The NCAA national tournament regionals kicked off on Thursday, spotlighting some future stars, including two promising prospects from the Vancouver Canucks.
In this high-stakes single-elimination format, each of the four regional brackets hosts four teams. The winners advance to the regional finals, with the ultimate goal of securing a spot in the prestigious Frozen Four in Las Vegas on April 9 and 11.
Here's how the brackets are shaping up:
- Worcester: Michigan State, Wisconsin, Dartmouth, UConn
- Sioux Falls: North Dakota, Providence, Quinnipiac, Merrimack
- Albany: Michigan, Minnesota-Duluth, Penn State, Bentley
- Loveland: Western Michigan, Denver, Cornell, Minnesota State
Thursday's action in the Worcester and Sioux Falls regionals set the stage for Saturday’s finals. Canucks prospects Anthony Romani (Michigan State) and Matthew Lansing (Quinnipiac) were front and center.
Anthony Romani - Michigan State
Michigan State's opener against UConn was a nail-biter. After trading goals in the first period, the Spartans regained the lead thanks to Philadelphia Flyers prospect Porter Martone's second-period goal. The real hero of the night, though, was Trey Augistine, a Detroit Red Wings prospect, who stood tall with 41 saves, locking in a 2-1 victory.
Romani, skating with linemates Ryker Lee and Eric Nilson, fired two shots on goal but didn’t find the scoresheet. In his freshman year, Romani has been impressive, tallying 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists) over 36 games.
Wisconsin cruised past Dartmouth with a 5-1 victory in the later game, setting up a showdown with Michigan State on Saturday at 1:30 PM.
Matthew Lansing - Quinnipiac
Over in Sioux Falls, Matthew Lansing and Quinnipiac delivered a commanding 5-2 win against Providence, the Hockey East regular-season champs.
After a scoreless first period, Quinnipiac erupted with three goals in the second. Although Providence clawed back to within one in the third, two empty-netters ensured Quinnipiac's victory.
Lansing, playing a depth role in Quinnipiac’s bottom six, didn't record a shot but has had a solid freshman season with 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in 39 games.
North Dakota emerged victorious in the other semifinal, setting up a clash with Quinnipiac on Saturday at 4:00 PM.
Saturday, March 28 Matchups
- Michigan State vs. Wisconsin @ 1:30 pm PT
- Quinnipiac vs. North Dakota @ 4:00 pm PT
As the tournament heats up, fans are in for some thrilling hockey. Keep an eye on these Canucks prospects as they aim to make their mark on the national stage.