Men’s 2025 NCAA Tournament – Quarterfinals Recap! The Frozen Four Field is Set!

The 2025 Frozen Four field is set!

The field is set for the 2025 Men’s Frozen Four, held this year at the Nexus Center in Utica, NY, hosted by the #4 seed Utica University.

Many may wonder why Utica as the 4-seed gets to host, well, the results below will show why, but an explanation to the process is this… As we’ve seen in recent years, Hobart, this year’s #2 seed (#1 seed in 2023, the last time we’ve seen a non-predetermined campus-site host), cannot host due to failing to meet the hosting requirements facilities wise. Curry, this year’s #1, did not put a bid in to host, but declined to host regardless, as the facilities would not handle the event properly. Utica, being the 4-seed, is next in line, the Adirondack bank Center (The Aud), is taken up Friday & Sunday night due to professional indoor soccer, but the Nexus Center (used for Women’s hockey in the case of Utica), is available.

It’s believed the soccer teams were willing to move the games, but the NCAA said the two teams had to practice on the same sheet of ice the day prior (Saturday) that would be used for the National Championship game, thus, eliminating the possibility of using The Aud. Now, the issue with this is capacity… The Aud (primarily the Utica Comets – AHL arena) can hold 4,000 plus fans and with these closely geographically placed teams (three upstate NY teams, Hobart & Geneseo are within 2.5 hours of Utica and Curry is 4 hours) it is expected to sell out fast.

The Nexus Center can hold 1,600 including standing room… the tickets will go in less than 20-30 minutes if I had to estimate based on how quickly tickets sold at Endicott in 2023. 1/3 is given to each team, then the remaining 1/3 (approx. 533 tickets) is released for general public purchase. You must buy tickets on a per-game basis, no weekend/day passes will be granted which makes sense given the capacity numbers. Utica has arguably the best set of facilities in all of Division III hockey, it’ll be a great showing and venue for this event to take place.

Now, I will say this for the Hobart fans and admin out there, if Endicott (2023) was allowed to host, I have some issues with Hobart not being allowed to host considering they put a bid in… I’m not going to lie and deceive and make you believe I’m at the front of the line preaching for ‘The Cooler’ to be the host, but I’m simply saying the Endicott selection set a precedent for many that the ‘requirements’ can be bent considerably past the limit and still ‘work’… If Endicott was denied, I’d have no problem saying no to ‘The Cooler’, but allowing Endicott to host makes myself and I imagine many at Hobart question the alleged ‘requirements’. My main problem is capacity, yes, you can fit maybe 800-1000 if they weigh less than 150 lbs and are under 5’8″, but reasonably they can at maximum hold 650-700, just not enough for the demand and magnitude of the event itself.

There were many rumored hosting spots regarding the Frozen Four, if Aurora won vs Geneseo, it was rumored Ridder Arena (Univ. of Minnesota D-I – Women’s Rink) would be used as it has in the past… There needs to be clearer boundaries set for this event and it’s getting to the point where most people cannot book a flight, hotel, sometimes rental cars, etc. on a 3-4 day notice to watch their team… Predetermined sites have their pros and cons and while I love campus sites, there needs to be clearer communication on who bid, who can host, etc… Utica will be the host next year as well regardless of their record as it’s a predetermined site in The Aud. It’ll be hosted via campus site TBD in 2027 & Middleton, Wisconsin at the Bob Suter Legacy20 Arena in 2028.

Now that we’ve gotten through that needed explanation, on with the recap!

How we got here

It was a bad weekend to be a west region hockey fan… the site was supposed to be ‘west preferred’ this year, but no west teams have qualified this year for the Frozen Four. All three NCHA teams this weekend led by 2+ goals and none held on. Aurora led 3-0, Trine 2-0, & St. Norbert 3-1, they each lost 7-4, 3-2 OT, & 5-3 respectively. The west had the chance for three NCHA teams in the finals… they ended up with zero. The NCAA’s bracket panned out to work out for them, they gave us fans what we wanted, dream crossover matchups in the first & quarterfinal rounds, while also not needing to fly anyone to Utica, NY for the Frozen Four… Good on you NCAA (that is not satire, I promise).

#9 Hamilton (21-6-1) @ #1 Curry (24-3-0) – Curry 4-1

Curry entered here as the #1 seed against a strong 9-seeded Hamilton College who has played exceptional hockey as of late, their main strength being goaltending and defense, just like their opponent in Curry.

Hamilton in their last eight games prior to Curry, had only given up more than two goals once, it was in a 4-2 loss to Williams, other than that, they had been solid, holding opponents to two or less goals.

In this one, Curry’s player of the year, goaltender #30 Shane Soderwall stood tall once again, making 37 saves on 38 shots. Soderwall this season has been lights out, repping a 1.45 GAA & .945 save-%. Similar to the Colonels former goalie Reid Cooper, Soderwall is receiving national recognition for his incredible play this season. Last season in the NCAA quarterfinals, he made 98 saves in the 4-OT loss to the eventual back-to-back national champion Hobart.

The 1st period was scoreless with five killed-off penalties, three by Curry and two by Hamilton. We wouldn’t see a goal until the 2nd period when Taurin Haddon-Harris scored unassisted early in the period at 2:09, giving Curry the 1-0 lead at home.

Taurin’s teammate Nolan McDonough would double the lead shortly after, scoring just over four minutes later, making it a commanding 2-0 lead entering the 3rd period.

In the 3rd, Hamilton got on it quick, scoring a minute twelve seconds in was Luke Tchor, cutting the deficit to one. However, the Colonels would ice the game, scoring at 13:02 was Haddon-Harris once again, then they would add an empty-netter with just under four minutes remaining in the game (Grady Friedman).

Curry advances to their first-ever Frozen Four as Head Coach Peter Roundy continues to take Curry to new heights they’ve never seen. He’s in the running for Coach of the Year.

#7 Trine (21-6-2) @ #2 Hobart (26-1-1) – Hobart 3-2 OT

Hobart, the back-to-back defending national champions continue their dominance, winning yet another game at ‘The Cooler’, making that 53 straight wins for the Statesman on home-ice. They also improve their record as of the past three seasons now to 84-5-3… crazy.

In this one, the Thunder of Trine matched up perfectly as we predicted they would, being able to run four lines against Hobart is critical for success as usually the depth in the end gets the better of opponents once they get into the deep water of the 3rd period and beyond. Trine would take a two-goal lead entering the 3rd period, a familiar scene for Hobart on many occasions these past few seasons. They’ve trailed numerous times by 2+ goals late or entering the 3rd period and came back to win most recently against Skidmore & others in the NEHC.

Similar to Curry/Hamilton, we saw a scoreless opening period, featuring one penalty by Trine. In the 2nd, Trine got to work, scoring on the powerplay 3:44 into the period was Logan Furstenau, followed by his teammate Sam Antenucci about seven minutes later, doubling the lead for the Thunder.

Hobart, as they have for the last 53 games at home, got themselves in order and got to work in the 3rd. Scoring a rapid 27 seconds in on the powerplay was Luke Aquaro, followed by Dominic Schimizzi exactly three minutes later, tying the game for Hobart and giving them all the momentum.

We would head to overtime once again in the quarterfinals in The Cooler, but this one didn’t last four overtimes like last year. The Captain Luke Aquaro scored his second of the game, just before the midway mark of the overtime frame (9:15) to send Hobart to their third-straight Frozen Four, where they’ll look to make it three-in-a-row.

Goaltending was solid on both sides, Trine goaltender Ronnie Petrucci made 38 saves on 41 shots, while Damon Beaver made 23 saves on 25 shots for the Statesman.

#6 Geneseo (23-4-1) @ #3 Aurora (24-4-1) – Geneseo 7-4

Similar to other matchups in this year’s tournament, this was the first-ever meeting between these two programs. Geneseo took the short flight from Buffalo, NY to Chicago, IL to face Aurora University. The Spartans & Head Coach Jason Bloomingburg looking to make their first Frozen Four appearance, while the Ice Knights & Chris Schultz are looking to get back to the national championship game.

Aurora this season has a high-powered lethal offense, but Geneseo has solid structure and was able to capitalize on Aurora’s volatile style of play, leaving themselves at risk many times in this game. Now, for those readers who believe the three goals disallowed or Aurora should not have been called, you’re not allowed to run over the goalie, or in face on the third one, lay on him for about ten seconds while your player fires it into the middle of the net…

This one looked about over near the end of the 2nd period as we saw the Spartans take a 3-0 lead with just under four minutes remaining. The scoring began with Chase Broda, late in the 1st period at 18:47, then a rapid 30 seconds into the 2nd, Juliano Santalucia doubled the lead, their teammate and scoring leader, Freshman Landry Schmuck (31 goals this season), scored at 16:17, making it 3-0 Aurora, but that’s when everything changed…

Geneseo answered right back 25 seconds later, Alex Dameski cuts into the lead, then just over a minute after that, the Ice Knights show life, Luke Panchisin makes it a one goal deficit, scoring at 17:56, making it a 3-2 Aurora lead entering the final period of play.

Andrew Schultz put the Spartans back up two (4:08), but this would be the last of their goals… Once again, Geneseo answers back quickly, it was once again Panchisin scoring just 43 seconds later, keeping his Ice Knights within one. Jack McDonald tied the game five minutes later at 4, which began the opening of the floodgates.

Geneseo would score the winner at 15:56, it was Alex Dameski again, followed by two empty net goals by Filip Wiberg to ice (no pun intended) the game and send Chris Schultz’s Ice Knights back to the Frozen Four.

Now, I made it a point to name every player who scored as the broadcast decided to be dead silent for most of the Geneseo goals, essentially all in the 3rd period, it’s unacceptable. The parents and families of those players should get the moment of hearing their kid’s name called in an NCAA quarterfinal game just like anyone else.

Geneseo heads back to the Frozen Four close to home, at a conference-rival, just in a different rink than they’re used to playing in with Utica, it’s their first appearance since 2022 at Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid.

#5 St. Norbert (24-5-1) @ #4 Utica (22-4-2) – Utica 5-3

I had the pleasure of attending this first ever matchup between these two historical programs. To read the full recap, click here to view my game-recap article, which includes press conference notes from both Utica Head Coach Gary Heenan & St. Norbert Head Coach Tim Coghlin.

Will we witness a three-peat from Hobart? Or will we see a first-time national champion as Hobart is the only team in the field to win a title. Geneseo has appeared in 2022, falling to Adam Krug’s 31-1-0 legendary Adrian Bulldogs squad as mentioned earlier, but Utica & Curry are yet to make it to the final song.

Hope to see you at the Frozen Four, we’ll be filming a weekend episode of the “Full 60”, to view our other episodes, click here, filmed by John Rice III. If you cannot attend, stream links are available for all three games on our weekend scoreboards that are under our ‘Scores’ tab, they’ll be live closer to gameday.

Frozen Four Schedule

*All times via NCAA as of 3/24/2025

**Games being played in the Utica University Nexus Center

Semifinals: Friday – March 28, 2025

#6 Geneseo (24-4-1) vs #2 Hobart (27-1-1) – 3pm ET

#1 Curry (25-3-0) @ #4 Utica (23-4-2) – 7pm ET

Championship: Sunday – March 30, 2025

TBD / TBD – 7pm ET