2026 Hockey East Men’s Tournament: A Comprehensive Guide

AMESBURY, Mass. – The field for the 2026 Hockey East Men’s Tournament has been officially announced, setting the stage for a thrilling postseason battle among all 11 programs. The tournament will kick off on Wednesday, March 11, culminating in the championship game on Saturday, March 21, at TD Garden in Boston. Nine of the ten postseason games will be broadcast on NESN, with streaming options available.

Tournament Format and Schedule

The tournament will follow a single-elimination format. Here’s a breakdown of the schedule:

Opening Round – Wednesday, March 11

• #11 Vermont at #6 Boston University: 6:30 p.m. On ESPN+
• #10 New Hampshire vs. #7 Northeastern: 7:00 p.m. On NESN/ESPN+ (at Boston College’s Conte Forum)
• #9 UMass Lowell at #8 Merrimack: 7:00 p.m. On NESN+/ESPN+

Quarterfinals – Saturday, March 14

• TBD at #3 UConn: 1:00 p.m. On NESN+/ESPN+
• TBD at #2 Massachusetts: 4:00 p.m. On NESN+/ESPN+
• TBD at #1 Providence: 7:00 p.m. On NESN+/ESPN+
• #5 Maine at #4 Boston College: 7:00 p.m. On NESN/ESPN+

Semifinals – Friday, March 20

• Semifinal #1: 4:00 p.m. On NESN+/ESPN+
• Semifinal #2: 7:00 p.m. On NESN+/ESPN+

Championship – Saturday, March 21

• 41st Hockey East Men’s Championship: 7:00 p.m. On NESN/ESPN+

Regular Season Standings and Key Matchups

#1 Providence secured the Hockey East Regular Season crown for the first time in program history, boasting a record of 23-9-2 and 18 wins in conference play. They will await the lowest advancing seed from the Opening Round. #2 Massachusetts surged in 2026, going 12-2-1 since January 9, allowing only 22 goals against. #3 UConn achieved its highest-ever seed in the tournament, building on its recent success, including a previous appearance in the Hockey East title game.

Several matchups highlight intriguing storylines:

• Boston University vs. Vermont: The Terriers and Catamounts split their regular season series in December, with Boston University holding a 3-2 all-time postseason record against Vermont. This is their first Opening Round meeting.
• Northeastern vs. New Hampshire: New Hampshire leads the all-time Hockey East Tournament series against Northeastern 5-2, but Northeastern swept the regular season series in January, outscoring the Wildcats 9-2.
• Merrimack vs. UMass Lowell: The Warriors and River Hawks have a 3-3 record against each other in the Hockey East Tournament, having played each other at the beginning and finish of the regular season.
• Boston College vs. Maine: The Eagles and Black Bears split their regular season series. Boston College holds an 8-5 postseason record against Maine, including a win in the 2012 Hockey East title game.

Ticket Information

Tickets for on-campus games are available through the respective host institutions. Championship tickets are available for purchase now at TicketMaster.com.