The Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs were the first team to advance in the 2011 NCAA Hockey Tournament when they defeated the Union Dutchmen in the opening round, 2-0. Kyle Schmidt scored the first goal of the game in the first period and then Justin Fontaine added another goal for the Dutchmen in the third. Kenny Reiter stopped all 32 shots he faced. The Bulldogs will now face the No. 1 overall seed Yale Bulldogs, who defeated Air Force in a 2-1 overtime thriller. Winner advances to the Frozen Four.
The Michigan Wolverines advanced in the bottom half of the bracket after their 3-2 overtime victory over the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks. The Mavs had a 2-0 lead over the Wolverines at the end of the first period, but then Michigan answered with two goals of its own in the second period. It took overtime for the Wolverines to win it, and not without some heated replay view. According to SB Nation Detroit, Kevin Lynch appeared to have the game-winning goal, but the referees needed to take several minutes to examine the replay before calling it a goal, giving the Wolverines the win. They will play the winner of Boston College-Colorado College.