The Frozen Four will come to Sin City in 2026, marking the first time college hockey’s biggest stage will shine under the neon lights of the Las Vegas Strip. For the 16 teams entering the field, the tournament represents the ultimate crossroads: a high-stakes showcase for the next generation of NHL talent and a final shot at immortality for seniors playing their final competitive minutes.
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While each player’s path to this point is different, they all share a singular ambition: to etch their name in the history of the sport. In a tournament defined by single-elimination chaos, a single weekend of brilliance is all it takes to turn a season into a legacy, culminating in a battle for the national title at T-Mobile Arena.
Western Michigan enters as the reigning champion after capturing its first national title in 2025. Denver remains a looming threat after wins in 2024 and 2022, while programs like Quinnipiac and UMass, champions in 2023 and 2021, respectively, are back in the hunt.
The tournament’s top seed is the Michigan Wolverines, who put together a dominant 29-7-1 season to claim the number one overall seed. North Dakota, Michigan State and Western Michigan round out the top four, each aiming to navigate their respective regions to punch their ticket to Las Vegas.
In mid-April, one team will forever be remembered in college hockey history.
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Sporting News has all the details on how to watch the 2026 NCAA Hockey Regionals.
How to watch the 2026 NCAA Hockey Regionals
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TV channel: ESPN2, ESPNU
Fans can watch the 2026 NCAA Hockey Regionals on ESPN2 and ESPNU, with six of the eight games streaming nationally on the platform and the other two exclusively on the ESPN app. See the full game schedule below.
The final, which will be on April 11, will be broadcast on ESPN. Those who want to stream the games live can do so through the ESPN app.
Now you can watch ESPN without cable. Live stream NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, college sports, plus SportsCenter, First Take and all your favorite ESPN shows, anytime, anywhere, only on the ESPN app.
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2026 NCAA Hockey Tournament Schedule and Results
Regional
Thursday March 26
|
Regional |
Game |
Time (ET) |
Television/Broadcast |
|
Worcester |
No. 3 Michigan State 2UConn 1 |
— |
— |
|
Sioux Falls |
Quinnipiac 5Providence 2 |
— |
— |
|
Worcester |
wisconsin 5Dartmouth 1 |
— |
— |
|
Sioux Falls |
No. 2 North Dakota vs. Merrimack |
20:30 |
ESPN2, ESPN application |
Friday March 27
|
Regional |
Game |
Time (ET) |
TV/broadcast |
|
land of love |
No. 4 Western Michigan vs. State of Minnesota |
2:00 p.m. |
ESPNU, ESPN application |
|
Albany |
No. 1 Michigan vs. Bentley |
5:30 p.m. |
ESPNU, ESPN application |
|
land of love |
Denver vs. Cornell |
6:00 p.m. |
ESPN app |
|
Albany |
Minnesota Duluth vs. Penn State |
9:00 p.m. |
ESPN2, ESPN application |
Saturday March 28
|
Regional |
Game/showdown |
Time (ET) / Status |
Television/Broadcast |
|
Worcester |
Regional Final: No. 3 Michigan State vs. Wisconsin |
To be determined |
ESPN app |
|
Sioux Falls |
Regional Final: TBD vs. Quinnipiac |
To be determined |
ESPN app |
Sunday March 29
|
Regional |
Game/showdown |
Time (ET) / Status |
Television/Broadcast |
|
Albany |
Regional final: TBD vs TBD |
To be determined |
ESPN app |
|
land of love |
Regional final: TBD vs TBD |
To be determined |
ESPN app |
Four frozen for men
|
Date |
Game |
Time (ET) |
TV/live broadcast |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Thursday April 9 |
TBD vs. TBD |
To be determined |
ESPN2, ESPN application |
|
Thursday April 9 |
TBD vs. TBD |
To be determined |
ESPN2, ESPN application |
|
Saturday April 12 |
Championship |
19:30 |
ESPN, ESPN app |
2026 NCAA Hockey Tournament Bracket
Michigan earned first overall after posting a 29-7-1 record all season. North Dakota, Michigan State and Western Michigan earned spots two, three and four, respectively.
Here’s a look at support broken down by region: