NCAA 'Frozen Four' Hockey Tourney This Weekend

Ice hockey fans, get ready the top women's ice hockey teams from around the country will vie for NCAA Division 1 championships this weekend. There are several events planned in Hamden, Wallingford and Meriden, with the hockey matches all scheduled for the High Point Solutions Arena at Quinnipiac University.

Here's the lowdown from The Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau:

All games will be played at the High Point Solutions Arena at the TD Bank Sports Center on the Quinnipiac campus. The National Semi-Final games will be played on Friday, March 21: at 5 p.m., University of Minnesota vs. University of Wisconsin; and at 8 p.m., Clarkson University vs. Mercyhurst University. The Championship Game is set for Sunday, March 23 at 3 p.m. with the winner of each game facing off.

Also this weekend, USA Hockey’s High Performance Workshop for coaches will take place at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale. On Saturday, the organization will hold the annual Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Brunch at the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, in conjunction with the NCAA Frozen Four Championship.

“A total of more than 10,000 out-of-town and local attendees are expected, between the NCAA Frozen Four Championship and the USA Hockey High Performance workshop, with a projected economic impact to the Greater New Haven area is close to $1.7 million,” explains Michael Van Parys, President of the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau. “Approximately 2,000 individual room nights are estimated to be booked by officials and coaches, athletes, cheerleaders, bands, and fans. It will be a great weekend for Connecticut ice hockey enthusiasts and local businesses alike!”

The host hotels for the four NCAA Frozen Four teams are the Four Points by Sheraton in Meriden, Best Western Plus Hotel in North Haven, Courtyard by Marriott in Orange, and Courtyard by Marriott in Wallingford. The Study at Yale is hosting the NCAA officials and the media coming to cover the Championship. Many attendees at the USA Hockey workshop will stay at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale.

All seats have been sold for the 2014 NCAA Frozen Four National Semi-Final and Championship games but spectators still can purchase Standing Room Only tickets. Prices for All Session tickets: $25 adults, $18 adult group tickets, $8 youth/seniors (ages 2-12/ 65+), $5 youth/seniors group tickets, $5 students. Individual tickets are $15 adults (ages 13-64), $5 youth (ages 3-12), $5 seniors (ages 65+), and $3 college students. To purchase tickets, go to www.QuinnipiacBobcats.com or call the Ticket Office at (203) 582-3905.

The Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau works in partnership with the state’s businesses, institutions, nonprofit organizations, and surrounding communities to market all of Connecticut as a premier destination for international, national, regional and meetings and conventions. The Connecticut Sports Convention Advisory Board, a division of the CTCSB, focuses its efforts on attracting and serving international, national and regional sporting events. www.ctmeetings.org 

The Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau has been supporting the NCAA and Quinnipiac University tournament organizers for the past year with advance planning, hotel selection and negotiation, and conducting of site tours for special events.