NCAA Frozen Four in Boston a clash of the Midwest and West

By JIMMY GOLEN
AP Sports Writer

BOSTON (AP) — The NCAA Frozen Four features a foursome that doesn’t include any teams from the East. It’s the first time since 2011 that the Eastern schools were shut out. Michigan will play Denver in the early semifinal on Thursday, with Minnesota and Minnesota State meeting in the nightcap. The field has already claimed 22 NCAA hockey titles, with Minnesota State the only school still in search of its first. Minnesota State goalie Dryden McKay, Minnesota’s Ben Myers and Denver’s Bobby Brink are all finalists for the Hobey Baker Award that goes to the top player in college hockey.