Friday's games moved NCAA Division I men's hockey closer to filling out its 2026 NCAA tournament field, with three conference semifinal rounds and one conference final taking place, while the national title tilt for women's hockey is all set.
In Hockey East, UConn defeated Boston College in overtime, 4-3, while Merrimack edged UMass, 2-0. In ECAC Hockey, Princeton outlasted two-time champion Cornell, 3-2, while Dartmouth blanked Clarkson, 4-0. In the CCHA, Minnesota State topped St. Thomas, 2-1, to win its fourth league playoff crown in five years.
Saturday will be championship night, as Merrimack will meet UConn to decide Hockey East, Princeton and Cornell will face off in ECAC Hockey, Sacred Heart will take on Bentley for the Atlantic Hockey America championship, Michigan will host Ohio State for Big Ten accolades, and Denver will skate against Minnesota-Duluth for NCHC honors. As with Minnesota State, the championship game winners will earn their respective conference's automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. Boston College, UMass, Clarkson, and St. Thomas have all been eliminated from NCAA consideration.
On the NCAA Division I women's side, Wisconsin and Ohio State will meet on Sunday (4 p.m. ET, ESPNU) in State College, Pa. to decide the national champion in a rematch of the past three NCAA title games. Ohio State punched its ticket with a 5-0 shutout of Northeastern on Friday, while defending national champion Wisconsin upended host Penn State, 4-3, in OT.
ADDENDUM: Dartmouth Denver, Merrimack, Bentley, and Michigan all won their respective men's conference championships and earned automatic berths to the 2026 NCAA tournament. The NCAA selection show will be televised on Sunday (3 p.m., ET, ESPNU).
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