NCAA hockey tournament bracket 2026: Full schedule, times, TV channels, scores for road to Frozen Four
Will Western Michigan or one of its high-powered neighbors hoist the trophy in 2026 or will another team break through? Here's how to watch all the action on the road to Las Vegas.
NCAA hockey tournament bracket 2026: Full schedule, times, TV channels, scores for road to Frozen Four originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . 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 are back as the fourth seed 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 the top overall seed after winning the Big Ten title, and Michigan State enters the tournament as the No. 3 seed.
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.