NCAA hockey tournament bracket 2026: Full schedule, times, TV channels, scores for road to Frozen Four

The March Madness brand belongs to basketball, but the NCAA men's hockey tournament is just as wild and unpredictable.

Sixteen teams are set to vie for a national title over a pair of weekends, and if recent editions are any indication, it truly is anyone's to take. Two of the four national seeds last year lost in the first round, and only one — No. 4 seed and eventual champion Western Michigan — made it to the Frozen Four.

The Broncos will be back to try and defend their title in a season that has seen the balance of power tilt heavily toward the Great Lakes State. Michigan is expected to be the top overall seed after winning the Big Ten title, and Michigan State should also command a national seed when brackets are announced Sunday afternoon.

Looking for a potential Cinderella story? That would be Merrimack, which won the Hockey East tournament as the No. 8 seed, beating the top three teams in the conference in Providence, UMass and UConn along the way. 

Who will hoist the national championship trophy in Las Vegas the second weekend in April? Here's how to follow along with all the action. 

NCAA hockey tournament bracket 2026

The 2026 NCAA men's hockey bracket will be unveiled Sunday beginning at 3 p.m. ET. Four national seeds — expected to be Michigan, North Dakota, Michigan State and Western Michigan — will each lead a four-team regional. This section will be filled in as brackets and matchups are announced. 

• Worcester Regional
  • TBD
  • TBD
  • TBD
  • TBD
• Sioux Falls Regional
  • TBD
  • TBD
  • TBD
  • TBD
• Albany Regional
  • TBD
  • TBD
  • TBD
  • TBD
• Loveland Regional
  • TBD
  • TBD
  • TBD
  • TBD

Where to watch 2026 NCAA hockey tournament

• TV channel: ESPN2, ESPNU
• Live streams: ESPN app, Fubo

NCAA hockey tournament games will air on a variety of ESPN platforms, and every game can be streamed live with the ESPN app. All games airing on ESPN broadcast networks can be streamed via Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers. 

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NCAA hockey tournament schedule, scores 2026

Thu., March 26: Regional semifinals

Fri., March 27: Regional semifinals

Sat., March 28: Regional finals

Sun., March 29: Regional finals

Thu., April 9: Frozen Four

Sat., April 11: Championship

NCAA men's hockey champions list

Here are the champions and runners-up of the last 10 NCAA men's hockey tournaments. There was no tournament in 2020 due to COVID-19.