Frozen Four tracker

With the NCAA Frozen Four at St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center set for April 5 and 7, college hockey is heating up. Here's a look at four teams on the rise and four teams sinking:

Four rising

St. Cloud State: Tie and win over defending NCAA champ Denver gave Huskies the NCHC regular-season title.

Minnesota State Mankato: Mavericks tied and beat Bemidji State to secure MacNaughton Cup.

Cornell: ECAC champion still in line for a No. 1 NCAA seed.

Ohio State: Buckeyes are 3-1-1 in past five, giving up only six goals.

Four sinking

North Dakota: Overtime loss and at last-place Miami put Fighting Hawks at No. 14 in PairWise, right on the NCAA cut line. Now, they play No. 1 St. Cloud State.

Wisconsin: Badgers have lost four straight and five of six. They must win Big Ten tourney to make NCAA field.

Western Michigan: Broncos have lost seven of nine and have fallen below .500.

Gophers: After being embarrassed by a combined 10-3 in two losses at Penn State, Minnesota returns to State College for Big Ten quarterfinals.

Randy Johnson