Boston College and Notre Dame have a terrific tradition of often scheduling games against one another on the Friday nights before their respective football teams meet on Saturday. Such is the case this weekend, and tonight ESPN Classic is televising the defending NCAA champion Eagles’ hosting of the Irish live at 7:00 from Kelley Rink on the BC campus. On April 12, the Eagles defeated the Irish 4-1 in the NCAA title game in Denver. This season ND returns 17 players from that title runnerup team; BC returns 15.
It’s been a bitter and highly entertaining rivalry over the years. The non-conference teams have met 27 times, with BC holding a 15-10-2 edge. But get this: in the last five years ND has faced BC when the Eagles were ranked no. 1 in the country, and the Irish prevailed all three times. Both the 2nd-ranked Eagles and the 12th-ranked Irish were popular preseason picks to return to the Frozen Four this season, which of course will be held for the first time ever in Washington at Verizon Center.
For Washingtonians with coveted tickets to the 2009 Frozen Four, and with the Capitals off tonight, ESPN Classic may be the channel destination of choice, and a preview of another high-stakes showdown come spring.
On Frozen Blog 
Death to Boston College! Death to Notre Dame! Long live The College of the Holy Cross!
Go Crusaders! (sorry, as an HC alum, I couldn’t resist taking a shot at BC and ND. 🙂 )
GO EAGLES!
Blackaces,
Didn’t your Crusaders take down the Gophers in NCAA tourney play a couple of seasons back?