After North Dakota won its regional semifinal to start the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Thursday, three more National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) teams were victorious in their NCAA openers on Friday as Western Michigan, Denver and Minnesota Duluth all won their regional semifinal, as well. In doing so, NCHC teams went a perfect, 4-0 in NCAA Regional Semifinals this year and are guaranteed to have at least one team in the 2026 Men’s Frozen Four with the possibility of up to three.
 
Friday, March 27, 2026 Scores

• (1) Western Michigan 3, (4) Minnesota State 1
• (2) Denver 5, (3) Cornell 0
• (2) Minnesota Duluth 3, (3) Penn State 1

No. 5 Western Michigan 3, No. 14 Minnesota State 1

Box Score | Postgame Press Conference | WMU Recap

LOVELAND, Colo. - Reigning National Champion and fifth-ranked Western Michigan earned a 3-1 win over No. 14 Minnesota State at Blue Arena in Loveland, Colo. in a rematch of last year’s NCAA Regional Semifinal.
 
The triumph was the Broncos’ fifth straight NCAA Tournament win and puts them in Sunday’s NCAA West Regional Final against NCHC rival Denver with puck drop set for 3 p.m. ET/1 p.m. MT on ESPN2. It will be the sixth meeting of the season between WMU and DU and their fourth in the postseason over the last two years, the previous three of which needed at least one overtime.
 
On Friday against the Mavericks, the first period was a defensive battle, with sophomore Hampton Slukynsky’s toe save on a rebound the highlight of the first 20 minutes to keep it scoreless. The Broncos broke through early in the second stanza when junior Zaccharya Wisdom tipped in his 17th goal of the season. Senior defenseman Zach Bookman made it 2-0 six minutes later with a blast from inside the blue line, with classmate Samuel Sjolund assisting on both tallies.
 
Minnesota State snuck one past Slukynsky early in the third period, but the Broncos buckled down to close out the win, sealing it with an empty-netter from junior captain Owen Michaels. WMU finished with a 26-24 edge in shots on goal, while Slukynsky totaled 23 saves in the win. Wisdom, Bookman and Sjolund all finished with two points.
 
The Broncos fell to Denver in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Semifinals at Magness Arena two weeks ago, 2-1, in overtime. Last year, WMU won both postseason meetings with the Pioneers in double overtime. DU leads this year’s season series, 3-2.
 
No. 4 Denver 5, No. 9 Cornell 0

Box Score | Postgame Press Conference | Denver Recap

LOVELAND, Colo. - In the second regional semifinal in Loveland, Colo., only an hour north of Denver, second-seeded and No. 4 Denver rolled to a 5-0 win over third-seeded and No. 9 Cornell at Blue Arena in front of a heavily pro-Pioneer crowd. With the win, DU extends its win streak to 10 games and unbeaten streak to 14 games, both the longest in the country.
 
The Pioneers controlled Friday’s first round match-up from the start, jumping in front only 6:08 into the game when sophomore Jake Fisher tipped in a shot from junior defenseman Cale Ashcroft. Deflections were Denver’s theme, as junior Kieran Cebrian made it 2-0 late in the first frame, redirecting freshman Eric Jamieson’s shot.
 
Junior forward Sam Harris made it 3-0 with a snipe from the high slot with 4:29 left in the second stanza, his 14th goal of the season. Freshman Clarke Caswell, who set up Harris’ score, sealed the victory early in the third with a deflection of his own, tipping another Ashcroft shot. Senior Rieger Lorenz added an empty-netter to stretch his point streak to 12 games and complete the 5-0 final.
 
Freshman Johnny Hicks, the Most Outstanding Player of the NCHC Frozen Faceoff, continued his strong start to his career, stopping all 24 shots he faced for his third shutout of the season. He remains unbeaten on the season at 13-0-1. DU held a 30-24 edge in shots in the win. Ashcroft, Harris and Caswell finished with two points against Cornell.
 
DU faces NCHC foe Western Michigan in Sunday’s NCAA West Regional Final at 1 p.m. MT on ESPN2 for a spot in the 2026 Frozen Four in Las Vegas. The Pioneers will be looking to make their third straight Frozen Four and fourth in five years.
 
No. 6 Minnesota Duluth 3, No. 10 Penn State 1

Box Score | Postgame Press Conference | UMD Recap

ALBANY, N.Y. - In the final regional semifinal on Friday, No. 6 and second-seeded Minnesota Duluth prevailed, 3-1, in a hard-fought battle over No. 10 and third-seeded Penn State at MVP Arena in Albany, N.Y. UMD moves on to Sunday’s East Region Final against overall No. 1 seed Michigan for a trip to the Frozen Four in Las Vegas.
 
The Nittany Lions opened the scoring 8:37 into the game, but wouldn’t find the back of the net again. The Plante brothers combined to tie the game with five minutes left in the first frame, as Zam fired a pass towards the backside of the goal where Max buried it. It was the 25th goal of the season for the NCHC Player of the Year and Hobey Baker finalist.
 
The game remained level until late in the third period when a pair of freshmen combined to give UMD the lead. Defenseman Grayden Siepmann forced a turnover on the forecheck that went right to Hunter Anderson, who sniped the game-winner with 5:13 left in the game. Sophomore defenseman Ty Hanson then sealed the victory with an empty-netter while Max Plante picked up an assist for a two-point night.
 
The Bulldogs outshot Penn State, 39-30, in the win, while sophomore Adam Gajan was stellar in net, totaling 29 saves, including 16 in the first period.
 
UMD’s regional final against the Wolverines is set for 5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT with the game on ESPN. The Bulldogs last made the Frozen Four in 2021.
 
Up Next
No. 2 ranked and No. 1 seed North Dakota faces No. 11 and third-seeded Quinnipiac in the NCAA Midwest Region Final on Saturday in Sioux Falls, S.D. for a spot in the Men's Frozen Four in Las Vegas. Puck drop is set for 6 p.m. CT at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center with the game televised on ESPN2. UND is looking for its first trip to the Frozen Four since 2016, when North Dakota defeated Quinnipiac to win the program's eighth National Championship.

NCHC teams have made 16 Frozen Four appearances since the conference began play in 2013-14. The National has placed at least one team in the Frozen Four every year since 2014, except in 2023. The NCHC is also home to seven of the last nine NCAA National Champions, including the last two (Western Michigan, Denver).