The 2025 NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament concludes on Saturday, April 12 when the Boston University Terriers take on the Western Michigan Broncos at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis for the national championship.
The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast on ESPN2. Fans looking to watch this college hockey game can do so for free by using FuboTV (up to $25 off first month) or DirecTV Stream, which both offer a free trial. SlingTV doesn’t offer a free trial but has promotional offers available for streaming the game. ESPN+ plans are currently at $11.99 a month or $16.99 a month if you bundle with Hulu and Disney+.
BU is back in the championship for the first time since 2015 when it lost a heartbreaker to Providence, 4-3. The last time the Terriers lifted the trophy at the end of the Frozen Four was 2009. Last season they lost in overtime in the national semifinal against eventual-champion the Denver Pioneers and in 2023, Boston lost to Minnesota 6-2 to end its season.
Who: Western Michigan Broncos vs. Boston University Terriers
When: Saturday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m. EDT
Where: Enterprise Center in St. Louis
Stream: FuboTV (free trial); Sling; DirecTV Stream; ESPN+
Betting: Check out our MA sports betting guide, where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.
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What is DirecTV Stream?
DirecTV Stream is an internet TV service that offers your favorite entertainment, news and sports channels, as well as local TV stations and regional sports networks. DirecTV Stream can be purchased for $79.98/month for your first two months when you sign up for the ENTERTAINMENT package and add DIRECTV Sports Pack.
What is FuboTV?
FuboTV is a streaming service that has made a significant mark in the United States live sports market. It offers a range of pricing plans: The basic plan, the “Pro” package, provides an assortment of channels, including sports, news, and entertainment options like Showtime for $79.99 per month.
What is SlingTV?
Here’s what you can watch on Sling TV, with plans starting at $40: Baseball (MLB), Basketball (NBA, NCAAB), Combat Sports (Boxing, UFC, MMA), Football (NCAAF, NFL), Golf, Hockey, Motorsports, Olympics, Soccer, Tennis and Wrestling.
What is ESPN+?
ESPN+ is a one-stop shop for content from almost every single sport. In addition to on-demand replays of games across all sports shown on the ESPN and Disney family of networks, there is also exclusive access to select college football games, NHL games, soccer matches, UFC programs and the entire 30 for 30 catalogue. Additionally, there is ESPN+ exclusive original programing like NFL Primetime, Dana White’s Contender Series and The Breakdown with Peyton and Belichick. You can stream ESPN+ on your phone, tablet, smart TV or gaming console for $11.99/month or bundle with Disney+ and Hulu for just $16.99 per month.
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Hockey East commissioner foresees NCAA colleges overtaking CHL as top producer of NHL talent
By JOHN WAWROW AP Hockey Writer
ST. LOUIS (AP) — In a rapidly changing and evolving U.S. college athletic landscape, Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf sees clarity on the horizon for the NCAA becoming North America’s top producer of NHL draft-ready talent.
“I don’t think it’s that complicated,” Metcalf told The Associated Press on Friday during the Frozen Four championships. “(The CHL and USHL) will feed players up into college hockey. And college hockey will feed the players up to the NHL.”
Metcalf’s vision would represent a dramatic shift in hockey’s developmental hierarchy, with the NCAA surpassing the Canadian Hockey League, which has traditionally served as the NHL’s top provider of overall and specifically Canadian-born talent. And it comes in the wake of the NCAA’s Division 1 Council reaching a landmark decision in November to allow Canadian Hockey League players compete at U.S. colleges starting next season.
Though there’s been a rise of high-profile Canadian players — among them Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and most recently Macklin Celebrini, drafted first overall by San Jose in June — coming out of the college ranks, the NCAA’s decision has the potential of opening the floodgates of cross-border movement.
CHL player eligibility was part of a wide-ranging discussion during the Frozen Four’s annual state of the game panel discussion, which included Metcalf, who also serves as president of the hockey commissioners’ association.
Top-seeded Western Michigan (33-7-1), making its first Frozen Four appearance, will play five-time champion Boston University (24-13-2) in the final on Saturday night. The finalists feature a combined 22 NHL draft selections, led by BU’s 14.
The NCAA’s decision lifted its longstanding ban on CHL players, who were previously deemed to be professionals because they received a stipend of up to $600 per month for living expenses.
In doing so, the council opened the door for a major change in how players approaching their 16th birthdays decide where to play. Rather than having to choose between one or the other, CHL players can now play NCAA hockey when they become college eligible.
The question is how long it might take for the transformation to become apparent at the college hockey level. And the future of college sports is already murky due to unresolved questions over the impact of name image and likeness (NIL) issues, and whether roster caps will be instituted for participating schools.
“It’s going to take some time because it’s so new and no CHL player has gotten to college and played yet,” Metcalf said.
“But I do think college hockey is going be stronger as we come out of this,” he added, noting college hockey players currently make up about a third of NHL rosters. “That number is going increase dramatically.”
Numerous CHL players have already committed to U.S. colleges. And speculation abounded in St. Louis as to whether high-profile CHL players might attract bidding wars among schools.
“There’s a lot of rumors a lot of numbers being thrown around, and who knows what’s fact or not. But obviously it’s out there, and it’s part of what we are growing into,” Minnesota-Duluth coach Scott Sandelin said. “All I can say is that we can only do what we can do. Other schools can do what they can do, so wherever that lands with a recruit, that’s their choice.”
USHL and USA Hockey officials have expressed concern over the potential rise in Canadians entering the college ranks coming at the expense of American players who previously filled those roster spots. Both bodies’ executives have suggested U.S. Congress perhaps consider placing a roster cap on how many non-Americans can compete on various teams, not just hockey.
Metcalf dismissed the idea.
“My immediate reaction is that’s the opposite of the direction we’re going in, restriction and capping anything,” he said. “College hockey coaches and college hockey is interested in getting the best players they can, wherever they’re from.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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