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ALBANY, N.Y. – About 75 minutes before the puck dropped for what was probably the most important game in program history, the Rochester Institute of Technology hockey team filled a curtain-lined hallway that separated the media’s work space from its lunchroom at the Times Union Center, stretching, sprinting – and laughing.

Like the University of New Hampshire is likely doing right now at its team hotel here in Albany, let's take a crash course on the Rochester Institute of Technology hockey team -- the club the Wildcats will face tonight for the right to play in the Frozen Four.

Welcome to Albany's Times Union Center, where the University of New Hampshire begins its latest pursuit of a national championship by taking on Cornell in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament's East Regional. The teams met earlier this season, with the Big Red taking a 5-2 decision at the Whittemore Center, but the Wildcats believe they're a better team now than they were almost three months ago -- and tonight they get the chance to prove it.

ALBANY, N.Y. – Like a good Ivy Leaguer, Cornell goalie Ben Scrivens made every effort to be diplomatic in his remarks, heaping praise not only on the University of New Hampshire, but on all of Hockey East, as he discussed tonight’s NCAA Tournament tilt between his Big Red and the Wildcats.

DURHAM -- The latest on the University of New Hampshire hockey team as they boarded the bus on Wednesday afternoon and made their way to Albany for the East Regional of the NCAA Tournament. For more on their opponent, and the formidable defense Cornell figures to present, check out Thursday's print edition.

DURHAM – The speculators suggested it would be St. Cloud State, or maybe North Dakota. Perhaps in Worcester. Perhaps in St. Paul.

There weren’t many – if any – who foresaw the University of New Hampshire being sent to Albany, N.Y., to face Cornell in the first round of the NCAA hockey tournament, and so there was a visible, audible sense of surprise as the Wildcats learned of their fate yesterday in a Whittemore Center lounge. But aside from the initial shock, they didn’t much care.

The Wildcats themselves were idle, but five championship games and a pair of consolation contests were played across the country on Saturday -- helping to render the final PairWise Rankings that showed the University of New Hampshire at No. 11, and destined for a place in the NCAA Tournament. To see how the last day of the pre-tourney season unfolded, watch the video and read our live updates below.

We're here at the TD Garden, where the Hockey East playoffs rage on without the University of New Hampshire -- but with the Wildcats very much interested in what happens here, and across the country. As scores start to come in, final or otherwise, we'll be provide periodic updates on how everything impacts UNH's hopes of earning an NCAA bid. Stay tuned throughout...

In the latest installment of the Race Day Preview series, Dave D'Onofrio and Gavin Faretra of the Concord Monitor discuss the upcoming Food City 500, scheduled for the bullring at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 21, 2010. Kyle Busch enters as the two-time defending champ at this track, while Carl Edwards simply enters looking to stay on his best behavior.