Michigan State University’s hockey team opens the NCAA tournament Thursday in Massachusetts against Connecticut with the Spartans looking for some redemption after two straight early exits.
This is the third consecutive year MSU has been a No. 1 seed in its regional. The Spartans lost in the regional final to Michigan in 2024 and were upset in the first round by Cornell last season.
Michigan State and UConn have never met in hockey. MSU, 25-8-2, finished the season 1-2-2 — losing in the Big Ten tournament semifinals — but still got the top seed in the four-team Worcester Regional. The Spartans won the Big Ten regular season title for the third straight season.
UConn comes into the game with a 20-12-5 record. The Huskies were the last at-large team to make the tournament, as determined by the NPI, after finishing third in Hockey East and second in the Hockey East tournament.
When does MSU’s hockey team play on Thursday?
The Spartans have an afternoon game at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 26, at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass.
What channel is the MSU-UConn hockey game on?
The Huskies-Spartans game will be televised on ESPN2 and can be streamed on the ESPN app.
You can listen to the game at MSUSpartans.com or on the Michigan State Athletics app.
Is Michigan State ranked this season?
MSU was ranked as high as No. 1 this season after beating Michigan. The Spartans are currently ranked third in the nation behind Michigan and North Dakota. UConn is ranked 13th in the nation.
Who are the top seeds in the NCAA hockey tournament?
Michigan State, the No. 3 seed overall, is the top team in the Worcester Regional. The other regional semifinal features Dartmouth and Wisconsin. The winners will meet Saturday, March 28 (TBA).
In the Albany, New York, Regional, Michigan, the No. 1 seed overall, plays Bentley at 5:30 p.m. Friday. The other semifinal is Minnesota-Duluth and Penn State. The final is Sunday, March 29 (TBA).
North Dakota, the No. 2 overall seed, plays Merrimack in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Regional at 8:30 p.m. Thursday. The final is Saturday (TBA). The other semifinal is Providence and Quinnipiac.
Western Michigan University, the No. 4 overall seed and defending national champion, plays Minnesota State at 2:30 p.m. Friday in the Loveland, Colorado, Regional. The other semifinal is Denver and Cornell. The final is Sunday (TBA).
The Frozen Four games are April 9 in Las Vegas and the championship is April 11.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: What time does MSU hockey play? How to watch NCAA game against UConn
Reporting by Dan Basso, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
