This story is a part of The Sun's 2025 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament Supplement.
2024 Results
Jane: 7/11
Eli: 9/11
Manchester, New Hampshire Regional
For the second year in a row, Boston College has clinched the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament. That was decided even before the Eagles got upset in the Hockey East quarterfinals by Northeastern, a rare blip in what has otherwise been another dominant season in Chestnut Hill.
Despite the early departure of star forward Will Smith, who opted to forgo his college eligibility to sign an entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks, BC’s depth is what poises it for a deep playoff run. Notable weapons include Gabe Perrault (New York Rangers), Hobey Baker finalist Ryan Leonard (Washington Capitals), formidable netminder Jacob Fowler and top 2025 NHL draft prospect, James Hagens.
Tasked with taking on the top-seeded Eagles in Bentley, which — like Cornell — secured an automatic bid into the tournament by winning the Atlantic Hockey tournament. Looking to lead his team to an improbable upset is former Quinnipiac forward Ethan Leyh, who has posted 41 points as a graduate student for Bentley.
The other semifinal game should be a closer matchup featuring two top teams in Hockey East and the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. Defending national champion Denver is once again getting shipped east for regionals, and will be east of the Mississippi for the third year in a row. The last time the Pioneers played in Manchester was in 2023 where it got upset by lower-seeded Cornell. This year, the Pioneers are led by two Hobey Baker award finalists in defenseman Zeev Buium (Minnesota Wild) and forward Jack Devine (Florida Panthers).
The Pioneers will meet Providence College, one of six members of Hockey East to make the final playing field. The Friars lost to the University of Connecticut in its conference tournament quarterfinals, and have shown some fragility by dropping some key games against ranked opponents down the stretch. Still, Providence has experience playing the top teams in college hockey, and will look to bar the defending champions from securing their 11th national title. Should Denver and BC win, a national championship rematch will take place in Manchester.
Jane’s Predictions
Boston College over Bentley
Denver over Providence
Boston College over Denver
Eli’s Predictions
Boston College over Bentley
Denver over Providence
Denver over Boston College
Allentown, Pennsylvania Regional
Due to a quirk in the way seeding and hosting is determined in the NCAA tournament, No. 3 overall and regional top-seed Maine will have to travel to Pennsylvania to take on Penn State, despite being the higher seed. Cornell fans will be familiar with Maine, which the Red knocked out of the tournament in the first round last season. After making the tournament last year for the first time in over a decade, this year’s squad is the culmination of fourth-year head coach Ben Barr’s program rebuild. Led by two transfers — Harrison Scott from Bentley and Taylor Makar (Colorado Avalanche) from the University of Massachusetts — Maine enters the NCAA tournament after securing the Hockey East crown. Between the pipes, Mike Richter award finalist and Hockey East second teamer Albin Boija has been excellent for the Black Bears, posting the nation’s fourth lowest goals against average.
Penn State — Maine’s first round opponent — enters the tournament scorching hot. The Nittany Lions have lost just four times in 2025, with the loses all coming against top-15 teams in the Pairwise ratings. With 52 points, Hobey Baker finalist Aiden Fink (Nashville Predators) paces the team offensively in an attack that relies heavily on odd-skater rushes. In net, junior Arsenii Sergeev (Calgary Flames) has been a key transfer addition to Penn State.
Despite the loss to Maine in the Hockey East championship game, UConn is a contender to make a run to the Frozen Four. Making their first ever NCAA tournament appearance, the Huskies are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games thanks in large part to an offense which has scored three or more goals in all eight wins during that stretch.
Facing off against the Huskies is a fellow Connecticut team, Quinnipiac. UConn defeated the Bobcats, 2-1, back in January. Despite being upset in the ECAC tournament by Cornell, Quinnipiac is set up well for NCAA tournament success. The Bobcats have the ECAC Defensive Forward of the Year (Holy Cross transfer Jack Ricketts), the nation’s best power play and a winning culture, being just two years removed from winning the national championship in 2023. Just last year, the Bobcats lost in overtime to Boston College in the regional final, the game-winning goal scored by former Cornellian Jack Malone ’23.
Jane’s Predictions
Maine over Penn State
Quinnipiac over UConn
Maine over Quinnipiac
Eli’s Predictions
Maine over Penn State
Quinnipiac over UConn
Quinnipiac over Maine
Toledo, Ohio Regional
Headlined by a talented duo of freshmen named Cole, Boston University overcame a rough start to the year to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament after losing 2024 No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini to the NHL. Hockey East Rookie of the Year Cole Hutson (Washington Capitals) and Cole Eiserman (New York Islanders), played together last year on the United States National Development Team and won gold this winter at the World Junior Championships. While senior Mathieu Caron has started 20 games in net for the Terriers, freshman Mikhail Yegorov (New Jersey Devils) has started all but two games for BU since enrolling at the school on January 21st. While relying on freshmen can be risky in the NCAA tournament, the pure talent of BU’s class of 2028 could carry it far, along with its Frozen Four experience from last year.
Facing off against BU will be Ohio State. The Buckeyes are coming off a heartbreaking loss in the Big 10 championship game, falling to Michigan State 4-3 in double overtime. Featuring Gunnarwolfe Fontaine (Nashville Predators), a grad student transfer from Northeastern with the best name in college hockey, the Buckeyes have the fourth most even-strength goals in the country and have the ability to beat any team on any night.
Check out The Sun’s Cornell vs. Michigan State preview here.
Jane’s Predictions
Boston University over Ohio State
Cornell over Michigan State
“Once again, I am an impartial reporter.”
Eli’s Predictions
Boston University over Ohio State
Cornell Over Michigan State
“What Jane said.”
Fargo, North Dakota Regional
It’s set to be a pair of exciting games in North Dakota, headlined by first-time NCHC winner, Western Michigan. The Broncos have assembled an impressive 2024-2025 campaign, led by sophomore Alex Bump’s 41 points and clutch genes — he scored twice in WMU’s third-period comeback in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff championship game, including the double-overtime game-winner.
The Broncos will face Minnesota State, which clinched a tournament berth after winning the Central Collegiate Hockey Association championship. The Mavericks have not lost since Jan. 31, and have scored three or more goals in their last five games. Though WMU is a powerhouse, Minnesota State — boasting the only goaltender to be named a finalist for the Hobey Baker in Alex Tracy — is peaking at the right time and will look to upend the region’s top seed.
The lone Hockey East team heading west is the University of Massachusetts, which claimed an at-large bid despite its loss in its conference tournament quarterfinals. Cornell defeated UMass in January, but the Minutemen rode a strong second half to secure its spot in the tournament. UMass, the 2021 national champion, is looking for its first Frozen Four bid since that title.
UMass will have to get through the University of Minnesota, which will take the ice on Thursday having not played a hockey game in 19 days — the Gophers lost its Big Ten quarterfinal series against Notre Dame on Mar. 9 but sat comfortably within the range of an at-large bid. It will look to shake off some rust and let Hobey Baker finalist Jimmy Snuggerud continue his stellar junior campaign.
Jane’s Predictions
Minnesota State over Western Michigan
Minnesota over UMass
Minnesota State over Minnesota
Eli’s Predictions
Western Michigan over Minnesota State
Minnesota over UMass
Western Michigan over Minnesota
Jane McNally is a senior editor on the 143rd editorial board and was the sports editor on the 142nd editorial board. She is a member of the class of 2026 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. You can follow her on X @JaneMcNally_ and reach her at jmcnally@cornellsun.com.
Eli Fastiff is a senior editor on the 143rd editorial board and a member of the class of 2026 in the College of Arts and Sciences. You can follow him on X @Eli_Fastiff and reach him at efastiff@cornellsun.com.
