History lessons for the first round of the NCAA tournament

Adam Krause and Minnesota-Duluth opened the season against Brady Skjei and Minnesota (photo: Jim Rosvold).

The NCAA tournament is usually a time when new sections get added to team record books to account for first-time opponents.

Not in 2015. The eight first-round matchups all have some history, slight though it may be in some cases.

There are three games between teams that used to call the same conference home. There’s a rare repeat of a first-round NCAA game from the year before.

There’s a game between programs that are better acquainted from their Division II and Division III days.

And schools separated by 150 miles of Minnesota highway will face off at an arena 1,400 miles away, the fifth different building the old foes have played in this season.

The NCAA tournament brings intrigue on its own. A little history never hurts to add some context.

Here’s a look at the 428 combined games in the all-time series between the teams playing each other in the first round Friday and Saturday. We’ll start with the rivalry that has produced the majority of those games:

Minnesota-Duluth vs. Minnesota

Series: Minnesota leads 134-78-17

Minnesota-Duluth has won more than three straight games against the Gophers only twice in the 229-game history between the teams — a four-game streak in the 1972-73 and 1973-74 seasons and a five-game run covering parts of 2002-03 and 2003-04. But the Bulldogs have won three in a row against the Gophers this season after a season-opening loss at the Ice Breaker Tournament.

And in something of an oddity, the four games played between the teams this season have all been in different venues: Compton Family Ice Arena, Mariucci Arena, Amsoil Arena and Xcel Energy Center. Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, N.H., will make it five games in five arenas.

Of the 229 previous games, only one has been played in the NCAA tournament — Minnesota-Duluth’s 3-1 win in the 2004 Midwest Regional final in Grand Rapids, Mich.

DateWinner, scoreSite
12/13/1952Minnesota 14-2Eveleth, Minn.
01/19/1962Minnesota 6-1Minneapolis
01/20/1962Minnesota 6-4Duluth, Minn.
12/15/1962Minnesota 7-2Minneapolis
12/21/1962Minnesota 7-2Minneapolis
12/22/1962Tie 4-4Duluth, Minn.
02/12/1963Minnesota 7-1Duluth, Minn.
11/29/1963Minnesota-Duluth 5-2Minneapolis
11/30/1963Minnesota-Duluth 7-5Minneapolis
01/17/1964Minnesota-Duluth 6-3Minneapolis
01/18/1964Minnesota 4-1Minneapolis
12/09/1964Minnesota-Duluth 6-5Minneapolis
02/05/1965Minnesota 9-3Minneapolis
02/06/1965Minnesota 5-2Minneapolis
02/23/1965Minnesota-Duluth 4-2Minneapolis
01/02/1966Minnesota 5-4Duluth, Minn.
02/08/1966Minnesota 5-3Minneapolis
11/19/1966Minnesota-Duluth 8-1Duluth, Minn.
01/20/1967Minnesota 9-4Minneapolis
01/21/1967Minnesota-Duluth 7-4Minneapolis
11/18/1967Minnesota 5-1Duluth, Minn.
12/19/1967Minnesota 7-2Minneapolis
02/16/1968Minnesota 4-0Minneapolis
02/17/1968Minnesota 6-5Duluth, Minn.
11/22/1968Minnesota-Duluth 5-3Duluth, Minn.
11/23/1968Minnesota 3-1Duluth, Minn.
02/07/1969Minnesota 4-3Minneapolis
02/08/1969Minnesota 6-1Minneapolis
11/14/1969Minnesota-Duluth 7-3Duluth, Minn.
11/15/1969Minnesota 3-2 (OT)Duluth, Minn.
01/09/1970Minnesota 5-3Minneapolis
01/10/1970Minnesota 2-1 (OT)Minneapolis
03/12/1970Minnesota 3-2 (3OT)Duluth, Minn. (1)
11/13/1970Minnesota-Duluth 6-3Duluth, Minn.
11/14/1970Minnesota-Duluth 7-2Duluth, Minn.
01/08/1971Minnesota 5-1Minneapolis
01/09/1971Minnesota 3-1Minneapolis
11/12/1971Minnesota-Duluth 4-1Duluth, Minn.
11/13/1971Minnesota-Duluth 5-2Duluth, Minn.
12/17/1971Minnesota-Duluth 15-3Minneapolis
12/18/1971Minnesota 5-3Minneapolis
02/02/1973Minnesota 3-2Duluth, Minn.
02/03/1973Minnesota-Duluth 7-5Duluth, Minn.
02/23/1973Minnesota-Duluth 8-0Minneapolis
02/24/1973Minnesota-Duluth 5-3Minneapolis
10/27/1973Minnesota-Duluth 4-3Duluth, Minn.
12/14/1973Tie 3-3Minneapolis
12/15/1973Minnesota 6-5Minneapolis
01/11/1974Minnesota-Duluth 4-3Duluth, Minn.
01/12/1974Minnesota-Duluth 5-2Duluth, Minn.
10/25/1974Minnesota-Duluth 4-3Duluth, Minn.
10/26/1974Minnesota 3-2 (OT)Eveleth, Minn. (2)
11/29/1974Minnesota 5-4Minneapolis
11/30/1974Minnesota 3-2 (OT)Minneapolis
01/17/1975Minnesota 6-5Duluth, Minn.
01/18/1975Minnesota 7-6 (OT)Duluth, Minn.
03/04/1975Minnesota 6-0Minneapolis (1)
03/05/1975Minnesota 4-2Minneapolis (1)
11/07/1975Minnesota 5-4 (OT)Minneapolis
11/08/1975Minnesota 4-2Minneapolis
01/30/1976Minnesota 5-3Duluth, Minn.
01/31/1976Minnesota 6-3Duluth, Minn.
10/16/1976Minnesota 9-5Eveleth, Minn. (2)
10/29/1976Minnesota 4-3Minneapolis
10/30/1976Tie 3-3Minneapolis
02/11/1977Minnesota 6-4Duluth, Minn.
02/12/1977Minnesota 7-3Duluth, Minn.
10/28/1977Minnesota 5-2Minneapolis
10/29/1977Minnesota 3-2Minneapolis
01/27/1978Minnesota 4-2Duluth, Minn.
01/28/1978Minnesota 6-5Duluth, Minn.
11/17/1978Minnesota 5-4 (OT)Duluth, Minn.
11/18/1978Minnesota-Duluth 5-4Duluth, Minn.
01/12/1979Tie 6-6Minneapolis
01/13/1979Minnesota-Duluth 6-1Minneapolis
03/10/1979Minnesota 2-1Minneapolis (1)
03/11/1979Minnesota 6-3Minneapolis (1)
11/16/1979Minnesota 5-4Duluth, Minn.
11/17/1979Minnesota-Duluth 6-3Duluth, Minn.
02/22/1980Minnesota 7-5Minneapolis
02/23/1980Minnesota-Duluth 7-4Minneapolis
11/14/1980Minnesota-Duluth 8-0Duluth, Minn.
11/15/1980Minnesota-Duluth 6-5Duluth, Minn.
02/20/1981Minnesota 5-2Minneapolis
02/21/1981Minnesota 9-1Minneapolis
03/06/1981Minnesota 5-1Minneapolis (1)
03/07/1981Minnesota-Duluth 7-5Minneapolis (1)
12/18/1981Tie 6-6Minneapolis
12/19/1981Minnesota-Duluth 4-2Minneapolis
01/15/1982Minnesota 5-1Duluth, Minn.
01/16/1982Minnesota-Duluth 6-3Duluth, Minn.
02/05/1982Minnesota-Duluth 5-3Minneapolis
02/06/1982Minnesota 6-3Minneapolis
11/05/1982Minnesota 4-2Duluth, Minn.
11/06/1982Minnesota-Duluth 4-1Duluth, Minn.
01/14/1983Minnesota-Duluth 9-3Duluth, Minn.
01/15/1983Minnesota 5-2Duluth, Minn.
01/28/1983Minnesota 4-3Minneapolis
01/29/1983Minnesota 3-2 (OT)Minneapolis
03/04/1983Minnesota 8-2Minneapolis (1)
03/05/1983Minnesota-Duluth 4-3Minneapolis (1)
11/04/1983Minnesota 5-4 (OT)Duluth, Minn.
11/05/1983Tie 3-3Duluth, Minn.
01/06/1984Minnesota-Duluth 7-2Minneapolis
01/07/1984Minnesota-Duluth 5-4Minneapolis
02/10/1984Minnesota 4-2Minneapolis
02/11/1984Minnesota-Duluth 6-3Minneapolis
01/18/1985Tie 6-6Duluth, Minn.
01/19/1985Minnesota-Duluth 8-6Duluth, Minn.
03/15/1985Minnesota 6-4Duluth, Minn. (1)
03/16/1985Minnesota-Duluth 6-2Duluth, Minn. (1)
10/25/1985Minnesota 4-2Duluth, Minn.
10/26/1985Minnesota-Duluth 5-2Duluth, Minn.
02/14/1986Minnesota 4-3Minneapolis
02/15/1986Minnesota 6-3Minneapolis
10/17/1986Minnesota 8-6Minneapolis
10/18/1986Minnesota 8-6Minneapolis
02/13/1987Minnesota 6-3Duluth, Minn.
02/14/1987Minnesota 5-1Duluth, Minn.
11/27/1987Minnesota 6-1Minneapolis
11/28/1987Minnesota 4-2Minneapolis
01/22/1988Minnesota 6-5 (OT)Duluth, Minn.
01/23/1988Minnesota-Duluth 2-1Duluth, Minn.
03/06/1988Minnesota 6-0St. Paul, Minn. (1)
11/18/1988Minnesota-Duluth 3-1Duluth, Minn.
11/19/1988Minnesota 4-2Duluth, Minn.
12/02/1988Minnesota-Duluth 5-2Minneapolis
12/03/1988Minnesota 7-1Minneapolis
10/20/1989Minnesota-Duluth 9-6Minneapolis
10/21/1989Minnesota-Duluth 4-2Minneapolis
01/19/1990Minnesota 4-1Duluth, Minn.
01/20/1990Minnesota 5-2Duluth, Minn.
11/09/1990Minnesota 3-2Duluth, Minn.
11/10/1990Minnesota 6-2Duluth, Minn.
01/31/1991Minnesota-Duluth 5-3Minneapolis
02/01/1991Tie 3-3Minneapolis
10/18/1991Minnesota 7-3Duluth, Minn.
10/19/1991Minnesota-Duluth 7-4Duluth, Minn.
01/10/1992Minnesota 3-0Minneapolis
01/11/1992Minnesota 5-4 (OT)Minneapolis
01/08/1993Minnesota-Duluth 4-3Minneapolis
01/09/1993Minnesota 6-5 (OT)Minneapolis
01/22/1993Minnesota-Duluth 8-4Duluth, Minn.
01/23/1993Minnesota-Duluth 7-4Duluth, Minn.
11/12/1993Minnesota 3-1Duluth, Minn.
11/13/1993Tie 3-3Duluth, Minn.
02/05/1994Minnesota 3-2 (OT)Minneapolis
02/06/1994Minnesota-Duluth 5-1Minneapolis
10/21/1994Minnesota 5-4Duluth, Minn.
10/22/1994Minnesota 6-2Duluth, Minn.
02/10/1995Minnesota 3-0Minneapolis
02/11/1995Minnesota 4-1Minneapolis
03/10/1995Minnesota 5-4 (OT)Minneapolis (1)
03/11/1995Minnesota 4-3Minneapolis (1)
11/17/1995Minnesota 2-0Duluth, Minn.
11/18/1995Minnesota 7-0Duluth, Minn.
01/12/1996Minnesota 5-3Minneapolis
01/13/1996Minnesota 5-1Minneapolis
10/25/1996Minnesota-Duluth 7-4Duluth, Minn.
10/26/1996Minnesota 4-3Duluth, Minn.
02/14/1997Minnesota-Duluth 8-4Minneapolis
02/15/1997Minnesota 7-1Minneapolis
10/24/1997Minnesota-Duluth 5-3Duluth, Minn.
10/25/1997Minnesota 5-1Duluth, Minn.
01/23/1998Minnesota 7-1Minneapolis
01/24/1998Minnesota 6-5Minneapolis
03/13/1998Minnesota-Duluth 7-3Duluth, Minn. (1)
03/14/1998Minnesota 5-0Duluth, Minn. (1)
03/15/1998Minnesota-Duluth 5-4 (OT)Duluth, Minn. (1)
10/16/1998Tie 2-2Minneapolis
10/17/1998Minnesota 3-1Minneapolis
02/26/1999Minnesota 4-1Duluth, Minn.
02/27/1999Minnesota 10-7Duluth, Minn.
11/19/1999Minnesota 5-3Minneapolis
11/20/1999Minnesota 4-0Minneapolis
02/04/2000Minnesota 3-2Duluth, Minn.
02/05/2000Minnesota 4-1Duluth, Minn.
10/20/2000Minnesota 3-1Minneapolis
10/21/2000Minnesota 9-2Minneapolis
02/23/2001Minnesota-Duluth 5-4 (OT)Duluth, Minn.
02/24/2001Minnesota 4-0Duluth, Minn.
11/16/2001Minnesota 5-1Minneapolis
11/17/2001Minnesota 5-3Minneapolis
02/01/2002Minnesota-Duluth 5-2Duluth, Minn.
02/02/2002Minnesota 2-1Duluth, Minn.
02/21/2003Minnesota 5-4Duluth, Minn.
02/22/2003Minnesota-Duluth 5-4 (OT)Duluth, Minn.
10/24/2003Minnesota-Duluth 4-3 (OT)Minneapolis
10/25/2003Minnesota-Duluth 4-2Minneapolis
02/13/2004Minnesota-Duluth 6-1Duluth, Minn.
02/14/2004Minnesota-Duluth 4-1Duluth, Minn.
03/19/2004Minnesota 7-4St. Paul, Minn. (1)
03/28/2004Minnesota-Duluth 3-1Grand Rapids, Mich. (3)
01/28/2005Minnesota 4-3Minneapolis
01/29/2005Minnesota-Duluth 3-2Minneapolis
11/04/2005Tie 2-2Duluth, Minn.
11/05/2005Minnesota-Duluth 4-3Duluth, Minn.
03/03/2006Minnesota 7-0Minneapolis
03/04/2006Minnesota 2-0Minneapolis
11/03/2006Minnesota 3-2Duluth, Minn.
11/04/2006Minnesota 3-2 (OT)Duluth, Minn.
01/18/2008Tie 1-1Duluth, Minn.
01/19/2008Minnesota 2-1Duluth, Minn.
03/07/2008Minnesota 4-1Minneapolis
03/08/2008Minnesota-Duluth 3-2Minneapolis
02/27/2009Tie 2-2Minneapolis
02/28/2009Minnesota 5-3Minneapolis
03/19/2009Minnesota-Duluth 2-1St. Paul, Minn. (1)
11/20/2009Minnesota-Duluth 4-3 (OT)Minneapolis
11/21/2009Minnesota-Duluth 3-2Minneapolis
02/26/2010Minnesota 3-2Duluth, Minn.
02/27/2010Minnesota-Duluth 3-0Duluth, Minn.
12/10/2010Minnesota 3-2Minneapolis
12/12/2010Tie 2-2Minneapolis
02/04/2011Tie 2-2Duluth, Minn.
02/05/2011Minnesota-Duluth 6-4Duluth, Minn.
10/14/2011Minnesota 5-4 (OT)Duluth, Minn.
10/15/2011Minnesota 5-4Duluth, Minn.
02/22/2013Minnesota 5-3Minneapolis
02/23/2013Tie 2-2Minneapolis
11/22/2013Minnesota 6-1Minneapolis
11/23/2013Minnesota-Duluth 6-2Minneapolis
01/25/2014Tie 4-4St. Paul, Minn. (4)
10/10/2014Minnesota 4-3South Bend, Ind. (5)
11/14/2014Minnesota-Duluth 3-0Minneapolis
11/15/2014Minnesota-Duluth 2-1Duluth, Minn.
01/24/2015Minnesota-Duluth 2-1St. Paul, Minn. (4)

(1) WCHA playoff game
(2) U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game
(3) Midwest Regional final
(4) North Star College Cup
(5) Ice Breaker Tournament

Michigan Tech vs. St. Cloud State

Series: St. Cloud State leads 55-28-5

Another pair of former conference mates, Michigan Tech and St. Cloud State have played two winner-take-all games against each other, with each winning one.

Michigan Tech won 4-3 in overtime in the 1996 WCHA Final Five quarterfinals, while St. Cloud State won Game 3 of a 1998 WCHA first-round series 6-2. Michigan Tech also swept a best-of-three first-round series in 1993.

Michigan Tech won the teams’ most recent meeting, the second game of a series in St. Cloud in March 2013, but St. Cloud State has won 15 of the last 18.

DateWinner, scoreSite
01/23/1948Michigan Tech 9-1 Houghton, Mich.
01/24/1948Michigan Tech 9-3 Houghton, Mich.
01/06/1956Michigan Tech 19-0 Houghton, Mich.
01/07/1956Michigan Tech 13-0 Houghton, Mich.
10/13/1989St. Cloud State 4-2 Houghton, Mich.
10/14/1989St. Cloud State 4-2 Houghton, Mich.
01/19/1990St. Cloud State 8-2 St. Cloud, Minn.
01/20/1990St. Cloud State 5-0 St. Cloud, Minn.
11/16/1990Michigan Tech 5-3 St. Cloud, Minn.
11/17/1990Michigan Tech 6-5 St. Cloud, Minn.
02/08/1991St. Cloud State 5-2 Houghton, Mich.
02/09/1991Michigan Tech 7-4 Houghton, Mich.
11/29/1991St. Cloud State 3-2 St. Cloud, Minn.
11/30/1991Michigan Tech 4-3 St. Cloud, Minn.
01/10/1992Michigan Tech 3-0 Houghton, Mich.
01/11/1992Michigan Tech 4-1 Houghton, Mich.
12/12/1992Tie 1-1 St. Cloud, Minn.
12/13/1992St. Cloud State 6-2 St. Cloud, Minn.
01/22/1993Michigan Tech 5-1 Houghton, Mich.
01/23/1993St. Cloud State 7-4 Houghton, Mich.
03/12/1993Michigan Tech 3-1 Houghton, Mich. (1)
03/13/1993Michigan Tech 6-5 Houghton, Mich. (1)
10/22/1993Michigan Tech 6-1 Houghton, Mich.
10/23/1993Michigan Tech 3-2 Houghton, Mich.
02/26/1994St. Cloud State 2-1 (OT)St. Cloud, Minn.
02/27/1994St. Cloud State 4-3 St. Cloud, Minn.
01/13/1995Michigan Tech 5-3 St. Cloud, Minn.
01/14/1995Michigan Tech 4-0 St. Cloud, Minn.
12/09/1995St. Cloud State 3-2 St. Cloud, Minn.
12/10/1995St. Cloud State 3-1 St. Cloud, Minn.
02/02/1996Tie 4-4 Houghton, Mich.
02/03/1996St. Cloud State 7-5 Houghton, Mich.
03/07/1996Michigan Tech 4-3 (OT)Milwaukee (1)
11/19/1996Tie 3-3 Houghton, Mich.
11/20/1996St. Cloud State 5-1 Houghton, Mich.
02/28/1997St. Cloud State 5-3 St. Cloud, Minn.
03/01/1997St. Cloud State 8-3 St. Cloud, Minn.
11/07/1997St. Cloud State 3-2 Houghton, Mich.
02/13/1998St. Cloud State 6-0 St. Cloud, Minn.
02/14/1998St. Cloud State 4-3 St. Cloud, Minn.
03/13/1998St. Cloud State 6-4 St. Cloud, Minn. (1)
03/14/1998Michigan Tech 3-2 St. Cloud, Minn. (1)
03/15/1998St. Cloud State 6-2 St. Cloud, Minn. (1)
11/08/1998St. Cloud State 4-2 Houghton, Mich.
11/13/1998Michigan Tech 3-1 St. Cloud, Minn.
11/14/1998Michigan Tech 3-2 St. Cloud, Minn.
01/15/1999Michigan Tech 4-2 Houghton, Mich.
01/16/1999Michigan Tech 4-2 Houghton, Mich.
01/14/2000St. Cloud State 4-2 St. Cloud, Minn.
01/15/2000St. Cloud State 4-0 St. Cloud, Minn.
12/01/2000St. Cloud State 4-3 (OT)Houghton, Mich.
12/02/2000St. Cloud State 4-3 Houghton, Mich.
01/12/2001St. Cloud State 5-2 St. Cloud, Minn.
01/13/2001St. Cloud State 4-1 St. Cloud, Minn.
10/19/2001St. Cloud State 7-2 St. Cloud, Minn.
10/20/2001St. Cloud State 7-3 St. Cloud, Minn.
02/08/2002St. Cloud State 4-3 Houghton, Mich.
02/09/2002St. Cloud State 3-2 Houghton, Mich.
01/31/2003Michigan Tech 4-3 (OT)Houghton, Mich.
02/01/2003St. Cloud State 4-2 Houghton, Mich.
10/24/2003Tie 3-3 St. Cloud, Minn.
10/25/2003St. Cloud State 6-5 St. Cloud, Minn.
02/06/2004St. Cloud State 4-1 Houghton, Mich.
02/07/2004St. Cloud State 3-1 Houghton, Mich.
11/12/2004St. Cloud State 3-1 St. Cloud, Minn.
11/13/2004St. Cloud State 6-4 St. Cloud, Minn.
11/11/2005Michigan Tech 3-2 (OT)Houghton, Mich.
11/12/2005St. Cloud State 7-0 Houghton, Mich.
02/24/2006St. Cloud State 6-1 St. Cloud, Minn.
02/25/2006Tie 2-2 St. Cloud, Minn.
12/01/2006St. Cloud State 4-1 Houghton, Mich.
12/02/2006St. Cloud State 3-2 (OT)Houghton, Mich.
11/09/2007St. Cloud State 5-2 Houghton, Mich.
11/10/2007St. Cloud State 4-1 Houghton, Mich.
02/22/2008St. Cloud State 4-1 St. Cloud, Minn.
02/23/2008St. Cloud State 3-0 St. Cloud, Minn.
02/13/2009St. Cloud State 3-2 St. Cloud, Minn.
02/14/2009St. Cloud State 4-2 St. Cloud, Minn.
10/30/2009Michigan Tech 3-1 Houghton, Mich.
10/31/2009St. Cloud State 3-1 Houghton, Mich.
01/08/2010St. Cloud State 4-2 St. Cloud, Minn.
01/09/2010St. Cloud State 5-1 St. Cloud, Minn.
01/07/2011St. Cloud State 3-0 St. Cloud, Minn.
01/08/2011St. Cloud State 5-1 St. Cloud, Minn.
02/24/2012St. Cloud State 5-2 Houghton, Mich.
02/25/2012Michigan Tech 3-2Houghton, Mich.
03/01/2013St. Cloud State 5-3 St. Cloud, Minn.
03/02/2013Michigan Tech 5-1 St. Cloud, Minn.

(1) WCHA playoff game

Boston University vs. Yale

Series: Tied 30-30-3

Boston University and Yale have played 63 times in a series that dates to 1924, but this will be the first neutral-site meeting and first postseason matchup.

The Bulldogs won the first 20 games in the series between 1924 and 1947, so for the Terriers to have caught up shows how dominant they were in the teams’ shared ECAC days (17-4-1 between 1961 and 1984).

Four of the last five games between the teams have gone to overtime, including the most recent meeting in November 2006, a 2-1 Terriers victory at Agganis Arena in which Matt Gilroy scored nine seconds into the extra session.

DateWinner, scoreSite
02/13/1924Yale 6-0New Haven, Conn.
02/11/1925Yale 2-1Boston
01/19/1927Yale 7-3New Haven, Conn.
01/17/1928Yale 9-1New Haven, Conn.
12/12/1928Yale 3-0New Haven, Conn.
12/11/1929Yale 6-2New Haven, Conn.
01/07/1931Yale 8-2New Haven, Conn.
02/10/1932Yale 6-1New Haven, Conn.
02/08/1933Yale 5-2New Haven, Conn.
12/13/1933Yale 3-1New Haven, Conn.
12/12/1934Yale 9-1New Haven, Conn.
01/15/1936Yale 7-2New Haven, Conn.
12/09/1936Yale 9-3New Haven, Conn.
12/08/1937Yale 6-3New Haven, Conn.
12/16/1938Yale 12-2New Haven, Conn.
12/13/1939Yale 5-4New Haven, Conn.
12/11/1940Yale 12-0New Haven, Conn.
12/10/1941Yale 8-0New Haven, Conn.
12/12/1942Yale 19-1New Haven, Conn.
02/08/1947Yale 6-5Boston
01/17/1948Boston University 4-3New Haven, Conn.
01/08/1949Boston University 7-2New Haven, Conn.
01/30/1950Boston University 7-4Boston
01/31/1951Yale 5-4New Haven, Conn.
01/30/1952Yale 5-3Boston
12/17/1952Yale 4-1New Haven, Conn.
12/08/1953Yale 7-0Boston
12/08/1954Boston University 3-2 (OT)New Haven, Conn.
12/06/1955Boston University 5-3Boston
02/02/1957Boston University 2-1New Haven, Conn.
12/11/1957Boston University 6-2Boston
02/11/1959Yale 3-1New Haven, Conn.
12/02/1959Boston University 8-1Boston
02/08/1961Yale 4-2New Haven, Conn.
12/06/1961Boston University 4-3Boston
02/06/1963Yale 5-4New Haven, Conn.
12/02/1963Boston University 6-0Boston
02/03/1965Boston University 4-0New Haven, Conn.
11/30/1965Boston University 7-0Boston
02/04/1967Boston University 8-3New Haven, Conn.
11/29/1967Boston University 9-1Boston
01/08/1969Boston University 5-3New Haven, Conn.
11/29/1969Boston University 5-0Boston
02/03/1971Boston University 6-1New Haven, Conn.
11/27/1971Boston University 6-3Boston
01/09/1974Yale 3-2 (OT)New Haven, Conn.
02/15/1975Boston University 11-7Boston
02/21/1976Boston University 12-3New Haven, Conn.
02/19/1977Boston University 7-3Boston
02/18/1978Yale 7-5New Haven, Conn.
02/17/1979Tie 4-4Boston
02/16/1980Boston University 5-3New Haven, Conn.
12/10/1980Boston University 5-3Boston
12/09/1981Boston University 1-0New Haven, Conn.
12/08/1982Yale 4-1Boston
12/07/1983Boston University 7-3New Haven, Conn.
11/24/1987Boston University 8-6Boston
12/07/1988Boston University 5-3New Haven, Conn.
12/06/1996Tie 1-1New Haven, Conn.
01/23/2000Tie 1-1Boston
11/13/2001Boston University 4-3 (OT)New Haven, Conn.
11/30/2003Boston University 7-2Boston
11/25/2006Boston University 2-1 (OT)Boston

Denver vs. Boston College

Series: Denver leads 15-13

Denver and Boston College also met in the first round last season, when the No. 2 overall seed Eagles won 6-2. This is just the sixth time in the tournament’s 68-year history that teams have met in the first round in consecutive seasons.

St. Cloud State and Notre Dame met in both the 2013 and 2014 first rounds. The other repeats were all in the era when only four teams made the tournament: Boston College and Colorado College in 1949 and 1950; Boston University and Michigan in 1950 and 1951; Boston University and Michigan State in 1966 and 1967; and Cornell and North Dakota in 1967 and 1968.

The Eagles and the Pioneers also played earlier this season, splitting a series in Denver in which both teams won a 2-1 game.

DateWinner, scoreSite
03/14/1968Denver 4-1Duluth, Minn. (1)
12/26/1969Denver 6-2Denver
12/27/1969Denver 7-6 (OT)Denver
03/15/1973Denver 10-4Boston (1)
12/27/1974Boston College 5-2Denver
12/28/1974Denver 10-4Denver
11/09/1984Denver 8-3Denver
11/10/1984Boston College 7-4Denver
12/01/1985Boston College 4-3Chestnut Hill, Mass.
12/03/1985Denver 9-3Chestnut Hill, Mass.
01/09/1987Boston College 8-6Denver
11/27/1987Denver 6-4Boston
11/14/1988Boston College 6-2Denver
12/29/1993Denver 4-2Denver (2)
11/26/1994Denver 4-3 (OT)Chestnut Hill, Mass.
12/28/1998Denver 4-3 (OT)Denver (2)
10/20/2000Boston College 3-2Denver
10/21/2000Boston College 3-2Denver
10/12/2001Denver 4-3Anchorage, Alaska (3)
10/18/2002Boston College 4-2Chestnut Hill, Mass.
10/15/2004Boston College 6-2Chestnut Hill, Mass.
01/02/2010Denver 4-3Denver (2)
10/15/2010Boston College 6-2Denver
10/16/2010Boston College 3-0Denver
10/14/2011Denver 4-2Chestnut Hill, Mass.
3/29/2014Boston College 6-2Worcester, Mass. (4)
10/31/2014Boston College 2-1Denver
11/1/2014Denver 2-1 (OT)Denver

(1) NCAA semifinal
(2) Denver Cup
(3) Nye Frontier Classic
(4) NCAA Northeast Regional semifinal

Miami vs. Providence

Series: Tied 4-4-2

Since being matched for the first round of the 2011 Denver Cup, Miami and Providence have traded home series in recent seasons.

And those four games all went to overtime. In October 2012, Miami’s Austin Czarnik scored in an extra session to win at home. Last season, Niko Rufo scored on a five-on-three power play in overtime for the Friars.

DateWinner, scoreSite
12/22/1990Providence 8-1Oxford, Ohio
10/23/1998Miami 5-3Providence, R.I.
10/22/1999Providence 5-3Oxford, Ohio
10/23/1999Miami 5-2Oxford, Ohio
10/20/2000Providence 5-0Providence, R.I.
11/25/2011Miami 6-2Denver (1)
10/19/2012Tie 1-1Oxford, Ohio
10/20/2012Miami 4-3 (OT)Oxford, Ohio
10/25/2013Providence 3-2 (OT)Providence, R.I.
10/26/2013Tie 4-4Providence, R.I.

(1) Denver Cup

Minnesota State vs. RIT

Series: Tied 3-3

Rochester Institute of Technology got the better of the school then known as Mankato State when the teams were at the Division II and III levels.

The Tigers advanced with a 9-7 victory in a total-goals first-round series in the 1983 Division II tournament, which they capped with the school’s first national championship. RIT also won a Division III third-place game in 1986.

The Mavericks won the only Division I games between the schools, in January 2010 in Mankato, Minn. The Tigers ended that season with a run to the Frozen Four.

DateWinner, scoreSite
03/11/1983RIT 6-1Rochester, N.Y. (1)
03/12/1983Minnesota State 6-3Rochester, N.Y. (1)
03/21/1986RIT 6-0Bemidji, Minn. (2)
12/06/1986RIT 3-2Rochester, N.Y.
01/01/2010Minnesota State 6-1Mankato, Minn.
01/02/2010Minnesota State 3-0Mankato, Minn.

(1) NCAA Division II total-goals first-round series
(2) NCAA Division III consolation game

North Dakota vs. Quinnipiac

Series: North Dakota leads 2-0

In 2006, North Dakota swept a season-opening home series from Quinnipiac, then starting its second season in ECAC Hockey.

Jonathan Toews recorded his only collegiate hat trick in the second game, a 4-2 North Dakota win. T.J. Oshie assisted on all three goals.

DateWinner, scoreSite
10/06/2006North Dakota 6-1Grand Forks, N.D.
10/07/2006North Dakota 4-2Grand Forks, N.D.

Omaha vs. Harvard

Series: Harvard leads 2-0

Omaha’s program was still in its infancy the only time the Mavericks played Harvard.

It was in December 1998, Omaha’s second season, and the Crimson won both games of a series at Omaha Civic Auditorium.

DateWinner, scoreSite
12/18/1998Harvard 4-1Omaha, Neb.
12/19/1998Harvard 4-3Omaha, Neb.