2026 NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament: Road to the Frozen Four

The 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey Tournament bracket has been set, launching teams on the path to the Frozen Four in Las Vegas. Michigan, North Dakota, Michigan State and Western Michigan have earned the top four seeds, with the tournament commencing on March 26th and 27th.

Regional Breakdown and Schedule

The tournament is divided into four regional sites, with winners advancing to the Frozen Four, scheduled for April 9-11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Albany (N.Y.) Regional

• No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 4 Bentley: Friday, March 27 @ 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU
• No. 2 Minnesota Duluth vs. No. 3 Penn State: Friday, March 27 @ 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2

Sioux Falls (S.D.) Regional

• No. 2 Providence vs. No. 3 Quinnipiac: Thursday, March 26 @ 5 p.m. ET, ESPN+
• No. 1 North Dakota vs. No. 4 Merrimack: Thursday, March 26 @ 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

Worcester (Mass.) Regional

• No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 4 UConn: Thursday, March 26 @ 1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
• No. 2 Dartmouth vs. No. 3 Wisconsin: Thursday, March 26 @ 5 p.m. ET, ESPNU

Loveland (Col.) Regional

• No. 1 Western Michigan vs. No. 4 Minnesota State: Friday, March 27 @ 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU
• No. 2 Denver vs. No. 3 Cornell: Friday, March 27 @ 6 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Top Seeds

Michigan secured the No. 1 overall seed after winning the Big Ten tournament, boasting a 29-7-1 record as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. North Dakota, despite a semifinal loss in the NCHC tournament, is the No. 2 overall seed. Michigan State and defending national champion Western Michigan round out the top four.

Broadcast Information

All games of the tournament will be broadcast across the ESPN networks and streamed live on the ESPN App. The Frozen Four semifinals will air on ESPN2, and the championship game will be broadcast on ESPN. ESPN provides a complete schedule and results.

For more information, visit NCAA.com.