ESPN Televises College Hockey's Frozen Four for 24th Consecutive Year

Continuing one of the network's longest traditions, ESPN will televise Frozen Four for the 24th consecutive year from the United Center in Chicago. The two-night, three-game COLLEGE HOCKEY finale will feature No. 3 Harvard vs. No. 2 Minnesota-Duluth (6 p.m. ET) and Notre Dame vs. No. 1 Denver (9:30 p.m.) in the semifinals Thursday, April 6 on ESPN2, with the two winners playing in the Frozen Four Championship (8 p.m.) Saturday, April 8, on ESPN. The Frozen Four is the culmination of the 16-team NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship.

The Frozen Four Teams:

• The Pioneers: Denver is the No. 1 SEED in the Championship, advancing to its second consecutive Frozen Four. The NCHC Champions are led by defenseman Will Butcher, a Hobey Hat Trick finalist.
• The Crimson: Harvard advanced to the Frozen Four for the first time since 1994, looking to win its first men's hockey championship since 1989. The Crimson are the No. 3 SEED in the Championship.
• The Fighting Irish: Notre Dame plays in the Frozen Four for the first time in six years, its third overall appearance. The Irish are seeking their first-ever men's hockey national championship.
• The Bulldogs: Minnesota-Duluth returns to the Frozen Four for the first time since 2011, when the school won its only men's hockey national championship. The Bulldogs are the No. 2 SEED in the Championship.

The complete NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship bracket can be found here.

ESPN's lead hockey play-by-play commentator John Buccigross teams up with lead hockey analyst Barry Melrose and reporter Quint Kessenich to call the Frozen Four for the fifth consecutive year.

Buccigross, the popular SPORTSCENTER anchor, has developed a passionate following on Twitter (@Buccigross) through consistent cawlidge hawkey dialogue with fans. Melrose, who has been with ESPN for 20 years, played 11 seasons in the NHL before leading the Los Angeles Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals as head coach. Kessenich is a versatile reporter for ESPN, working COLLEGE FOOTBALL sidelines in the fall, NCAA Championships in the winter and ESPN's lacrosse coverage in the spring, where he is an analyst.

Adnan Virk anchors the studio coverage from Bristol, Conn., and joined by Sean Ritchlin and Dave Starman

The Frozen Four telecasts will feature a Ref Cam for the first time, allowing viewers to experience the game through the eyes of the referee. ESPN will utilize the vantage point mostly in replays throughout the three games. In addition to having a camera affixed to his helmet, the referee will also be mic'd up and audio will be incorporated throughout the telecast.

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