Michigan hockey may be the No. 1 team in the nation in the USCHO and NPI rankings, but they fell short of a regular-season title and don’t have the clearest path to a Big Ten Tournament win.
But three wins can help the Wolverines solidify their status as the best in the nation, even if they’re No. 2 in the Big Ten as of now.
The Wolverines (26-7-1) face Notre Dame in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Big Ten Hockey Tournament on Wednesday, March 11, at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor. The game is set to start at 7 p.m. ET and will not be televised on a traditional channel, but streamed exclusively on BIG+.
Michigan finished with the most overall wins (26) and most conference wins (17) in the Big Ten, but finished second to Michigan State in points, relegating them to the No. 2 seed. As a result, the two-time defending-champion Spartans got a bye and head right into the semifinals, while the Wolverines play last-place Notre Dame to kick off the tournament.
Since the tournament reseeds winners for the semifinal round, it is not clear who Michigan will play if it wins. However, with the Spartans holding the No. 1 seed, a rematch between the top two teams in the conference can only happen in the final game, which will take place on Saturday, March 21.
Here’s what you need to know as Michigan hockey begins its quest for a Big Ten tournament title.
Michigan hockey vs Notre Dame, Big Ten tournament time
- Date: Wednesday, March 11.
- Time: 7 p.m. ET.
- Location: Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor.
Michigan hockey vs Notre Dame, Big Ten tournament channel
- Time: 7 p.m. ET.
- Channel: N/A.
- Streaming: BIG+.
Wednesday’s game against Notre Dame will not be on a traditional television channel, but can be streamed on the BIG+ app.
Big Ten hockey conference tournament bracket
The Big Ten hockey conference tournament uses a three-round, single-elimination bracket that involves all seven conference teams, with the top seed earning a first-round bye. The remaining six teams then play a knockout round with the winners advancing to the semifinals.
Big Ten hockey 2026 standings
- Michigan State (51 points).
- Michigan (49 points).
- Penn State (41 points).
- Wisconsin (39 points).
- Ohio State (29 points).
- Minnesota (27 points).
- Notre Dame (16 points).
Big Ten Tournament hockey 2026 quarterfinals schedule: March 11
- No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 2 Michigan, 7 p.m. ET (BIG+).
- No. 6 Minnesota at No. 3 Penn State, 7 p.m. ET (BIG+).
- No. 5 Ohio State at No. 4 Wisconsin, 8 p.m. ET (BIG+).
Big Ten Tournament hockey 2026 semifinals schedule: March 14
- Lowest remaining seed at No. 1 Michigan State, time TBD (Big Ten Network).
- Second-lowest remaining seed at second-highest remaining seed, time TBD (Big Ten Network).
Big Ten Tournament hockey 2026 semifinals schedule: March 21
- Lowest remaining seed at highest remaining seed, time TBD (Big Ten Network).
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan hockey time, channel in Big Ten tournament vs Notre Dame