The Frozen Four will be finalized after this weekend, as the field of 16 teams in the NCAA Men's DI Ice Hockey Tournament trims down to a final four.

Sioux Falls is one of the regional sites this season, and on Thursday fans took in the first two games of action.

In regional opener, Quinnipiac skated past Providence to a 5-2 victory with a pair of late empty-net goals.

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Later Thursday Night, top-seeded (and #2 overall seed) North Dakota played a closely contested game with Merrimack. The Fighting Hawks netted a pair of goals in the third period to pull away for a 3-0 victory.

That sets the stage for Saturday's regional final with a trip to the Frozen Four on the line.

Quinnipiac (27-9-3) takes on North Dakota (28-9-1) on Saturday in the regional final that will start at 6:00. Fans can purchase tickets at the Denny Sanford Premier Center or at this ticketmaster link.

Here's a bit more on the teams and the matchup:

Quinnipiac Bobcats - ECAC - 27-9-3 Overall - HC Rand Pecknold

• 4.2 Goals Per Game, 2.3 Allowed
• 34.3 Shots Per Game, .121 Shot Percentage, .216 Power Play Percentage
• 3-2 in Neutral Site Games this season
• FR Ethan Wyttenbach leads with 59 points (25 goals, 34 assists)

North Dakota Fighting Hawks - NCHC - 28-9-1 Overall - HC Dane Jackson

• 3.8 Goals Per Game, 2.3 Allowed
• 31.7 Shots Per Game, .129 Shot Percentage, .265 Power Play Percentage
• 1-0 in Neutral Site Games this season
• 5 players with 30 or more points. Senior Ellis Rickwood Leads with 35 (8G, 27A)

Don't miss out on the action on Saturday! If you can't make it out to the game, it will be broadcasted on ESPN2. Here's a look at the full NCAA Tournament bracket as the Frozen Four continues to take shape.

Source: Ticketmaster