|
|
UML, BC, BU and PC will be showcased in the league semifinals on Friday at TD Garden |
Wakefield, Mass. - Hockey East Commissioner Joe Bertagna announced on Sunday night the pairings for the upcoming
2013 Hockey East tournament semifinal games on Friday, March 22nd at the TD Garden in Boston.
The No. 1 seed and regular-season champion UMass-Lowell River Hawks (24-10-2, 16-9-2 HEA) will face No. 4 seed
Providence College (17-13-7, 13-8-6 HEA) in the first semifinal on Friday at 5pm. The River Hawks went 2-1 against
the Friars in the season series, which included a 4-1 road win to clinch the regular season championship on the final
night of the regular season. UMass-Lowell owns a 5-3-1 all-time vs. Providence in the Hockey East playoffs, and the
two teams have never faced each other in the Hockey East semifinals. The Friars won a three-game road series with
UMass-Lowell last March in the league quarterfinal round. The River Hawks advanced to the semifinals with a two-game
sweep of Maine at the Tsongas Center (4-2, 2-1 OT), while Providence College took out New Hampshire in the deciding
Game 3 (3-2) on Sunday at Schneider Arena in the quarterfinal series.
No. 2 seed Boston College (22-10-4, 15-9-3 HEA) will skate with No. 3 seed Boston University (20-15-2, 15-10-2 HEA)
at 8pm on Friday in the second semifinal. The Eagles went 2-1-0 against the Terriers in the season series. BU is 8-3
all-time vs. the Eagles in the Hockey East playoffs and 2-1 in the semifinal round. The two teams last met in the 2009
semifinals, a 3-2 win for the Terriers. BC advanced with a two-game sweep of Vermont by scores of 4-2 and 4-1, while
the Terriers swept Merrimack (3-0, 5-3) in their home quarterfinal series.
The Eagles, who are the defending champions of the tournament, have won a league-record 11 Hockey East Tournament
titles, including six of the last eight tournament championships. The Terriers have won seven Hockey East Tournament
Championships in the 28-year history of the tournament, while Providence has two tournament titles to its credit with
the last coming in 1996. The Eagles will make their 21st appearance in the semifinals on Friday, the own a league-best
16-4 record in the semifinal round. UMass Lowell owns a 3-11 record in semifinal play and will be making their 14th
semifinal appearance this weekend. The Terriers own a 9-11 record in 20 all-time appearances in the semifinal round
and Providence owns a 4-8 record in 11 previous semifinal appearances.
The semifinal winners of each game will advance to the Hockey East Championship Game on Saturday, March 23rd
at 7 p.m. at the TD Garden in Boston. All three games will be televised live in high definition nationally by NBC Sports
Network and regionally by the New England Sports Network. Saturday's Championship Game will air on NESNplus
around New England.
Tickets for the 2013 Hockey East Championship are still available at the TD Garden box office, by calling 1-800-745-
3000 or visiting www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices are $17 and $25 for balcony seats and $30, 37 and $39 per seat
in the loge and club sections. Student tickets (located in the upper balcony) are available for $10 when showing a valid
student ID, either on campus or at the TD Garden Box Office. Groups of 15 or more are also eligible for a $5 discount
on the $17 balcony seats. All discounted tickets must be purchased at the TD Garden Box Office. To take advantage
of group discounted tickets contact Garden Group Sales Department at 617-624-1805 or groupsales@tdgarden.com.
Discounted tickets will not be available via phone or internet sales through Ticketmaster. Tickets will be available on
the campuses beginning on Monday, March 18th.
|
|
