Hey Tampa! The Frozen Four is finally here, welcome to college hockey’s biggest stage! Kristin here to give you a preview of the semi- final games that will be taking place on April 5th right in our backyard at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. 

The four teams that punched their tickets to Tampa are Ferris State University of Big Rapids Michigan, Union College of Schenectady New York, Boston College, and the University of Minnesota.

Ferris State will be taking on Union College on Thursday April 5th at 4:30 pm ET. The game will be broadcasted on ESPNU.  Ferris State took out Denver 2-1, and Cornell 2-1 to reach the semi- final game, as Union defeated Michigan State3-1, and University of Massachusetts Lowell 4-2.  Both schools have never gone this far, making the match up a Cinderella story for the survivor.

The second game of the semi- finals will be April 5th at 8: 00 pm ET. with the meeting of two powerhouse programs, top seeded Boston College, and the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Boston College was the national champion in 2010, returning to take the crown. They defeated Air Force 4-0, and Minnesota Duluth 4-0 in the quarterfinals. Minnesota knocked out Boston University 7-3, and North Dakota 5-2. The game will be broadcasted live on ESPN2.

Stay posted for more Tampa Bay sports updates on the final game which will take place April 7.
 

Hello there College Hockey Fans! Jerm here with an update for you on all things College Hockey Rewards, and the NCAA Frozen Four Hockey Championships at the Tampa Bay Times Forum!

College Hockey fans are about as passionate a bunch you can get, so its been awesome to see all the conversations happening on Twitter, and see how excited fans from each school are! The teams will be here today, so be sure to check the schedule out to see where your team and fan headquarters are going to be!

So if you haven't already logged in and started earning points, I suggest you do so, as there are some pretty cool commemorative badges as well as prizes you can win for earning points and getting to certain levels.

So many of you have already earned rewards like lapel pins, hockey pucks, t-shirts and even the grand prize drawing for a Frozen Four Hockey Jersey!

Here are the point totals for what you can, but for how to win these cool items, be sure to log on to CollegeHockeyRewards.com for ways to earn badges and prizes!
 

• 2,500 points: Frozen Four 2012 Lapel Pin
• 5,000 points: Frozen Four 2012 Souvenir Puck
• 10,000 points: Frozen Four 2012 T-Shirt
• 15,000 points: Chance to win one of two commemorative Frozen Four 2012 jerseys, customized with the winner's name and signed by Frozen Four alum Marty St. Louis

What are you waiting for! Get out there and start earning points. You'll be able to redeem your prizes starting at the Tampa Bay Times Forum West Plaza on Thursday, April 5th between 1:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., or on Saturday, April 7th between 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at Frozen Fest to claim your rewards!

Be there or be square as we will not be mailing the items! Hope to see you all out there and be sure to keep playing away and sharing!

Hello there College Hockey Fans! Well the week you have all been waiting for, for some time now is finally upon us!

This Thursday afternoon Union and Ferris State will drop the puck at the Tampa Bay Times Forum at 4:30 p.m. Later that evening the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers will do battle with the Boston College Eagles at 8 p.m.

For those of you fans that have not arrived yet, be sure to follow along with the conversation on Twitter by following any of the below accounts as well as following the #FrozenFour! We'll also be updating the conversation on Facebook as well so find us there also!

Twitter

VisitTampaBay

TBLightning

NCAAIceHockey

Facebook

NCAA Men's Hockey

Visit Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay Lightning

Now in addition to all of this great access, we wanted to let you know some more ways to earn points towards prizes on College Hockey Rewards! If you haven't heard College Hockey Rewards is a slick social media platform that lets you passionate College Hockey Fans earn rewards for showing your support for your teams and checking in at places!

If you haven't signed up just yet, please hurry up and do so to start earning rewards now! Use Foursquare to check in to Tampa International airport to get points, as well as checking into the Tampa Bay Times Forum!

Hey there college hockey fans!

The Hobey Baker Award is the most prestigious award in all of men’s college ice hockey, honoring the top player in college hockey.

This year’s Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced Friday, April 6, 2012 from MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, FL during the NCAA Frozen Four.  The 32nd annual announcement will be aired live on the NHL Network at 6:00 p.m., ET, and at the Hobey website, www.hobeybakeraward.com.

The three finalists are the following listed below Spencer Abbott, Jack Connolly, and Austin Smith. The criteria in order to qualify for this award is more than just being a force on the ice, but having a dominant presence in the community.

Candidates must contribute to the integrity of the team and display outstanding skills in all aspects of the game. Consideration of a candidate should be given for both scholastic achievement and sportsmanship.

All candidates must comply with all NCAA rules, be at an accredited college or university, and complete 50% or more of the season.  

Spencer Abbott
Abbott, a senior forward from The University of Maine, the once recruited walk- on four years ago, will take his skills to the next level with the Toronto Maple Leafs, signing a one year contract four days after his team was eliminated from the NCAA tournament. He will be playing for the Leafs farm club, the Toronto Marlies. Abbott a 5’10 175 lb. forward, known for his speed has led the NCAA in scoring with 21 goals, and 41 assists. He was named Hockey East Player of the Year, Hockey East Player of the Month in December and February, Player of the Week three times, and Hockey East First All Star Team. Abbott fulfilled his degree as a Family Relations major and has been on the Dean’s List three times. Off the ice Abbott is active in the community helping with Special Olympics, and assisting at youth hockey clinics.

Jack Connolly
University of Minnesota Duluth 5’8, 155 Ib. senior forward Jack Connolly finished second in the NCAA to help Duluth lead as the second highest scoring team in the nation this past season. Known for great foot speed, and his vision on the ice, he set the school record playing in 166 games, not missing one during his four seasons, finishing eighth in program career scoring with 66 goals and 131 assists. Connolly led UMD to its first ever NCAA Men’s Championship in 2011. He is a two time All- American, first three time first team WCHA- Selection in school history, and repeat Hobey top ten finalist. The hometown native from Duluth is very involved in the community with the Boys & Girls Clubs, visiting Duluth hospitals, adopt a highway and working with various cancer fund-raisers. He’s a Communications major with a 3.3 GPA. He is a pro hockey free agent.

Austin Smith
Austin Smith 5’11, 180 lb., senior forward of Colgate University rounds out his college hockey career as one of the top scorers in all of college hockey, scoring 20 goals faster than any college player in the last 12 years, finishing + 25, making him third in the nation. He finished the year out with 36 goals and 21 assists. He led the nation with 6 shorthanded goals and seven power play goals. Smith was awarded the EAC scoring title this past season, Conference Player of the Year, and First Team All Star, not to mention a fifth round draft pick for the Dallas Stars. Smith graduated with a Sociology and Anthropology major, and is involved with the Hamilton NY Food Cupboard, assisting with food and toy drives, and the Goals for Good program.

Well those are your three finalists folks! Be sure to be watching to see who wins this year's award, and also check back for more updates on Frozen Four things to do in Tampa Bay!

Hey There College Hockey Fans, and happy Friday! Less than a week remains until the puck drops, so at this point I hope you guys are out shopping for bathing suits and sun tan lotion before you embark on your Tampa Bay journey to the NCAA Men's Frozen Four Hockey National Championships in Tampa Bay!

At present, the weather is a nice 73 degrees and excitement within the Tampa Bay community is building up big time! One of the great things going on for fans upon arrival are the fan headquarters for each team in Channelside Bay Plaza!

Channelside Bay Plaza features a unique mix of retail, dining and entertainment. From fine dining to fast dancing, movies to margaritas, wonderful shopping and more, Channelside Bay Plaza has it all!

It will be the place to be for college hockey fans, as we went all out for you guys and are actually renaming some of the local restaurants/watering holes for the week!

• Splitsville in Channelside will be renamed 4 #FrozenFour week as "The Gopher Hole & Bowl"
• Stumps Supper Club in Channelside will be renamed 4 #FrozenFour week as "York's Supper Club"
• Howl at the Moon in Channelside will be renamed 4 #FrozenFour week as "Bulldogs Bark at the Moon"
• Tinatapas in Channelside will be renamed for #FrozenFour week as "Dutchmen Diner"

It's gonna be a great week of events going on and we'll be back on Monday to tell you about all of them, so be sure to be checking back with us often throughout the week!

Hello there again college hockey fans! Jerm back here with another update on all things NCAA Frozen Four Hockey in Tampa Bay! As you already know, this year's installment of the NCAA Frozen Four will held at our very own Tampa Bay Times Forum.

The Tampa Bay Times Forum, is Florida’s premier entertainment venue and home of the 2004 Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning and Five-Time Arena Football Champion Tampa Bay Storm!

What you also may not have known that the Tampa Bay Times Forum has recently under went a 40 million dollar transformation! As a Frozen Four College Hockey Fanatic, you'll get to see and experience all of these amenities first hand next Thursday and Saturday as you watch your team's battle it out on the ice!

To wet your whistle a bit before the puck drops, here are 5 quick cool, quick facts about the new Tampa Bay Times Forum:

As you can see, when it comes to the fan experience, the folks over at the Tampa Bay Times Forum have you the fan top of mind! Of course you know however, that there are even more new cool things going on at the Forum, and we'll be back later with another post to tell you more about those features!

All of these great enhancements are part of the Tampa Bay is New Now initiative! For more information, visit www.TampaBayIsNewNow.com to learn more. That's all for now folks, but keep checking back in for more college hockey updates!

Hey there College Hockey fans! We're one week away from the puck dropping at the Tampa Bay Times Forum for the 2012 NCAA Frozen Four Hockey Championships in Tampa Bay!

I hope that all you fans are as excited as we are here in Tampa Bay to host all you Golden Gopher, Eagle, Bulldog, and Dutchmen fans! Here is a list of the fan hotels so you can go ahead and get to booking your stay in Tampa Bay!

These rates are subject to change and will fill up fast so be sure to contact the hotel first to confirm! When making your reservations, be sure to mention the promo code “College Hockey Fan Housing” to receive discounted rate. All hotel rates listed below do not include tax rate of 12% (subject to change without notice).

For information on these properties, visit: http://www.visittampabay.com/visitors/hotels/ visit our website for a comprehensive listing!

Downtown Accommodations (approx. 1 mile from Forum)

Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Tampa
102 E Cass St. Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 229-1100
Rate: $199.00

Howard Johnson Plaza Downtown
111 W Fortune St. Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 223-1351
Rate: $99.00

Residence Inn by Marriott Downtown Tampa
101 East Tyler St. Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 221-4224
Rate: $219.00

Westshore/Airport Accommodations

Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza
4200 Jim Walter Blvd. Tampa, FL 33607
(813) 877-9200
Rate: $144.00

Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay
2900 Bayport Dr. Tampa, FL 33607
(813) 874-1234
Rate: $129.00 - $179.00

Intercontinental Tampa
4860 W Kennedy Blvd. Tampa, FL 33609
(813) 286-4400
Rate: $134.00

Marriott Tampa Westshore
1001 N. Westshore Blvd. Tampa, FL 33607
(813) 287-2555
Rate: $185.00

The Westin Tampa Bay
7627 Courtney Campbell Cswy. Tampa, FL 33607
(813) 281-0000
Rate: $145.00 - $185.00

Crowne Plaza Tampa Westshore
5303 W Kennedy Blvd. Tampa, FL 33609
(813) 289-1950
Rate: $129.00 - $139.00

Doubletree Hotel Tampa Airport Westshore
4500 W. Cypress St. Tampa, FL 33607
(813) 879-4800
Rate: $89.00

Ramada Tampa Airport Westshore Hotel
1200 N Westshore Blvd. Tampa, FL 33607
(813) 282-3636
Rate: $79.00

Embassy Suites Hotel Tampa Westshore
555 N Westshore Blvd. Tampa, FL 33609
(813) 875-1555
Rate: $169.00 - $189.00
    Mainsail Suites Hotel and Conference Center
5108 Eisenhower Blvd. Tampa, FL 33634
(813) 243-2600
Rate: $129.00 - $149.00

Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore
2225 N Lois Ave. Tampa, FL 33607
(813) 877-6688
Rate: $99.00 - $109.00

Wyndham Tampa Westshore
700 N Westshore Blvd. Tampa, FL 33609
(813) 289-8200
Rate: $134.00

Sheraton Suites Tampa Airport Westshore
4400 West Cypress Street, Tampa, Florida 33607
813.357.6126
Rate: $99.00

Doubletree Guest Suites Tampa Bay
3050 N Rocky Point Dr. Tampa, FL 33607
(813) 888-8800
Rate: $129.00 - $169.00

Chase Waterfront Suite Hotel
3075 North Rocky Point Drive East, Tampa Florida 33607
(813) 281-5677
Rate: $129.00 - $199.00

Hyatt Place Tampa Westshore
4811 W Main St. Tampa, FL 33607
(813) 282-1037
Rate: $134.00 - $154.00

Emerald Greens Golf Resort
13941 Clubhouse Dr. Tampa, FL 33618
(813) 961-9400
Rate: $209.00

Sailport Waterfront Suites
2506 N Rocky Point Dr. Tampa, FL 33607
(813) 281-9599
Rate: $129.00

That's all for now, but keep checking back with us for more College Hockey related updates!

Hey there college hockey fans Jerm back to tell you about an awesome new component to college hockey's showpiece event!

As part of the excitement surrounding the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four’s first trip to the south in its 64 year history, the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Tampa Bay & Company and Tampa Bay Lightning have teamed up with full-service interactive agency Engage to create a great way for college hockey fans to engage in all the awesomeness!

CollegeHockeyRewards.com is a social media rewards campaign to incentivize passionate college hockey social media users to be active on their social media platforms leading up to and during the 2012 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four.  Now you are probably thinking... "this is awesome... how do I play along! Well let me tell you!

All you have to do is sign up at CollegeHockeyRewards.com and check in and get engaged on social media outlets Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare, users will be rewarded with points by completing various tasks.  In addition to virtual rewards such as badges and videos, users will also have the chance to win tangible merchandise, including lapel pins, souvenir pucks, t-shirts, jerseys and more.  

Sign up now to start scoring points and winning prizes, and be sure to check back with us during the week as we continue to update you on all the Frozen Four festivities! You can also get updates and tips on Twitter by following @HockeyRewards!

Hello there college hockey fans! Jerm here with an update on next week's NCAA Frozen Four for those of you still looking to purchase tickets!

For the first time in the history of the event, the NCAA is bringing the crown jewel of college hockey to the South, as the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Tampa Bay Times Forum and University of Alabama in Huntsville host the 2012 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four on April 5 and 7 at the newly-renovated Tampa Bay Times Forum.

Our friends over at the Tampa Bay Sports Commission are pleased to offer the purchasing of individual VIP tickets in the Forum’s North Party Suite for both the Semifinals and Championship/three games for $375. This package also includes unlimited access to the Tampa Bay Sports Commission’s pregame VIP tailgate area.

The newly renovated, all-inclusive executive club is located on the north end of the arena (attack end for hockey). The Party Suite provides stadium style seating, private restrooms, unlimited buffet access, and all-you-can-drink beverages. Individual lower level tickets, which do not include a hospitality option, are available while limited supplies last for $195.

Interested fans should download this form and fax back to 813-218-3375 or email to Bguthrie@VisitTampaBay.com! Act fast, as these tickets will be gone before you know it!

Hey there Hockey college hockey fans! As we draw ever so close the to the dropping of the puck for next week's NCAA Frozen Four Men's Hockey Championships, we wanted to drop by and give you some insight to each team and the path taken to the Frozen Four! All four teams are well deserving and I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to some awesome games!

Boston College
Boston College has done it again, returning to the Frozen Four for the 23rd time, making its third visit in the past five years.  The Eagles defeated University of Minnesota Duluth Sunday night, 4-0, keeping their 17 game winning streak in play.

This is nothing new for the Eagles back in the semifinals, with their 31st NCAA tournament appearance. The hockey powerhouse has reached the championship game seven times in the last 14 years winning two of the last four NCAA championships. Sunday's win improved BC coach Jerry York's NCAA tournament record to 35-19-1 all time, and 30-9 with the Eagles. The Eagles have taken the national championship crown four times, in 1949, 2001, 2008 and 2010. BC’s players to watch are Nathan Gerbe, a junior forward.

He has racked up 30 goals and 30 assists in 41 games and ranks second in the nation in scoring, named first-team Hockey East and the league's playoff MVP, the Dodge Holiday Classic MVP and was the Hockey Commissioner's December National Player of the Month. Goaltender Parker Milner was named the regional’s most outstanding player, stopping 33 shots with two consecutive shut outs.  Brian Dumoulin was named a Hobey Baker finalist.

University of Minnesota
For The University of Minnesota, they know what hard work is and persevered to get through the past few years the program has encountered.  The complete turnaround has them setting foot on the ice of the Frozen Four. This will be the Gophers first visit since 2005 to the Frozen Four. Winning the West regional by defeating North Dakota 5-2, and taking the last nine of eleven games, they have one more step to take when they get off the plane in Tampa.

UM has won five NCAA titles, the last one in 2003. 2012 is the Gophers 20th Frozen Four, 33rd NCAA tournament visit.  Players to watch in the Gophers line up are Eric Haula, sophomore forward, leading the team in points and shots. Freshmen forward Kyle Rau, Named to the All-WCHA Rookie Team. Nick Bjugstad, sophomore forward first team All-WCHA. Goalie, Kent Patterson named to the All-WCHA First Team and won also the WCHA Goaltending Champion title with a 2.06 goals-against average in league games.

Union College
Union College out of Schenectady New York will be participating in its first Frozen Four at the Division I level. The Dutchmen played in the Division III Final Four during 1984 and 1985. Union took the East Regional title game defeating UMass-Lowell 4-2. This continues to be an exciting season for first year coach Rick Bennett, keeping the team poised and ready to go for the semifinal. This year’s team has had one of the best years in its history, hitting the height of national polls. Goaltender Troy Groseniek was named a Hobey Baker finalist. Another player to watch is junior forward Jeremy Welsh, named East Regional Most Outstanding Player.

Ferris State
The Bulldogs started the season picked to finish ninth in the conference, by Valentine’s Day they were ranked number one in the country by all three major Division I polls. They just took out Denver and Cornell each holding multiple championship crowns. Ferris State has proven that you don’t need mega star roster, just hard work.  Ice hockey is the only sport that the school participates in at the Division I level. They do not have one player drafted by an NHL team, and prior to this year 2003 was their only trip to the NCAA tournament. They could be the next Cinderella story hitting the ice in Tampa. Check out player Taylor Nelson who received Midwest regional MVP honors.

Well folks, there's your re-cap! Be sure to keep checking back with us for more Tampa Bay sports and Frozen Four updates!

Hello folks! Jerm here with some Frozen Four College Hockey news for you as we draw ever so close to college hockey's premier event!

If you haven't already heard, this past weekend the four teams that will battle it out for college hockey supremacy will descend upon Tampa Bay next week to do battle at the Tampa Bay Times Forum!

New York’s Union College defeated University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Michigan’s Ferris State overpowered Cornell, Minnesota upset the No. 4 ranked North Dakota and Boston College conquered Minnesota-Duluth to advance to Tampa.

No. 3 ranked Union College will face Ferris State at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 5, while No. 1 ranked Boston College will meet Minnesota at 8 p.m.  The winners of these games will face each other at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 7 in the championship game.

For more information about the championship, log on to www.NCAA.com.  For more information about the NCAA Frozen Four in Tampa Bay, including ticket information, visit www.NCAA.com/FrozenFour or www.VisitTampaBay.com/FrozenFour.

I don't know about you guys but I am super pumped about this one and can't wait for next week as fans, teams alumni and all will be here to support their respective teams!

We'll be giving you much more information as the days go buy so be sure to check back with us early and often to get all of the latest updates! In the mean time, be sure to get your tickets and we'll see you in Tampa Bay!

Hey Tampa! In case you didn’t know, the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship is coming to Tampa. Oh, and it’s the Frozen Four which means the final victor will be announced right here. The format of this tournament is slightly different than the March Madness we all know and love.

The NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee has selected 16 teams to enter the tournament. The four regional winners advance to the Men’s Frozen Four, and the entire championship uses a single elimination format. The five conference champions are automatically qualified and the remainder of the field is selected at large.

The 16 teams that qualified (in random order) are as follows;

Union (New York), Michigan State, Miami (Ohio), Massachusetts – Lowell, Ferris State, Denver, Michigan, Cornell, North Dakota, Western Michigan, Minnesota, Boston University, Boston College, Air Force, Minnesota Duluth, and Maine. After the regional finals are played the finals (Frozen Four) will be in Tampa on April 5 and 7th at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.  

What a unique and exciting event coming up in Tampa! That’s all for now but check in later for more things to do in Tampa Bay!