Predictions: Who will make the Frozen Four in NCAA hockey tournament?

Half of the NCAA men's hockey tournament field is from New England. What a year it could be for the locals.

The tournament begins on Thursday as 16 teams battle for a national title. The last New England team to win the national championship was Quinnipiac in 2023. Before that, it was Massachusetts in 2021. Denver upset Boston College in the final last season.

Does a New England team win it in 2025?

Boston College, Maine, Boston University, Connecticut, Providence, Massachusetts, Quinnipiac and Bentley will be the New England schools competing this year. Many of those teams have legitimate paths to winning the whole thing.

Naturally, it's time for some predictions.

Let's dive in.

Manchester Regional

No. 1 Boston College vs. No. 4 Bentley

Marinofsky: I want to pick Bentley so bad. The Falcons came back to beat Holy Cross in the Atlantic Hockey championship game. They have also recently gotten outstanding goaltending from junior Connor Hasley. But Boston College is Boston College. The Eagles came oh-so-close to beating Denver for the national title last season. They have a murderer's row of high-end talent. Sophomore goalie Jacob Fowler is a favorite for the Mike Richter Award. And, most importantly, the Eagles are motivated after bowing out early in the Hockey East playoffs.

BC wins, 3-1. 

Donnelly: BC's offense gets the headlines, but both sides here are excellent defensively. The Eagles give up just 1.7 goals per game, second in the nation, while Benltey gives up 2.1 per game, tied fifth. Much of that is thanks to Hasley. There's the path to the upset if he keeps it up and they get timely goals, but ultimately, I'm with Evan here. BC will overwhelm Bentley, and Fowler can match any goalie. They'll be looking to make a statement after the Hockey East tournament.

BC wins, 5-1.

No. 2 Providence vs. No. 3 Denver

Marinofsky: Outside of a rough path in late January, Providence was good all season. The Friars also brought in a lot of high-end talent this fall, and while none of those players blew up for a whole bunch of points, it provided for increased depth across the lineup. Denver has gotten loads of production from senior forwards Jack Devine, Carter King, and junior forward Aidan Thompson. Add in star sophomore defenseman Zeev Buium and senior goalie Matt Davis and the Pioneers are still a wagon.

Denver wins, 4-2. 

Donnelly: Providence is always a tough out and Nate Leaman's teams play the right way, but I can't overlook Denver. The Pios are the highest scoring team in the nation with 164 total goals, 10 clear of second-place Western Michigan. Their 4.0 goals per game are second only to Western's 4.1. With game-breakers like King and especially Buium, the reigning national champs will start their title defense strong.

Denver wins, 2-1.

Who emerges from Manchester Regional?

Marinofsky: I'd have Boston College vs. Denver, which would be a rematch from last year's national championship. Part of me wants to doubt Boston College here, given the Eagles' underwhelming performance in the Hockey East playoffs and Beanpot. But Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass.) and Gabe Perreault came back for a reason.

BC wins, 2-1. 

Donnelly: I also have BC vs. Denver. I can't overlook the Eagles' shortcomings in the Beanpot and Hockey East playoffs. David Carle's group has proven time and time again that it knows how to win. The Pioneers' forwards can keep pace with BC's, and the Eagles don't have a defenseman on Buium's level. But with the best goalscorer (Leonard) and arguably the best goalie in the country (Fowler), the Eagles will always have a chance. They'll need their best-in-show penalty kill to snuff out Denver's near-automatic power play.

Denver wins, 3-2.

Toledo Regional

No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 4 Cornell

Marinofsky: Cornell always seems to be at its best in big games. Sophomore forward and Boston Bruins draft pick Ryan Walsh has led the team in scoring this season. But the Spartans boast one of the country's best players in forward Isaac Howard and star goalie Trey Augustine. I don't see Michigan State bowing out early.

Michigan State wins, 3-2. 

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Donnelly: Michigan State is humming with four straight wins and four or more goals in three of those. Howard has come through in big spots all season. Cornell has been red-hot, too, with six straight victories with three-plus goals in each and four or more in three of those wins. In the end, Augustine gives the Spartans the all-important edge.

Michigan State wins, 4-1.

No. 2 Boston University vs. No. 3 Ohio State

Marinofsky: Like Boston College, BU is motivated by a brutal loss in the Hockey East playoffs. The Terriers have depth with a mix of high-end talent and four-year players. You've got the Hutson brothers, co-captains Ryan Greene and Shane Lachance and NHL first-round pick Cole Eiserman. Add in freshman goalie Mikhail Yegorov, who has been scorching hot of late, and I don't see BU getting bounced in the first round.

BU wins, 4-1. 

Donnelly: I can see the case for Ohio State as a sleeper. They'll have somewhat of a hometown crowd in Toledo. Not to mention Gunnarwolfe Fontaine is famously a Terrier killer. But BU's got the deeper offense with talent and experience from two straight Frozen Four appearances. Plus, Yegorov can steal a game.

BU wins, 3-0.

Who emerges from Toledo Regional?

Marinofsky: I have BU vs. Michigan State. The Spartans fell to Michigan in the regional final last season, while BU lost to Denver in the Frozen Four semifinal. Michigan State is a bit hotter coming off a Big Ten championship. I'm so sorry, Patrick (Am I though?).

Michigan State wins, 3-2, in overtime. 

Donnelly: I also have BU vs. Michigan State. Augustine and Yegorov would provide one of the best goaltending matchups of the entire tournament, so where does one side gain the edge over the other? BU might be deeper, but MSU is hotter, like Evan said. Plus, the Terriers are sometimes prone to defensive lapses. I know, pretty big of the BU alum to pick against the Terriers.

Michigan State wins, 4-2.

Allentown Regional

No. 1 Maine vs. No. 4 Penn State

Marinofsky: Penn State has won eight of its last 11 games and was good in the second half. The Nittany Lions also boast Aiden Fink, who has been one of the best players in the country. But Maine is fresh off winning Hockey East. The Black Bears were consistently a top team all season. Goalie Albin Boija has been outstanding and the Black Bears are deep up front.

Maine wins, 4-2. 

Donnelly: Maine doesn't have anyone who can produce like Fink. PSU is scorching right now, too. But Maine was fantastic in the Hockey East playoffs, and they've proven they can win against top opponents. Boija has been fantastic, too. He gives them an edge. He will be important when Penn State essentially has a hometown crowd.

Maine wins, 3-1.

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No. 2 UConn vs. No. 3 Quinnipiac

Marinofsky: The Bobcats lost much of their team from last season to graduation and pro deals. That they continued to win is a testament to the job Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold and his staff did this season. Does that beat UConn? I don't see it. The Huskies are scorching hot and motivated after a tough loss in the Hockey East championship.

UConn wins, 3-2, in overtime. 

Donnelly: What Evan said. I expect the Ice Bus to keep rolling right along.

UConn wins, 3-1.

Who emerges from Allentown Regional?

Marinofsky: I have Maine vs. UConn — what a Hockey East heavyweight matchup that would be. Maine is better on paper, but UConn lost to the Black Bears less than a week ago in the Hockey East championship. That ended UConn's streak of being unbeaten since Feb. 7.

UConn wins, 2-1.

Donnelly: I've also got a rematch between Maine vs. UConn. Maine's discipline and structure gave them an advantage over the Huskies last time out, and it'll pay off here again. The Huskies are a little more high-flying, but I'll lean with Boija.

Maine wins, 4-3, in overtime.

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Fargo Regional

No. 1 Western Michigan vs. No. 4 Minnesota State

Marinofsky: Western Michigan enters this game with the second-best offense in the country, while Minnesota State ranks first in goals against. The Mavericks boast junior goalie Alex Tracy, who boasts a sparkling 1.43 goals-against average and a .945 save percentage. But the Broncos have sophomore forward Alex Bump, who has exploded for 46 points, along with a plethora of depth scoring options.

Western Michigan wins, 3-0. 

Donnelly: You've got an unstoppable force in WMU's high-scoring offense meeting an immovable object in Minnesota State's lockdown defense. Normally, I might lean toward goaltending and defense, especially as we get deeper into the tournament, but I like the Broncos here. They've got so many ways to beat teams, even aside from Bump, and freshman goalie Hampton Slukynsky has been excellent lately, winning six straight starts and 10 of 11. Plus, WMU will be galvanized after a heroic comeback to beat Denver, 4-3, in double overtime for the NCHC title after trailing 3-0.

Western Michigan wins, 2-0.

No. 2 Minnesota vs. No. 3 Massachusetts

Marinofsky: Yes, I went to UMass. But I also believe in the Minutemen. They're hot, as they've only lost in regulation three times since Jan. 17. Forward Cole O'Hara should've been a Hobey Baker Award nominee and leads the offense with 51 points. Head coach Greg Carvel has an offense with multiple scorers. While Minnesota, which has the third-best offense in the nation, will go up against a young defense, UMass plays structured and has goalie Michael Hrabal.

Massachusetts wins, 4-3. 

Donnelly: Both sides match up pretty evenly here, even with Minnesota outscoring the Minutemen by a wide margin for the season as a whole. So what does it come down to for me? A gut feeling. Graduate goalie Liam Souliere has been more than serviceable this season, and I'll take my chances with him against Hrabal.

Minnesota wins, 3-1.

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Who emerges from Fargo Regional?

Marinofsky: I have Western Michigan vs. Massachusetts. The Minutemen would face another high-level offense in Western Michigan. I'd expect the same result for UMass.

Massachusetts wins, 3-1.

Donnelly: I've got Western Michigan vs. Minnesota in a matchup between two top-three offenses in the nation. I lean toward the Broncos here. Slukynsky and Souliere matchup fairly evenly, but Western's been better defensively, especially on the penalty kill. It's close.

Western Michigan wins, 4-3, in overtime

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