Michigan State faces UConn in a high-stakes opener. Can the Spartans navigate their bracket and skate towards a Frozen Four championship bid?
It’s officially college hockey playoff season.
The Spartans (25-8-2) enter the NCAA Tournament as the No. 3 seed in the Worcester Region. Also featured in their region are Dartmouth (21-7-4), ranked No. 9 per USCHO, Wisconsin (21-12-2), ranked No. 12, and UConn (19-11-5), ranked No. 13.
Michigan State will face the UConn Huskies on Thursday, March 26 at 1:30 PM EST on ESPN2. I’ll have a full game preview posted Wednesday to help everyone get ready for the first-round matchup.
But for now, let’s break down the full NCAA Tournament picture.
The Spartans and Huskies will kick off the action in the Worcester Region, with Wisconsin and Dartmouth following later in the day at 5 PM EST.
Then there's the Sioux Falls Region, led by No. 2 overall seed North Dakota (27-9-1). Joining them are Providence (23-10-2), the No. 7 overall team, Quinnipiac (26-9-3), tied for No. 10 per USCHO, and Merrimack (21-15-2).
Providence and Quinnipiac will open play at 5 PM EST, while North Dakota and Merrimack will close out the night at 8:30 PM EST.
Friday brings us the remaining two regions.
First up is the Loveland Region, where defending champion Western Michigan (26-10-1) holds the top spot. The Broncos are joined by Denver (24-11-3), ranked No. 4 per USCHO (just ahead of Western Michigan at No. 5), No. 8 Cornell (22-9-1), and No. 16 Minnesota State (21-10-7).
Western Michigan and Minnesota State will begin Friday’s slate at 2:30 PM EST, followed by Denver and Cornell at 6 PM EST.
The Albany Region features the No. 1 overall team in the country, Michigan (28-7-1), fresh off a Big Ten Tournament championship win over Ohio State. Also in the region are No. 6 Minnesota Duluth (23-13-1), No. 10 (tied) Penn State (21-13-2), and No. 20 Bentley (22-11-5).
Michigan and Bentley will square off at 5 PM EST, while Penn State and Minnesota Duluth will cap off the first round at 9 PM EST.
Don’t stray too far from your TV, because the action continues quickly into the weekend.
On Saturday, the winners of the Worcester Region will face off with a trip to the Frozen Four on the line at 4:30 PM EST. The Sioux Falls winners will follow at 7 PM EST.
Then on Sunday, the final two Frozen Four spots will be decided. The Loveland Region winners will meet at 3 PM EST, followed by the Albany Region final at 5:30 PM EST.
The Frozen Four begins April 9, with semifinal games at 5 PM EST and 8:30 PM EST. The National Championship will be played on April 11 at 7:30 PM EST.
Michigan State is looking to capture its first national title since 2009—and its first under head coach Adam Nightingale, the two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year.
The Spartans are coming off a tough overtime loss to Ohio State in their last game but will look to bounce back quickly. With the bracket set, Michigan State needs just four wins to bring home a national championship.
Regional Breakdown
Worcester Regional
No. 3 Michigan State
Dartmouth
Wisconsin
UConn
Sioux Falls Regional
No. 2 North Dakota
Providence
Quinnipiac
Merrimack
Albany Regional
No. 1 Michigan
Minnesota Duluth
Penn State
Bentley
Loveland Regional
No. 4 Western Michigan
Denver
Cornell
Minnesota State