play1:29Denver Pioneers vs. Western Mich. Broncos Game HighlightsDenver Pioneers vs. Western Mich. Broncos Game Highlights
play1:29Quinnipiac Bobcats vs. North Dakota Fighting Hawks Game HighlightsQuinnipiac Bobcats vs. North Dakota Fighting Hawks Game Highlights
play0:41Wisconsin scores winner 24 seconds into OT to book ticket to Frozen FourBen Dexheimer buries the winning goal in overtime for Wisconsin to knock off Michigan State and reach the Frozen Four.
play8:04How Michael Hage is honoring his father’s legacy for MichiganEmily Kaplan shares how Michael Hage is carrying his late father’s legacy with him on the ice for Michigan.
play5:33Penn State’s Frozen Four run draws top prospect Gavin McKennaAfter a historic run to the Frozen Four, the Penn State Nittany Lions inspired generational talent Gavin McKenna to leave Canadian juniors for Happy Valley.
play6:44Zacch Wisdom’s journey has been anything but easyP.K. Subban shares the story of how a childhood of struggle turned into a way out through the game of hockey for Western Michigan’s Zacch Wisdom.
play4:39How Providence men’s hockey has built a winning cultureWith just one senior on the roster, the Friars have leaned into their youthful core in one of the most compelling success stories of the season.
play4:39How Quinnipiac’s Ethan Wyttenbach has quickly made a name for himselfJeremy Schaap tells Ethan Wyttenbach’s story after the Quinnipiac freshman led the nation in scoring with 58 points in 38 games.
play4:35How Rand Pecknold built Quinnipiac into a college hockey powerhouseThe Quinnipiac Bobcats had no rink or winning tradition until Rand Pecknold made them into one of most formidable programs in college hockey.
Minn. Duluth Bulldogs vs. Michigan Wolverines Game Highlights (1:24)Minn. Duluth Bulldogs vs. Michigan Wolverines Game Highlights (1:24)
Denver Pioneers vs. Western Mich. Broncos Game HighlightsDenver Pioneers vs. Western Mich. Broncos Game Highlights
Quinnipiac Bobcats vs. North Dakota Fighting Hawks Game HighlightsQuinnipiac Bobcats vs. North Dakota Fighting Hawks Game Highlights
Wisconsin scores winner 24 seconds into OT to book ticket to Frozen FourBen Dexheimer buries the winning goal in overtime for Wisconsin to knock off Michigan State and reach the Frozen Four.
Ben Dexheimer buries the winning goal in overtime for Wisconsin to knock off Michigan State and reach the Frozen Four.
How Michael Hage is honoring his father’s legacy for MichiganEmily Kaplan shares how Michael Hage is carrying his late father’s legacy with him on the ice for Michigan.
Emily Kaplan shares how Michael Hage is carrying his late father’s legacy with him on the ice for Michigan.
Penn State’s Frozen Four run draws top prospect Gavin McKennaAfter a historic run to the Frozen Four, the Penn State Nittany Lions inspired generational talent Gavin McKenna to leave Canadian juniors for Happy Valley.
After a historic run to the Frozen Four, the Penn State Nittany Lions inspired generational talent Gavin McKenna to leave Canadian juniors for Happy Valley.
Zacch Wisdom’s journey has been anything but easyP.K. Subban shares the story of how a childhood of struggle turned into a way out through the game of hockey for Western Michigan’s Zacch Wisdom.
P.K. Subban shares the story of how a childhood of struggle turned into a way out through the game of hockey for Western Michigan’s Zacch Wisdom.
How Providence men’s hockey has built a winning cultureWith just one senior on the roster, the Friars have leaned into their youthful core in one of the most compelling success stories of the season.
With just one senior on the roster, the Friars have leaned into their youthful core in one of the most compelling success stories of the season.
How Quinnipiac’s Ethan Wyttenbach has quickly made a name for himselfJeremy Schaap tells Ethan Wyttenbach’s story after the Quinnipiac freshman led the nation in scoring with 58 points in 38 games.
Jeremy Schaap tells Ethan Wyttenbach’s story after the Quinnipiac freshman led the nation in scoring with 58 points in 38 games.
How Rand Pecknold built Quinnipiac into a college hockey powerhouseThe Quinnipiac Bobcats had no rink or winning tradition until Rand Pecknold made them into one of most formidable programs in college hockey.
The Quinnipiac Bobcats had no rink or winning tradition until Rand Pecknold made them into one of most formidable programs in college hockey.
The 2026 men’s Frozen Four is set, with Michigan and Denver joining North Dakota and Wisconsin in the field bound for Las Vegas to play for the national championship.
Denver is eyeing its record 11th national title in its 20th Frozen Four and fourth in five seasons. Michigan, which is in the national semifinals for an NCAA-record 29th time, is seeking its 10th national crown but hasn’t won since 1998. This is North Dakota’s first Frozen Four appearance since 2016, when it won the national championship. Wisconsin is in the Frozen Four for the first time since 2010. The Badgers last won it all in 2006.
Denver will meet Michigan in a battle of titans in one semifinal, with Wisconsin and North Dakota facing off in the other. Both games match up teams from the NCHC and Big Ten. In all, the four teams have a combined 33 national championships, the most ever for a Frozen Four.
Every game of the men’s hockey tournament will air on the ESPN networks and will stream live in the ESPN App. The Frozen Four semifinals will air on ESPN2 and the final on ESPN.
Below is a preview of the Frozen Four, including insight from college hockey analyst Andrew Raycroft, along with the complete schedule for the tournament, game highlights and video features.
How the Badgers got to Vegas: Wisconsin saved its best for last in the Worcester Regional. The Badgers trailed Michigan State 3-1 with less than five minutes to play in the regional final, but scored twice in 34 seconds to tie it, then Ben Dexheimer won it with a goal 24 seconds into overtime. In the semifinal, Jack Horbach snapped a 1-1 tie midway through the third period to send Wisconsin to a 5-1 win over Dartmouth.
Keep the energy up: The 15-day break between Wisconsin’s elimination in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament (a 7-1 loss to Ohio State) and the start of the NCAA tournament ended up being an advantage for the Badgers. They played with the most energy of any team in the regionals and they will need to continue with that in Vegas.
Stay disciplined: Wisconsin had the fifth-worst penalty kill in the nation (72.3%) and went 0-for-2 against Michigan State. Special teams often dictate playoff hockey, and North Dakota and Michigan both have top-10 power plays nationally.
Player to watch: Quinn Finley. The talented forward with a great shot was instrumental in the Badgers’ regional wins with two goals and three assists, including one on the OT winner against Michigan State.
How the Fighting Hawks got to Vegas: Freshman goaltender Jan Spunar stole the show with back-to-back shutouts at Sioux Falls. First, he turned back 31 shots, including 14 in the third period, in a 3-0 win over Merrimack. Then he had 22 saves as NoDak blitzed Quinnipiac with three first-period goals en route to a 5-0 win, his sixth shutout of the season.
Steady hand behind the bench: In his first year as a head coach following 19 seasons as a North Dakota assistant, Dane Jackson has reestablished the culture at his alma mater, and it showed in the regionals. The Hawks were dominant in dismantling Merrimack and Quinnipiac by a combined score of 8-0.
Deep, large forward group: The Fighting Hawks’ forwards have a great mix of size and skill and the ability to carry momentum shift to shift. Their top three lines scored in Sioux Falls and manhandled the opposing teams with their forecheck.
Player to watch: Spunar. In addition to going 53-for-53 in the save department in the regionals, making big stops when they were needed, the NHL free agent plays the puck extremely well, which can help spring the Hawks out of their zone.
How the Wolverines got to Vegas: The trip to Sin City seemed secure when Michigan broke out to a 3-0 lead over Minnesota Duluth midway through the first period of the Albany final and led 4-1 midway through the third. The Bulldogs showed their bite, making it 4-3 with three minutes to play and applying serious pressure to tie it, but Michigan held on behind Jack Ivankovic (30 saves, 13 in the third period). The Wolverines cruised past Bentley 5-1 in their opener.
Special teams: The Wolverines had the best power play in the nation going into the tournament with a conversion rate better than 30%, and it continued to produce (2-for-4). But the real story in the regional was their penalty kill going 7-for-8 with a huge short-handed goal against Duluth.
Hage’s health: Star forward Michael Hage didn’t play the first game of the regional and was a game-time decision for the second — he got on the ice but played less than seven minutes. The Wolverines didn’t need his 51-point talent in Albany, but they will be going up against Denver in the Frozen Four.
Player to watch: T.J. Hughes. The senior captain sets the tone and plays with great energy, leading Michigan with 56 points.
How the Pioneers got to Vegas: In the Loveland Regional final against defending national champion Western Michigan, Denver rushed to a 2-0 lead 5:24 into the game and led 4-1 after the first period. The Broncos made it 4-2 midway through the third period, but Kieran Cebrian’s goal with 6:02 to play essentially sealed a 6-2 win. Denver blanked Cornell 5-0 in the semifinals.
They’ve been here before: This is Denver’s third straight year in the Frozen Four and its fourth in five seasons. Coach David Carle is 14-3 in the NCAA tournament all time and will have the Pios prepared for Vegas.
Johnny Hicks might be unbeatable: Hicks, Denver’s freshman goalie, has never lost a college hockey game! Since taking over the starting role Jan. 24, he is 14-0-1 — as is Denver. Hicks has given up three goals in only one game all season, and that was a double-overtime win over Minnesota Duluth in the NCHC championship game.