Las Vegas hosts a Frozen Four of Goliaths. Discover which storied programs, boasting 33 titles, will battle for 2026 NCAA glory.
Las Vegas is set to host a Frozen Four between programs that are used to this stage.
The 2026 Frozen Four features the top four National Title-winning teams in the entire NCAA, with Denver carrying the charge with ten in their program’s storied history.
The Frozen Four teams of Michigan, Denver, North Dakota, and Wisconsin have combined for 33 titles, as old as Michigan’s 1948 title to as fresh as Denver’s 2024 victory before Western Michigan won last season.
With that being said, we’ll only have two more teams remaining after Thursday night, with highly anticipated matchups to preview.
Apr 9, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; North Dakota Fighting Hawks goalie Cam Johnson (33) and defenseman Christian Wolanin (24) celebrate with the trophy after beating the Quinnipiac Bobcats in the championship game of the 2016 Frozen Four college ice hockey tournament at Amalie Arena. North Dakota defeated Quinnipiac 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images#3/12 Wisconsin vs #1/2 North Dakota: 5:00 PM EST, ESPN2
Two teams with deep resumes, but you might imagine both fanbases are relieved to be in this spot, with North Dakota in the Frozen Four for the first time since 2016, while Wisconsin sees a Frozen Four appearance for the first time since 2010.
It’ll be the fourth-ever NCAA Tournament matchup between the two strong programs, with the Fighting Hawks taking all three up to this point. The two were also former conference rivals back when they butted heads in the WCHA, which only exists now for women’s hockey, dominated by the Badgers in that realm, who just won another National Title under Mark Johnson
There is a contrast in these teams: one team was expected to be here, while the other had to create its own path.
North Dakota has been dominant all year, entering Las Vegas with a 29-9-1 record. The Fighting Hawks have lost just one regulation game in the last 81 days.
Head Coach Dane Jackson and his crew have worked by Merrimack and Quinnipiac to win their regional, leading them here.
Jan Spunar has stolen the show in between the pipes. The Freshman stopped all 53 shots he’s seen in the NCAA tournament so far.
On the offensive end, it is a spread-out NODAK attack, with four North Dakota skaters having 34 points or more on the year. Senior Dylan James has also scored a goal in four straight games.
For Wisconsin, they have picked the right time to play their best brand of hockey. A 5-1 win over a great story in Dartmouth, and then an overtime winner from Ben Dexheimer over Big Ten foe Michigan State, has brought them here.
Junior and New York Islanders prospect Quinn Finley has been a gem to Head Coach Mike Hastings and Wisconsin, with a goal in each tournament game so far and 17 total, leading the team. He has five points in two NCAA tournament games so far, which leads all Frozen Four skaters.
The veteran presence of senior Ben Dexheimer and junior Joe Palodichuk has been crucial as well, textbook defensemen who have combined for 118 blocked shots throughout the season.
Expect a battle at the faceoff dot as well, as the two teams are top five in the country at faceoff percentage.
Michigan's Aidan Park, left, celebrates his goal against Michigan State during the third period on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing. Credit: © Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images#2/4 Denver vs #1/1 Michigan: 8:30 PM EST, ESPN2
On the other half of the bracket, the big game experience of these two clubs is more recent, with Denver in its third straight Frozen Four appearance while the home bench will be held by Michigan, back after a hiatus in 2025. Prior to that, the Wolverines were in three straight Frozen Fours from 2022-24.
And in 2022? A 3-2 overtime victory for Denver over Michigan, a battle of two one seeds. Denver would go on to win the National Championship in Boston over Minnesota State.
This year could go differently in a positive manner for Michigan, the top overall seed in the tournament, with the nation’s best offense and power play at 31.6%, headed into Vegas.
It’s been quite the week for Michigan, crowning itself upon the college basketball world this past Monday while now playing in a Frozen Four game just three days later.
An offense so good will usually include a Hobey Baker Hat Trick nominee if they stand out, and senior T.J Hughes has checked every box there is for that spot.
Hughes leads all nominees remaining in points with 56, while he’ll face another Hat Trick nominee on the other end in Denver’s Eric Pohlkamp.
The Albany regional came down to a close call at the end, nearly losing a hefty lead on Minnesota Duluth in the regional final 4-3, after beating up on Bentley in the first round, 5-1.
Michigan has scored four or more goals in seven straight games, which include a Big Ten title and now a Frozen Four appearance. Michigan is in the midst of an NCAA record-holding 29th appearance.
For Denver, they are quite allergic to losing as well. David Carle and the Pioneers seem to have no idea what the brake pedal even is, back in the Frozen Four once again.
That has not come without adversity, as the Pioneers lost Mike Richter Award Watch List nominee Quentin Miller due to injury, but they found quite the safety valve in Johnny Hicks, who has tended the goal since.
The Freshman Hicks has stopped 48 shots of 50 in the NCAA tournament so far, as Denver wheeled right by Cornell 5-0, with a regional final win over Western Michigan 6-2 to follow.
Denver plays a majority of its top-tier hockey at this time, now winners of 11 straight games down the homestretch that leads them to Las Vegas.
Eric Pohlkamp led the Denver squadron in points as a defenseman with 39. The Minnesota native hopes to claim the Hobey Baker in the days in between what Denver expects to be a semifinal win, followed by another National Title win to their glistening name.