Why We Love This Game - Special

March 18, 2026·17 min·1 clip

The host announces the first-ever special edition on the eve of March Madness, promising a quick college hockey update.

This special episode of "Why We Love This Game" arrives midweek to preview the NCAA basketball tournaments, hosted by the show's regular presenter. The host provides a rapid update on upcoming college hockey conference championship games before shifting focus to March Madness. The episode serves as a bracket primer for both the men's and women's tournaments beginning that week. The host lists numerous college hockey matchups, including the ECAC semifinals featuring Dartmouth versus Clarkson and Princeton versus Cornell. Hockey East semifinals include Merrimack against Massachusetts and Boston College versus UConn. The CCHA final is noted as St. Thomas, University of Minnesota versus Minnesota State on Friday. Saturday's championship slate includes the ECAC final, Sacred Heart versus Bentley for Atlantic Hockey, and the Hockey East final. The NCHC final is University of Minnesota Duluth against Denver, and the Big Ten final is Ohio State versus Michigan. The episode then transitions to analyzing the brackets for the impending NCAA basketball tournaments. A notable insight is the host's framing of the tournament's start as "one of the greatest days of the year." The episode structure reveals a clear prioritization, with hockey updates delivered quickly as a prelude to the main basketball content. The rapid-fire listing of hockey games assumes a listener familiarity with the teams and conferences. The pivot to basketball is signaled as the primary event "taking place later this week." The host's enthusiasm is directed toward the communal event of March Madness rather than deep analysis at this point. The tone is excited, informal, and geared toward fans anticipating a major sporting event. The style is fast-paced and announcement-oriented, especially during the hockey segment, before settling into a more analytical preview. This episode is ideal for a college sports fan who follows both hockey and basketball and wants a comprehensive update on championship schedules. Listeners seeking a deep, singular focus on March Madness strategy might find the extensive hockey rundown less relevant.

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