The 2019 NCAA Frozen Four is coming to the Key Bank Center this week, which means fans from across the country will descend on Buffalo, N.Y., for college hockey’s marquee event of the season.
The four Frozen Four participants, Providence, UMass, Denver and Minnesota, will begin arriving on Tuesday. Fans can begin taking part in the lead up to the Frozen Four on Wednesday.
In addition to the two semifinals on Thursday and Saturday’s championship game, there are practices, autograph sessions, award ceremonies, and other fun events for fans.
While Buffalo isn’t the tropical destination that Tampa was in 2016 or the big lights of Boston in 2015 or Chicago in 2017, there will be plenty to do for those folks making the trip to one of the top hockey markets in the U.S.
Frozen Four: Schedule of Events
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Providence Practice
12:15 - 1:15 p.m. Minnesota Duluth Practice
1:30 - 2:30 p.m. UMass Practice
2:45 - 3:45 p.m. Denver Practice
- All practices are at the Key Bank Center
Thursday, April 11, 2019
5 p.m. Providence vs. Minnesota Duluth
8:30 p.m. UMass vs. Denver
Friday, April 12, 2019
3:30 - 4:30 p.m. AT&T Autograph sessions with team finalists and Hobey Baker Award Hat Trick Finalists, Cale Makar (UMass), Adam Fox (Harvard) and Jimmy Schuldt (St. Cloud)
4:50 - 5:10 p.m. Mike Richter Award Presentation
5:15 - 5:35 p.m. Hockey Humanitarian Award Presentation
5:45 - 5:55 p.m. AHCA Division I All-American Teams, Tim Taylor National Rookie of the Year Award and Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award announcements
6 - 6:30 p.m. Hobey Baker Memorial Award Presentation
- All of the above events take place at the HarborCenter, adjacent to the Key Bank Center
6:45 - 8 p.m. Fifth Annual ESPN College Hockey talk and meet and greet with John Buccigross and Barry Melrose at the 716 Food and Sport, a bar on the street level of the HarborCenter
Saturday, April 13, 2019
8 p.m. National Championship Game
Things to do in Buffalo
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is an approximately 30-minute drive from the Key Bank Center. There are plenty of places to park and walk around on the American side and if you bring your passport, the Canadian side offers a better view of the falls.
Buffalo Wings
Buffalo is the originator of the Buffalo Wing. Ask locals and you’ll get a variety of responses on which restaurant has the best Buffalo Wings. The original Anchor Bar is about a 20-minute walk or short drive from the HarborCenter. The location on 1047 Main St. is a unique one as there’s plenty of memorabilia on the walls, and it’s just a dive bar with great wings.
A lot of people prefer Duff’s, which has four locations on the outskirts of the city. The wings at Duff’s are also good.
One former college coach swears by Elmo’s, which is in Amherst, N.Y., a 20-minute drive from downtown.
I’ve been to all three, and all three are good. If I had to pick, I like Duff’s the best.
Restaurants in Buffalo
While I’m not a local, I’ve spent considerable time in the Buffalo area for USA Hockey Player Development Camps, past All-American Prospect Games, and the NHL Scouting Combine. Here are a few restaurants and breweries that I’ve enjoyed, and had recommended to me by locals.
- Big Ditch Brewing Company
A mile away from the arena, this brewery offers good beers and very good food. The pulled pork quesadillas were really good.
- Pearl Street Brewery
About a half mile away from the arena, Pearl Street Brewery is a good spot to grab a beer or two beer before the game.
- 716 Food and Sport
Located adjacent to the rink on the street level of the HarborCenter, 716 has plenty of beers on tap, big screen televisions and the usual appetizers and such you’d find at a sports bar.
- Betty’s
If you’re looking for brunch, I recommend Betty’s. It’s about a 2 mile drive from the Key Bank Center in a quaint neighborhood in the city limits. There’s something for everyone.
- Tim Horton’s
The popular Canadian-based coffee shop offers coffee and other such drinks in addition to breakfast sandwiches, muffins and donuts. There’s one location on the street level of the HarborCenter and several others around town. For those who’ve never had it, it will be much better than your usual coffee stop in the U.S.
Buffalo is close to Canada and has other unique food options that aren’t as prevalent in many other areas of the country. Buffalo wings aren’t the only food item Buffalo is known for. A Beef on Weck is a popular Buffalo dish and Poutine, while not primarily a Buffalo thing, is commonly found in several restaurants around town.
Sightseeing
While the weather isn’t projected to be great, the CanalSide offers cool views of the Erie Canal that leads into Lake Erie. There’s a path with a museum of old naval vessels and planes along the way. There are also a couple of seasonal bars if you’re looking to grab a drink with a view.
