for radio use in the arena.
b. Radio stations wishing to broadcast during the Frozen Faceoff must make arrangements by Tuesday, March 18 at noon CT.
- Arrangements for phone lines and/or ethernet data lines must be requested by each radio station/institution wishing to broadcast a game(s) through Brandon Tucker and Josh Udvig at Xcel Energy Center by Tuesday, March 18 at noon CT. Brandon may be contacted at BTucker@rivercentre.org and Josh at Josh.Udvig@WILD.com with a copy of the email also sent to the NCHC Associate Commissioner (mweisman@nchchockey.com).
- Stations should identify their affiliation with a particular institution and their commercial or student status when they contact Xcel Energy Center.
NOTE: School-specific commercial radio broadcasters will have their own booth during games, but spaces will be determined by NCHC and Xcel Energy Center staff. Radio broadcasters will have to clean up their equipment after Friday's games even if advancing due to a Minnesota Wild game Saturday afternoon.
c. Commercial stations will pay the following broadcast rights fees to the NCHC: $400 for each Frozen Faceoff game, $50.00 for each additional commercial station included in the network arrangement. Stations are also responsible for any costs incurred by Xcel Energy Center installing a phone line or using a phone line during a broadcast. The Conference Office will invoice schools and/or the appropriate radio network at the conclusion of the Frozen Faceoff for rights fees. Xcel Energy Center will invoice schools separately for any charges incurred.
d. Student stations may broadcast without paying a rights fee to the NCHC. Student stations are responsible however, for any costs incurred by Xcel Energy Center installing a phone line or using a phone line during a broadcast.
PHOTOGRAPHERS
All requests must be submitted to the NCHC Associate Commissioner through the credential request form by Sunday, March 16. Credentials will be granted upon review and availability, while armbands will also be supplied and required for photographers to wear to easily identify them to security. A detailed map with photographer locations will be available upon credential pick-up between the Xcel Energy Center’s box office and RiverCentre lobby. The NCHC photo marshal, Jim Rosvold (jimrosvold@gmail.com), will assign photo locations approximately one hour prior to each game and post them in the media work room, with official school photographers and school media outlets getting priority.
For any questions regarding credentials or media information, please contact the NCHC Associate Commissioner, Michael Weisman at mweisman@nchchockey.com. For more information on the NCHC Frozen Faceoff at Xcel Energy Center, click here.
For questions or credential requests for the NCHC quarterfinal round, please contact the host institution's Sports Information Director.