DU Pioneers see tourney streak end

IN DIANAPOLIS» The NCAA hockey tournament bracket was released Sunday, and for the first time since 2007, the University of Denver Pioneers weren’t in it.

DU saw its streak of 12 straight tournament bids — excluding the 2020 campaign canceled by COVID19 — snapped after finishing the season 10-13-1, which also ended the Pios’ streak of 19 straight seasons with 20 or more wins.

National Collegiate Hockey Conference rival North Dakota was seeded No. 1 overall in the bracket, and Boston College, Minnesota and Wisconsin also earned top seeds.

NCHC champion North Dakota (21-5-1) will open Friday night in Fargo, N.D., against No. 4 American International (15-3-0). No. 2 Minnesota Duluth (14-10-2) will face No. 3 Michigan (1510-1) in the other Fargo opener.

At Bridgeport, Conn., on Friday, Wisconsin (20-9-1) will face No. 4 Bemidji State (15-9-3), and No. 2 Massachusetts (16-5-4) will play No. 3 Lake Superior State (19-6-3).

On Saturday at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Big Ten champion Minnesota (23-6-0) will face No. 4 Omaha (14-10-1), and No. 2 Minnesota State (20-4-1) will meet No. 3 Quinnipiac (17-7-4).

Quinnipiac replaced Saint Lawrence as ECAC’s automatic qualifier after St. Lawrence withdraw from the championship because of NCAA health and safety protocols.

On Saturday in Albany, N.Y., Boston College (175-1) will face No. 4 Notre Dame (14-13-2), and No. 2 St. Cloud State (17-10-0) will meet No. 3 Boston University. (10-4-1)

The regional winners will advance to the Frozen Four in Pittsburgh on April 8 and 10.