The NCAA Girls’s Hockey Championship is larger and higher than ever in 2023.
This yr the sector expands from eight to 11 groups, with play beginning Thursday, March tenth. The highest 4 seed will host the regional semifinals and last, with the Frozen 4 happening on March 18 and 20 in Pennsylvania.
To be ready for all of the motion, ESPN analyst Angela Ruggiero, who performed within the Frozen 4 with Harvard twice and gained the nationwide title in 1999, provides her the face of each group and her finest gamers to observe. As well as, Ruggiero and ESPN analyst AJ Mleczko are choosing who will compete on this yr’s Frozen 4 and who will win the Nationwide Championship.
Table of Contents
program
Regional Semi-finals, 10 March: No. 11 Syracuse vs. No. 6 Quinnipiac, 6 p.m. ET
Regional Semi-finals, 11 March: No. 10 Clarkson v. No. 7 Wisconsin, 7 p.m. ET; No. 9 Harvard vs. No. 8 Minnesota Duluth, 7 p.m. ET
Regional Finals on March 12: Quinnipiac/Syracuse winner first in Ohio, 5 p.m. ET; No. 5 Yale at No. 4 Colgate, time to be TBD
Regional Finals on March thirteenth: Minnesota Duluth/Harvard runner-up in Minnesota, 3 p.m. ET; Wisconsin/Clarkson Winner at No. 3 Northeastern, 1 p.m. ET
Frozen 4 semi-finals, March 18: 3 and seven:30 p.m. ET, in State Faculty, Pennsylvania (+ESPN)
Frozen 4 Closing on March 20: 4 p.m. ET, in State Faculty, Pennsylvania (ESPNU)
The distinction at a look
1- Ohio (29-6)
How did they get in: WCHA Champion
Numbers to know: The Buckeyes, who beat Wisconsin and Minnesota on their technique to the WCHA title, lead the nation with 4.79 objectives per sport and are No. 3 in purpose protection (1.47 objectives per sport allowed). 4 of Ohio’s 29 college information have come towards Minnesota.
Take Rogero: With Sophie Jack in protection main the group with 57 factors (together with 11 objectives within the energy sport) and 48 plus/minus, coach Nadine Mozeral does a incredible job preserving this group disciplined and centered.
2- Minnesota (8-29-1)
How did they get in: huge pier
Numbers to know: The Gophers have misplaced simply 4 losses because the begin of December, together with their lack of additional time to Ohio State within the WCHA Closing, outperforming their opponents 100-39 in that span. This stretch included wins over Ohio State, Minnesota Duluth and a 4-0 file towards Wisconsin. Minnesota has some further motivation to return to the NCAA Championship after lacking final yr for the primary time in 15 seasons.
Take Rogero: Minnesota was very sturdy within the second half of the season. Striker Taylor Hayes is the nation’s main scorer with 66 factors, and along with her, the Gophers play deep in assault and play an aggressive sport.
3. Northeast (30-4-2)
How did they get in: Japanese Hockey Championship
Numbers to know: Northeastern, who gained a convention file 5 consecutive Japanese hockey titles and was final season’s nationwide runner-up, isn’t solely the NCAA chief in defensive scoring (1.00 objectives per sport), however has the nation’s high scorer in Maureen Murphy (29 objectives in 35 video games). ).
Take Rogero: With eight graduate college students, Northeastern has an extremely mature group. Skyler Fontaine may be very sturdy in defence, and striker Alina Muller, who has 38 factors in simply 19 video games this season, is again after representing Switzerland on the Olympics.
4. Colgate (7-30-1)
How did they get in: ECAC Championship Champion
Numbers to know: Colgate enters the NCAA Championship with 13 wins within the final 14 video games, together with wins at Harvard and at Quinnipiac and Clarkson. Along with being the most effective scoring groups within the nation, averaging 4 objectives per sport, the Raiders allowed simply 18 objectives over a 14-game run.
Take Rogero: Colgate at all times seems within the main tournaments and has a current historical past of defeating WCHA groups within the NCAAs. The Raiders will be capable to rely on this confidence over the following two weeks.
5. Yale (8-25-1)
How did they get in: huge pier
Numbers to know: The Bulldogs, the one on-field group to make their NCAA debut, are the most effective defensive groups within the nation, permitting for 1.53 objectives per sport.
Take Rogero: Yale additionally seems within the huge matches and has had a superb offensive season in addition to being stable on the blue streak. Yale opened with a second sport towards Colgate after falling into additional time within the ECAC Closing, and it is one properly price watching.
6. Quinnipiac (9-25-3)
How did they get in: huge pier
Numbers to know: The Bobcats dipped barely within the second half with an 8-7-1 file from the beginning of January by way of the top of the common season, however bounced again with a powerful quarter-final sweep for Clarkson within the ECAC Playoffs earlier than shedding to Colgate in half.
Take Rogero: Quinnipiac is great at restoring protection and making the most of offensive alternatives. Bobcats are bodily, clever and is usually a sleep group.
7. Wisconsin (7-25-4)
How did they get in: huge pier
Numbers to know: After working 16-0 and coming first within the polls, defending champions Wisconsin have fallen 6-5-1 of their final 12 common season video games. This included a 1-5 mark towards NCAA championship groups Minnesota, Ohio State and Minnesota Duluth.
Take Rogero: Fifth-year Daryl Watts and sophomore McKenna Webster are two gamers to be careful for as a result of Wisconsin has a harmful group of strikers. The Badgers’ younger goalkeepers are a possible weak spot, however Wisconsin has solely allowed 4 objectives in play all season.
8. Minnesota Duluth (11-24-1)
How did they get in: huge pier
Numbers to know: Minnesota Duluth has misplaced solely twice within the final 16 video games of the common season, a stretch that included wins over Harvard, Ohio and Wisconsin.
Take Rogero: Gabe Hughes and Elizabeth Jaguer (2020 winner Patty Cassmayer and finalist this yr) are two standout gamers for the Minnesota Duluth. Certain, coach Maura Crowell would have cherished to beat Minnesota within the WCHA Closing to construct some momentum and confidence, however the Bulldogs failed.
9. Harvard (9-22-1)
How did they get in: huge pier
Numbers to know: Harvard, making its twelfth NCAA look however its first since 2015, is tied for sixth place within the nation with 3.53 objectives per sport and has a high 5 power sport.
Take Rogero: Regardless of shedding to Princeton in a better-of-three quarter-final, Crimson was dominant in ECAC exterior of that annoyance, so he might be a contender right here.
10. Clarkson (11-22-3)
How did they get in: huge pier
Numbers to know: Clarkson moved as much as the NCAA on a powerful first-half power, with the Golden Knights shedding six of their eight video games, together with a two-game sweep by Quinnipiac within the ECAC quarter-finals.
Take Rogero: Regardless of their late dip within the rankings, Clarkson had a powerful season, led by veteran Kaitrin Lonergan, and the Golden Knights have a superb efficiency on the ability, with a 20% turnaround charge. They’ve a really small menu, and that confirmed up late within the season.
11. Syracuse (15-10-6)
How did they get in: CHA Champion
Numbers to know: The orange, who was the highest seed within the CHA Championships, completed second within the NCAA in program historical past by defeating Mercyhurst 3-2 in additional time. Syracuse additionally went to OTV in its 3-2 semi-final win over RIT.
Take Rogero: Syracuse has a really defensive mentality, which is nice for this match, and has a variety of momentum (unbeaten in 11 of the final 12 video games).
gamers to observe
Skylar Fontaine, Northeast: Arduous rock on the Blue Line, Fontaine and goalkeeper Erin Franken make up a killer mixture for a Husky household.
Elizabeth Geiger, Minnesota Duluth: Jigiri, who gained the Patty Caz in 2020 with Clarkson, is an offensive power and has loads of expertise in her last yr.
Alina Muller, Northeast: Müller’s dominant efficiency for Switzerland on the Olympics because the group’s high scorer (4 objectives, six assists) and has earned three factors in every of her three matches since her comeback.
Daryl Watts, Wisconsin: The fifth-year scholar gained a Patti Caz in 2018 with Boston Faculty and is within the high ten finalists for the fourth time. She is seven factors behind the profession file of 303, held by Mercyhurst’s Megan Agusta.
Taylor Hayes, Minnesota: The nation’s high scorer was a giant cause for the Gopher’s success within the again half of the season. She additionally leads the NCAA with 5 objectives brief and has a plus/minus 44 plus/minus score.
Erin Franklin, Northeastern: Patty Kaz winner 2023, Frankel might be the difference-maker on this match. The NCAA led in wins (24) and closes (11), whereas scoring 1.03 goals-to-average and 956 financial savings.
Frozen 4 decisions
Angela Ruggiero: Ohio State, Minnesota, Northeastern, Colgate
Nationwide Champion: Ohio State
A.J. Mleczko: Ohio State, Minnesota, Northeastern, Colgate
Nationwide Champion: Northeast
