Our question this week for The Rink Live beat reporters is: Who are you picking to win the Frozen Four games?
Those reporters are Mick Hatten, Jess Myers, Christian Babcock, Shane Frederick, Brad Schlossman, and Matt Wellens. Hatten covers St. Cloud State, Myers covers the University of Minnesota, Babcock covers Bemidji State, Frederick covers Minnesota State University-Mankato, Schlossman covers the University of North Dakota and Wellens covers Minnesota Duluth.
If you have a question for the group, follow us on Twitter and use #asktherinklive.
Mick Hatten (Huskies): I'll take MSU-Mankato over Minnesota because of the experience and depth of the Mavericks. I'll take Denver over Michigan because I think the Pioneers are deeper and won't get rattled in a big game. Then I'll take the Mavericks over Denver in the championship to give Dryden McKay a proper sendoff.
Christian Babcock (Beavers): I'll take Minnesota State and Michigan to advance, with MSU winning it.
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Jess Myers (Gophers): The favorites have won nearly every game in the NCAA playoffs so far, so I will stick with what has worked, and say Michigan and Minnesota State Mankato get to Saturday's title game. In that contest, as crazy as it sounds, I'll say a team from Minnesota that wears purple and gold will finally win the big one. Nearly everything else has gone right for southern Minnesota hockey this season, so why not the Mavericks claiming the college crown?
Matt Wellens (Bulldogs): The last five national champions all were part of the NCAA Frozen Four the year before they won their title. North Dakota won in 2016 after losing to Boston University in the semifinals in 2015. Denver won in 2017 after losing to North Dakota in the semifinals in 2016. Minnesota Duluth won in 2018 and 2019 after losing to Denver in the 2017 title game, and Massachusetts won in 2021 after losing in the 2019 final against UMD. I'll take Minnesota State over Denver after the Mavericks lost to St. Cloud State in the 2021 semifinals.
Brad Schlossman (Fighting Hawks): Denver was my preseason pick, so I'm certainly not going to abandon that now. I'll say the Pioneers take home the title. In the other semifinal, Minnesota is playing extremely well in all zones and I'd expect them to get past Minnesota State.
