In order to find an equivalent level of competition, Massachusetts-area high school players have to migrate to prep school leagues, which comes with obvious costs.

However, this limitation has not obviously hindered the Harvard program, which won its fifth ECAC tournament championship since 2000 and returned for its ninth appearance in the Frozen Four, capped by a third championship appearance.

“Certainly here in Minnesota, they’ve had great success,” Stone said. “Teams out east have had great success. You don’t get caught up in ‘Who’s better.’ Let’s have an incredible event…to showcase the game of women’s hockey.” 

Frost strikes the same tone. Although hockey might have different cultural weights in the Midwest and the Northeast, the Gophers coach hopes to train focus on the game that will happen inside Ridder on Sunday.

“As I look at Harvard, I see a lot of us in them and vice versa,” Frost said. “[I’m] looking forward to playing a team from the East and having that opportunity to have a great game of sixty minutes or more."

—Staff writer Sam Danello can be reached at sdanello@thecrimson.com.