Dayton decries networks' neglect of women's NCAA Frozen Four title game

Gov. Mark Dayton joined the chorus of congratulations for the Gopher women's hockey team for its 3-2 overtime triumph over Wisconsin in the NCAA semifinals late Friday.

He also had a complaint.

After posting congrats on his Facebook page, the hockey-loving governor wrote, "I tried all week to get tonight's and Sunday's women's hockey games televised here. KSTP was willing to carry them, and WCCO tried, but CBS Corporate in New York, which has the rights, wouldn't relinquish them. Shame on CBS."

The title game against Boston College is scheduled to be shown on tape delay by CBS on March 27.

The controversy isn't new. Dayton also expressed his frustrations last year, when he was among the Minnesota hockey fans who couldn't find last year's Women's Frozen Four on television. The event was viewable only on NCAA.com

"My eyes are still cross-eyed from trying to follow the puck on a 4"x6" screen, via an NCAA computer link," Dayton wrote last March on his Facebook page. "It's disgraceful that no national or local television station televised the game for the National Championship."

Fans willing to brave the smaller screen can see Sunday's 1 p.m. title game between the Gophers and undefeated Boston College live-streamed. The link will be available at startribune.com/sports.