You say you love college hockey? Quick, tell me the nickname of New Hampshire, ranked No. 2 in the nation. Too tough? How about No. 4 Miami of Ohio? No. 5 Maine? No. 6 St. Cloud State? (Bonus points: Name the town in which it's located and the nearest major city.) No. 8 Colorado College? No. 13 Vermont? No. 15 Clarkson? Give up?
The answers, in order: Wildcats, RedHawks, Black Bears, Huskies, Tigers, Catamounts, Golden Knights. These seven schools are the Notre Dames of big-time NCAA men's hockey. Wait a minute Notre Dame, ranked No. 3, is a Notre Dame of college hockey, too.
The Frozen Four national championship, at St. Louis's Scottrade Center, April 5 and 7, is sold out. But there are still tickets to the East, Midwest, Northeast and West NCAA Men's Hockey Regionals the most thrilling hockey this side of the Olympics.
And, oh, yes, St. Cloud State is located in St. Cloud, Minnesota, about 67 miles northwest of Minneapolis. Named for Saint-Cloud, a Parisian suburb, the town of about 60,000 was once a major trading post along the Red River Trail heading into Canada. Now you know all I know. Meaning, I just schooled you.
East Regional: Blue Cross Arena, in Rochester, N.Y. (1 War Memorial Square, Web site), March 23-24, 2-day pass
Buy tickets through Blue Cross Arena | Tickets through StubHub!
Midwest Regional: Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich. (130 W. Fulton St., Web site), March 23-24, 2-day pass
Buy tickets through Van Andel Arena | Tickets through StubHub!
Northeast Regional: Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, N.H. (555 Elm St., Web site), March 24-25, 2-day pass
Buy tickets through Verizon Wireless Arena | Tickets through StubHub!
West Regional: Denver's Pepsi Center (1000 Chopper Circle, Web site), March 24-25, 2-day pass
Buy tickets through Pepsi Center | Tickets through StubHub!
I am lazy. There, I've said it. Been lazy since freshman year of college, when I found enough core courses scheduled in the afternoon that I never had to set my alarm clock for class.
Laziness has worked for me, particularly in regard to attending sports events. I've gravitated toward those events, like Tampa Bay Devil Rays games, that never sell out. That's what I like best about the 2007 X Games, which will run at Aspen's Buttermilk Mountain Jan. 25-28. You can still go.
The mountain holds zillions. Not only are the Games free, while there you can ski or board down non-event slopes or at Snowmass, Aspen Mountain or Aspen Highlands, the other local resorts included in a comprehensive daily ski pass. Book seven days in advance, and save some green. Buy lift tickets College students are eligible for a College X Pass, which entitles you to two days on the mountains for $59. You need to book these by Jan. 21. Buy lift tickets.
