Wisconsin coach Mike Hastings answers a question following practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026. Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Wisconsin vs North Dakota: Frozen Four preview

Originally posted on Wisconsin Badgers on SI
By Kedrick Stumbris | Last updated Apr 9, 2026 4:27 PM ET

Las Vegas, NV — When the Wisconsin Badgers are the team with the fewest national titles in the Frozen Four, you know the field is loaded. Wisconsin hockey seeks its seventh national title amongst a loaded field. In Las Vegas, the four teams leading the way in NCAA men's ice hockey Division I national championships meet, and renew old rivalries.

#4 Wisconsin (23-12-2, 14-10-0 Big Ten) hopes to win its first title in 20 years and meets the #2 North Dakota Fighting Hawks (29-9-1, 17-6-1 NCHC) in a battle of old WCHA conference foes. North Dakota boasts eight national titles, last winning in 2016, the third-most all time.

Those two rivals face off with a chance to meet the winner of tonight's second semifinal between the top-ranked Michigan Wolverines and the No. 3 Denver Pioneers. Denver's nine national championships trail only Michigan's ten.

After the Badgers joined the WCHA in 1969, this loaded foursome shared one conference home. Michigan, however, departed for the CCHA in 1981 where it remained until the advent of the modern Big Ten hockey conference in 2013. Wisconsin remained in the WCHA until joining the Big Ten in 2013. That same year, Denver and North Dakota departed to found the NCHC.

UW is among a small group of college hockey programs with a winning record over UND. Wisconsin is 87-73-13 all-time against North Dakota. In NCAA Tournament play, however, the Badgers are winless against their former conference rival in three tries.

How to watch, stream, listen to Wisconsin hockey vs North Dakota in Frozen Four

Time: Thursday, April 9, 2026 — 4:00 p.m. Central

TV/Streaming: ESPN2 (Play-by-play: John Buccigross; Analyst: Colby Cohen; Reporter: Quint Kessenich)

Radio: Badger Sports Network — 1310 AM WIBA — The Varsity App (Play-by-play: Brian Posick; Analyst: Paul Capobianco)

Beyond the history, the Badgers and Fighting Hawks bill as a heavy wieght fight. Both are top five nationally in scoring offense with power play units that rank in the top seven. North Dakota is also top-10 in scoring defense and boasts the country's 14th-best penalty kill.

Backstopping UND is NCHC Goaltender of the Year Jan Špunar. One of four college freshman starting in net this weekend (a first-ever at the men's Frozen Four), the Czech netminder leads men's DI with six shutouts. His .917 save percentage is third-best in the country.

Michigan and Denver play in tonight's second semifinal matchup beginning at 7:30 p.m. CT. It will also be televised on ESPN2.

This article first appeared on Wisconsin Badgers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: