Location: Bemidji, Minn.
Record: 20-15-1 overall (12-5-1 CHA, first)
Qualified: CHA tournament champions
NCAA Championships: None
NCAA Appearance: Third (most recent, 2006)
Frozen Four Appeance: First
Head Coach: Tom Serratore
Key Players: Matt Read, F, So. (36 GP, 14-25—39); Tyler Scofield, F, Sr. (34 GP, 22-16—38); Brad Hunt, D, Fr. (9-23—32); Matt Dalton, G, So. (19-10-1, 2.16, .921)
How They Got Here: Bemidji State played a masterful weekend in defeating Notre Dame 5-1 and Cornell 4-1 in the Midwest Regional at Grand Rapids, Mich. Matt Dalton made 59 saves on 61 shots in the two games and Tyler Scofield had six points, recording two goals and an assist in each victory.
What You Need to Know: The College Hockey America champions were probably the most impressive team of any in the regionals, but took different routes to each victory. They scored two first-period goals in the win over Notre Dame, and then rallied from a one-goal deficit against Cornell.
How They'll Advance: The Beavers need to keep on doing what's worked for them, and that was playing excellent overall defense in front of goalie Matt Dalton. The Beavers made great reads, made safe, smart plays with the puck and checked their assignments. If defense wins championships, the Beavers shouldn't be counted out this weekend.
What Might Trip Them Up: Most of the team's scoring has come from one line in the NCAA Tournament, as the trio of Tyler Scofield, Matt Read and Matt Francis combined to score six of Bemidji State's nine goals at the regional. All of the teams are good when you get to this point in the season. If Miami or either potential championship game opponent takes away that first line, the Beavers will have to find other options.

Most Recent Bemidji State Line Chart
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing	Notes
13-Tyler Scofield	19-Matt Read	17-Matt Francis	Ben Kinne (8 goals), Brandon Marino (7) and Travis Winter (6) are Bemidji State's most dangerous scorers outside of the top line.
28-Jamie MacQueen	8-Travis Winter	26-Tyler Lehrke
20-Ben Kinne	11-Shea Walters	15-Ryan Cramer
22-Ian Lowe	23-Chris McKelvie	21-Brandon Marino
Defense	Defense	Goalies
29-Brad Hunt	7-Cody Bostock	1-Matt Dalton	Junior defenseman Chris Peluso is the only NHL-drafted player on the Beavers' roster.
9-Chris Peluso	5-Graham McManamin	35-Orlando Alamando
3-Ryan Adams	27-Kyle Hardwick	33-Dan Bakala

Location: Boston, Mass.
Record: 33-6-4 overall (18-5-4 Hockey East, first)
Qualified: Hockey East tournament champions
NCAA Championships: Four (1971, 1972, 1978, 1995)
NCAA Appearance: 31st (most recent, 2007)
Frozen Four Appearance: 21st
Head Coach: Jack Parker
Key Players: Colin Wilson, F, So. (41 GP, 15-37—52); Nick Bonino, F, So. (40 GP, 17-30—47); Matt Gilroy, D, Sr. (43 GP, 8-28—36); Kieran Millan, G, Fr. (27-2-3, 1.85, .923)
How They Got Here: The Northeast Regional showed that BU is talented enough to post the biggest rout of the tournament thus far, and poised enough to survive a tight game against a team that probably deserved to win. The Terriers beat Ohio State, 8-3, after building a 6-0 lead, and edged UNH, 2-1, when a cross-crease power-play pass was deflected in by a Wildcat penalty killer with 15 seconds remaining.
What You Need to Know: The most dominant team in the regular season is seeking its fifth tournament title of the 2008-09 season. They won the IceBreaker to start the year, the Denver Cup at the turn of the new year, the Beanpot in February and the Hockey East championship in March. They only lost on back-to-back nights once all year (against Vermont, Nov. 21-22) and had a 13-game unbeaten streak to close the regular season (10-0-3).
How They'll Advance: In the two games the Terriers lost to Vermont earlier this season, the Terriers scored the game's first goal but Vermont responded to lead 2-1 after the first period. UVM scored the eventual winners in the third period. With that in mind, the Terriers need to step on the gas should they score first by getting the next goal and putting the pressure on Vermont to make something happen.
What Might Trip Them Up: The Terriers were victimized by UVM's special teams in the regular-season losses back in November – the Catamounts went 4-for-8 on the power play and scored a short-handed goal. The Terriers would do well to shed their propensity for ill-advised penalties. BU hasn't played its best hockey of the year in the last few weeks, but has still done enough to advance. Close wins over UMass Lowell in the Hockey East final and New Hampshire in the Northeast Region final went in favor of the Terriers. Might their close-game fortune run out?

Most Recent Boston University Line Chart
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing	Notes
10-Chris Higgins	33-Colin Wilson	21-Jason Lawrence	The improved play of Trivino, according to head coach Jack Parker, has made a big difference for the Terriers' all-freshman third line. Trivino scored in both games in the regional.
15-John McCarthy	13-Nick Bonino	18-Brandon Yip
12-Chris Connolly	9-Corey Trivino	27-Vinny Saponari
11-Zach Cohen	26-Luke Popko	8-Steve Smolinsky
Defense	Defense	Goalies
7-Brian Strait	97-Matt Gilroy	31-Kieran Millan	Millan's only regular-season loss of the year came Nov. 22 against Vermont.
25-Colby Cohen	3-Kevin Shattenkirk	35-Grant Rollheiser
5-David Warsofsky	2-Eric Gryba	32-Adam Kraus

MIAMI REDHAWKS

Location: Oxford, Ohio
Record: 22-12-5 overall (17-7-4 CCHA, tied for second)
Qualified: At-large berth
NCAA Championships: None
NCAA Appearance: Seventh (most recent, 2007)
Frozen Four Appearance: First
Head Coach: Enrico Blasi
Key Players: Carter Camper, F, So. (38 GP, 20-20—40); Pat Cannone, F, So. (39 GP, 11-24—35); Andy Miele, F, So. (39 GP, 15-14—29); Chris Wideman, D, Fr. (37 GP, 0-26—26).
How They Got Here: Like every other team in the Frozen Four, Miami won two games at its regional – in the RedHawks' case, they downed WCHA opponents Denver and Minnesota Duluth in the West Regional in Minneapolis. Unlike everyone else, however, Miami needed to shake the memories of a lackluster four-week stretch to close the season. During that period, the RedHawks went 2-4-1 and were bounced from the CCHA tournament quarterfinals by Northern Michigan.
What You Need to Know: The RedHawks have platooned goalies for the majority of the season, with freshmen Connor Knapp and Cody Reichard more or less splitting duties. Knapp has made three more starts and has more wins than Reichard, but Reichard has a better save percentage and was the starter for both games in Minneapolis.
How They'll Advance: This team's strength is its balance. That depth makes it difficult for opposing coaches to match lines, and it's tough to wear them down. Also, Miami is traditionally one of the best penalty-killing teams in the country – the RedHawks enter the Frozen Four ranked second nationally in that category. If your opponent is deeper than you five on five and wins 90 percent of its penalty kills, you're in for a long night.
What Might Trip Them Up: During its two significant skids this season – a five-game losing streak in January and the aforementioned 2-4-1 stretch, the RedHawks struggled to score goals. In those 12 games, Miami registered a total of 23 goals. Failing to score early or running into a hot goalie may cause the RedHawks, who've peppered netminders on a few occasions this season only to lose, to squeeze the sticks a bit. What's more, the scoring burden falls almost solely on the forwards.

Most Recent Miami Line Chart
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing	Notes
23-Alden Hirschfeld	11-Carter Camper	9-Tommy Wingels	Miami has nine players with 20 or more points and six players with 10-plus goals. The RedHawks' top three lines are capable scoring units.10-Alexandre Lacombe
22-Justin Vaive	13-Trent Vogelhuber	28-Bill Loupee
16-Justin Mercier	20-Pat Cannone	15-Brian Kaufman
12-Gary Steffes	17-Andy Miele	19-Jarod Palmer
Defense	Defense	Goalies
5-Cameron Schilling	24-Kevin Roeder	30-Cody Reichard	Miami's defensemen have just nine goals this year, and only one in the last 10 games.
27-Matt Tomassoni	14-Vincent LoVerde	31-Connor Knapp
6-Chris Wideman	4-Will Weber

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