USCHO Edge

A great matchup in the NCHC quarterfinals pits North Dakota at Denver this weekend. Hosts Jim Connelly (@JimmyConnelly) and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) catch up with Grand Forks Herald North Dakota beat writer Brad Schlossman (@SchlossmanGF) to preview the series and to review the Fighting Hawks' season.

We also take a look at some upset possibilities in playoff series across the six D-I men's conferences.

This episode is sponsored by the 2019 NCAA Frozen Four, April 11 and 13 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. Visit ncaa.com/frozenfour for more information.

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Four of six D-I conferences enter the playoffs this weekend. USCHO's Game of the Week is Michigan at Minnesota on Saturday, the second night of a best-of-three series. Hosts Jim Connelly (@JimmyConnelly) and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) preview the game and series with Michigan coach Mel Pearson.

We also look at the race for position in Hockey East and the NCHC as well as playoff first rounds in the rest of the Big Ten, Atlantic Hockey, ECAC Hockey, and the WCHA.

This episode is sponsored by the 2019 NCAA Frozen Four, April 11 and 13 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. Visit ncaa.com/frozenfour for more information.

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

This week's USCHO Game of the Week is Saturday's No. 5 Quinnipiac at Yale matchup, the final regular season game for both teams in ECAC Hockey with playoff seeding implications. We get a preview of what – for Quinnipiac at least – has become a big rivalry with Bobcats head coach Rand Pecknold.

Hosts Jim Connelly (@JimmyConnelly) and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) also take a tour around college hockey: In the Big Ten, No. 18 Penn State is at No. 17 Notre Dame for a pair with home ice in the playoffs on the line; No. 11 Cornell takes on No. 13 Clarkson for ECAC position; No. 1 St. Cloud is at No. 10 Western Michigan with PairWise in play and No. 20 North Dakota is at Colorado College in the NCHC; No. 12 Arizona State wraps its season with two at Minnesota; the WCHA is playing for playoff seeds; and Atlantic Hockey is a jumble that will come down to Saturday's games.

This episode is sponsored by the 2019 NCAA Frozen Four, April 11 and 13 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. Visit ncaa.com/frozenfour for more information.

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

This week's Game of the Week is No. 2 UMass at No. 10 Providence, with two teams vying for Hockey East position and position in the PairWise. Minutemen head coach Greg Carvel joins hosts Jim Connelly (@JimmyConnelly) and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) for a preview.

We also look at No. 3 Minnesota Duluth at North Dakota for a pair of NCHC games, No. 6 Ohio State's opportunity to sew up the Big Ten at Michigan, a pair of ECAC Hockey matchups with ranked teams on Saturday, Lake Superior's trip to face Northern Michigan in the WCHA for a pair, plus the Atlantic Hockey race, in which nine teams can finish anywhere from a bye to on the road for the first round.

This episode is sponsored by the 2019 NCAA Frozen Four, April 11 and 13 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. Visit ncaa.com/frozenfour for more information.

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Arizona State is on the brink of an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament while visiting American International is one of the surprise stories of the season, sitting atop Atlantic Hockey. USCHO.com Arizona State correspondent Greg Cameron (@gregdcam) joins hosts Jim Connelly (@JimmyConnelly) and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) to preview the weekend series. Saturday's game is the USCHO Game of the Week.

We also preview No. 7 Denver at No. 4 Minnesota Duluth for a weekend NCHC series, ECAC Hockey single games pitting No. 6 Quinnipiac at No. 20 Union and No. 18 Harvard at No. 11 Clarkson, and a Hockey East home-and-home between No. 13 Providence and No. 10 UMass Lowell.

This episode is sponsored by the 2019 NCAA Frozen Four, April 11 and 13 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. Visit ncaa.com/frozenfour for more information.

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

A Brown team with a couple of big wins under its belt since midseason travels to No. 4 Quinnipiac for a Saturday game with playoff implications in ECAC Hockey. USCHO ECAC correspondent Nate Owen (@Nate_Owen41) joins hosts Jim Connelly (@JimmyConnelly) and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) for a preview.

Jim and Ed also preview other big games around the country this weekend, including No. 9 Clarkson at No. 10 Cornell, No. 2 UMass at No. 15 UMass Lowell, a full slate in the Big Ten, Colorado College at No. 1 St. Cloud, American International at Army, the Governor's Cup at stake between Alaska Anchorage and Alaska, and, of course, the Beanpot.

This episode is sponsored by the 2019 NCAA Frozen Four, April 11 and 13 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. Visit ncaa.com/frozenfour for more information.

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Defending champion No. 12 Northeastern takes on Boston University in the semifinal round of the 2019 Beanpot on Monday. Huskies coach Jim Madigan talks about the tournament and where his team is now with hosts Jim Connelly (@JimmyConnelly) and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger).

Jim and Ed also preview other top match ups around the country this weekend, including No. 11 Notre Dame at No. 4 Ohio State, North Dakota at No. 7 Denver, No. 5 Quinnipiac at No. 10 Clarkson, and No. 13 Cornell at No. 18 Union.

This episode is sponsored by the 2019 NCAA Frozen Four, April 11 and 13 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. Visit ncaa.com/frozenfour for more information.

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

While Saturday's game between Mercyhurst and American International is half of a weekend series with playoff seeds in the forefront, it's more significant because it's part of a day called "Fighting for Folgs."

Longtime hockey equipment manager and athletic trainer Mike Folga, affectionately known as "Folgs," is battling cancer. Folga, who has held roles in the NHL, with Team USA, and other professional hockey jobs, is being recognized during a day of events aimed at raising support for him and his family, as well as for the American Cancer Society.

Mercyhurst coach Rick Gotkin previews the games and shares heartfelt thoughts about Folga with hosts Jim Connelly (@JimmyConnelly) and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger).

Those wishing to contribute can find out more at: https://www.mercyhurst.edu/alumni/fighting-folgs

Jim and Ed also preview other top match ups around the country this weekend.

This episode is sponsored by the 2019 NCAA Frozen Four, April 11 and 13 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. Visit ncaa.com/frozenfour for more information.

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

This weekend is the first two of four games this season between Denver and Colorado College, a series that determines the winner of the Battle for the Gold Pan. Denver assistant coach Dallas Ferguson joins hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger for a look at this year's Pioneers, a pre-scout of the Tigers, and some thoughts on the rivalry and the NCHC.

Jim and Ed also look ahead to other games, including:

No. 10 Western Michigan at No. 2 St. Cloud;

No. 8 Northeastern home-and-home with No. 1 UMass;

No. 18 Lake Superior at No. 6 Minnesota State;

No. 4 Ohio State at No. 13 Penn State

This episode is sponsored by the 2019 NCAA Frozen Four, April 11 and 13 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. Visit ncaa.com/frozenfour for more information.

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

No. 1 St. Cloud visits No. 5 Minnesota Duluth in a weekend series, the first two of four regular-season NCHC contests between the two. Bulldogs radio voice Bruce Ciskie of KDAL in Duluth joins hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger for a preview.

Jim and Ed also look ahead to:

No. 20 Miami at No. 14 Western Michigan in a pair of NCHC games;

No. 15 Union at No. 16 Clarkson;

No. 10 Bowling Green at Michigan Tech;

And a trio of Big Ten games, among others.

This episode is sponsored by the 2019 NCAA Frozen Four, April 11 and 13 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. Visit ncaa.com/frozenfour for more information.

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts