2012 NCAA Frozen Four TV schedule

 

ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3 have coverage of the 2012 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Division I Championship tournament beginning Sunday, March 18 at 12pm ET with the tournament selection show. Game action starts with the regional semifinals March 23-24 and continues with the regional finals March 24-26. The Frozen Four semifinal games are April 5 on ESPN2 and ESPNU, with the championship game April 7 on ESPN2. Top teams looking for Frozen Four berths are Boston College, Minnesota-Duluth, Michigan, Minnesota, Boston University, Union, Miami (Ohio) and Ferris State. 2012 Frozen Four TV schedule and press release from ESPN below:

New Replay Graphics Highlight ESPN’s Complete NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship Coverage

Sunday’s Selection Show to feature three-time Stanley Cup Champion Aaron Ward

For the eighth consecutive year, ESPN will present every glass-crushing moment of the 2012 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship starting with the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Selection Show on Sunday, March 18, and culminating with the Men’s Frozen Four in Tampa, Fla., April 5 and 7.  All 15 games will air live on ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN3. Four regional games will be shown on ESPN3 with additional coverage on ESPNU in tape delay. For 2012, ESPN will debut its Advanced Replay Tool (ART) which allows graphics to be used in a replay, a first in the network’s coverage of NCAA hockey.

As in past years, the tournament brackets will be announced on the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Selection Show by SportsCenter anchor John Buccigross, analyst Barry Melrose and new to the selection show this year, three-time Stanley Cup champion Aaron Ward. Airing Sunday, March 18, at noon ET on ESPNU, Ward’s three-consecutive NCAA Championship appearances while playing at Michigan brings a second layer of expertise to the passion and enthusiasm Melrose infuses into the 30-minute special. The show will also include features from current NHL standouts reflecting on their own NCAA memories, including Tampa Bay’s Martin St. Louis, Buffalo’s Ryan Miller, New Jersey’s Zach Praise and Ottawa’s Matt Gilroy.

The ART, developed by ESPN Emerging Technology, allows graphics to be instantaneously embedded within a replay, providing commentators greater visual resources to communicate analysis to viewers.  It has seen previous success in ESPN’s coverage of basketball, football and golf telecasts.

Melrose, Gary Thorne and Clay Matvick will utilize the tool during ESPN’s Frozen Four telecasts. Former NCAA players Sean Ritchlin (Michigan), Dave Starman (Hartford) and Billy Jaffe (Michigan) will also contribute analysis throughout the two week coverage span. ESPN has aired games from the men’s championship since 1980 and recently extended its commitment to the NCAA, which includes airing the entire Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship through 2024.

Date Time (ET) Game/Commentators Network (s)
Sun, Mar 18 noon NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Selection ShowJohn Buccigross, Barry Melrose and Aaron Ward ESPNU
Fri, Mar 23 3 p.m. East Regional Semifinal 1 Michigan
State vs Union
(Bridgeport, Conn.) John Buccigross and Barry Melrose
ESPNU/ESPN3
5:30 p.m. Midwest Regional Semifinal 1(Green Bay, Wis.) Ben Holden and Sean Ritchlin ESPN3
6:30 p.m. East Regional Semifinal 2 Massachusetts Lowell vs Miami (Bridgeport, Conn.) John Buccigross and Barry Melrose ESPNU/ESPN3
9 p.m. Midwest Regional Semifinal 2 Cornell
vs Michigan
(Green Bay, Wis.) Ben Holden and Sean Ritchlin
ESPNU/ESPN3
11:30 p.m. Midwest Regional Semifinal 1 Denver
vs Ferris State
(Green Bay, Wis.) Ben Holden and Sean Ritchlin
ESPNU*
Sat, Mar 24 1:30 p.m. West Regional Semifinal 1 (Saint Paul, Minn.) Clay Matvick and Dave Starman ESPN3
4 p.m. Northeast Regional Semifinal 1 Air Force vs Boston College (Worcester, Mass.) Joe Beninati and Billy Jaffe ESPNU/ESPN3
5 p.m. West Regional Semifinal 2  (Saint Paul, MN) Clay Matvick and Dave Starman ESPN3
6:30 p.m. East Regional Final (Bridgeport, Conn.) John Buccigross and Barry Melrose ESPNU/ESPN3
7:30 p.m. Northeast Regional Semifinal 2 (Worcester, Mass.) Joe Beninati and Billy Jaffe ESPN3
9 p.m. Midwest Regional Final (Green Bay, Wis.) Ben Holden and Sean Ritchlin ESPNU/ESPN3
11:30 p.m. Northeast Regional Semifinal 2 Maine vs Minnesota Duluth (Worcester, Mass.) Joe Beninati and Billy Jaffe ESPNU**
Sun, Mar 25 12:30 p.m. West Regional Semifinal 1 (Saint Paul, Minn.) Clay Matvick and Dave Starman ESPNU**
3 p.m. West Regional Semifinal 2 (Saint Paul, Minn) Clay Matvick and Dave Starman ESPNU**
5:30 p.m. West Regional Final (Saint Paul, Minn.) Clay Matvick and Dave Starman ESPNU/ESPN3
8 p.m. Northeast Regional Final (Worcester, Mass.) Joe Beninati and Billy Jaffe ESPNU/ESPN3
Thu, Apr 5 4:30 p.m. Frozen Four Semifinal 1 Union (NY) vs. Ferris State (Tampa Bay, Fla.) Gary Thorne, Clay Matvick and Barry Melrose ESPNU/ESPN3
8 p.m. Frozen Four Semifinal 2 Boston College vs. Minnesota  (Tampa Bay, Fla.) Gary Thorne, Clay Matvick and Barry Melrose ESPN2/ESPN3
Sat, Apr 7 7 p.m. NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship (Tampa Bay, Fla.) Gary Thorne, Clay Matvick and Barry Melrose  ESPN2/ESPN3

*Tape Delayed from earlier March 23 live game on ESPN3

**Tape Delayed from earlier March 24 live game on ESPN3

Additional coverage via ESPN Front Row on ESPN.com’s David Albright and his Frozen Four experience.

3 Comments

  1. Very disappointed in your coverage of the Frozen Four. Two teams making their first appearances and lousy coverage. NCAA Division 1 Hockey deserves better coverage. Wish NBC, TBS or Fox Sports was responsible for the game.

  2. SO YOU HAVE 20,000 PEOPLE AT THE MIDWEST REGIONS –A SELLOUT CROWD AND NO LIVE COVERAGE. TIME TO TURN OFF YOUR TRANSISTOR RADIO!

  3. Weird how the only venue thats going to be sold out is on ESPN3. get with it ESPN your terrible at this hockey thing. we get it, you didn’t get the nhl contract and your bitter, don’t make everyone suffer

Comments are closed.

About Ryan Berenz 2166 Articles
Member of the Television Critics Association. Charter member of the Ancient and Mystic Society of No Homers. Squire of the Ancient & Benevolent Order of the Lynx, Lodge 49, Long Beach, Calif. Costco Wholesale Gold Star Member since 2011.