MSU sophomore defense Colin Ralph (4) and OSU junior forward Sam Deckhut (25) race after the puck in Munn Ice Arena on March 14, 2026. Ohio State defeated Michigan State 3-2 in overtime.
The only game promised is the one ahead. For Michigan State hockey, that game is against the UConn Huskies.
MSU was named the No. 3 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and the No. 1 seed in the Worcester Regional. The Spartans will play No. 4 regional seed UConn at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 26.
The Worcester Regional contains two teams unfamiliar to the Spartans, UConn and the No. 2 regional seed Dartmouth. But it also contains a familiar face in No. 4 Wisconsin.
The winner of the MSU-UConn game will face the winner of the Dartmouth-Wisconsin matchup, scheduled for 5 p.m. following MSU’s game.
No. 4 UConn
The Huskies are the lowest seed in the Worcester Regional with a 20-12-5 record, but they’ve earned their place in the tournament.
UConn made program history last season with its first NCAA Tournament appearance, earning the bid with a strong résumé. The Huskies defeated Quinnipiac to advance to the regional final but fell to Penn State, 3-2 in overtime, missing the Frozen Four.
The team returned several key players this season, including forwards Ryan Tattle (13-19--32) and Joey Muldowney (17-11--28) who lead the team in scoring.
The Huskies are backed by goaltender Tyler Muszelik who allows an average of 2.21 goals and holds a .927 save percentage.
UConn enters fresh off a 2-1 loss to Merrimack in the Hockey East Tournament Championship. The Huskies rebounded from a 1-4-2 record in their last seven games before their conference tournament, which they have yet to win.
No. 2 Dartmouth
Dartmouth enters the tournament following hard-fought success.
The Big Green captured their first Eastern College Athletic Conference Tournament title with a 2-1 overtime win over Princeton. Dartmouth was a founding member of the ECAC in 1962.
The team enters with a 23-7-4 record and is led by forward Hayden Stavroff — the nation’s lead in scoring goals.
Stavroff has posted 29 goals in 34 games, as well as a total of 48 points. He’s a semifinalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, like MSU senior center Charlie Stramel and junior goaltender Trey Augustine. Freshman forward Porter Martone trails just behind Stavroff with 24 goals.
Dartmouth is backed by goaltender Emmett Croteau. Croteau holds a 1.88 goals-against average for a .924 save percentage in 23 games played.
No. 3 Wisconsin
While Wisconsin had some rough patches to start 2026, the Badgers finished the season strong with a sweep of then-No. 6 Penn State on the road.
Wisconsin’s resume ultimately earned itself an at-large bid in the tournament. It enters with a 21-12-2 record.
The Badgers are led by forwards Christian Fitzgerald (15-14--29) and Gavin Morrissey (8-25--33).
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Wisconsin alternates between goaltenders Daniel Hauser and Eli Pulver, although Hauser has seen more time between the pipes.
Hauser holds a .898 save percentage for a 2.80 GAA in 30 games. Pulver has posted a .866 save percentage while allowing an average of 3.79 goals in 14 games.
Wisconsin is the only team in the region the Spartans have faced this season and the only one to beat MSU in back-to-back games. The Spartans are 2-2 against the Badgers, losing both games of their first series in November before rebounding with a sweep of their own in January.
The last time MSU advanced to the second round of regionals was in the 2024 tournament, where it fell short of the Frozen Four against another Big Ten opponent, Michigan.
The Spartans now turn their focus entirely to UConn, knowing that every shift and every shot could determine whether they keep their Frozen Four hopes alive.
“It's not easy to make this tournament,” head coach Adam Nightingale said Sunday. “Only 16 teams make it, and whoever you're going to play, you're going to play a good team.”
