Denver vs. Wisconsin Score, Live Updates, Highlights From 2026 NCAA Hockey Championship Game

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Denver and Wisconsin will meet in the 2026 national championship game on Saturday night after narrowly escaping their semifinal matchups with action-packed wins.

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On Thursday, Denver defeated Michigan in a double-overtime thriller, giving the Pioneers a chance to win their third title in five years. Defenseman Kent Anderson scored the game-winning goal in the second overtime period, setting the stage for a battle with Wisconsin.

The Badgers, meanwhile, beat North Dakota in the semifinals behind a terrific performance from goaltender Daniel Hauser. The Wisconsin men's hockey program is looking to win its first title since 2006.

Follow along right here for live updates and highlights from the national championship game between Denver and Wisconsin.

Denver vs. Wisconsin score

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Denver vs. Wisconsin live updates, highlights from 2026 NCAA championship game

5:45 p.m.: We're at the 14:10 mark and it's time for the first commercial break. So far, play has favored the Badgers; David Carle's team, on the other hand, has yet to register a shot.

5:41 p.m.: Wisconsin gets an odd-man rush on the power play, but Gavin Morrissey's shot is saved by Hicks.

The Badgers have killed the power play and we are now four minutes in.

5:38 p.m.: Denver will be the first team with a man advantage today, with Wisconsin's Oliver Tulk going to the box for tripping.

5:37 p.m.: The first quality chance goes to Wisconsin, who gets a clear shot from the point but its saved by Hicks. He makes another save moments later.

5:34 p.m.: The puck has dropped and we are underway in Las Vegas.

Stay tuned for live updates and highlights.

5:30 p.m.: Teams are on the ice and the start of the national championship is moments away.

Will the national champion be Denver or Wisconsin at the end of the night?

5:21 p.m.: On the other side we have the Pioneers, who are looking for their NCAA-leading 11th championship.

5:16 p.m.: The official lines are out for the Badgers.

Tassy and Botterill, the two goalscorers in the semis, are the wings on the second line.

5:06 p.m.: The last time these two blue bloods met in the NCAA tournament was the 2008 Midwest Regional semifinal in Madison, a game that still stings for the Pioneer faithful.

Despite Denver outshooting the Badgers 32-26, Wisconsin broke the game open with a four-goal third period to secure a 6-2 victory and advance to the regional final. Future NHL stars headlined that matchup, with Wisconsin’s Kyle Turris and Jamie McBain leading the charge, while a young Tyler Bozak suited up for the Pioneers.

That win extended the Badgers' postseason dominance over Denver, a streak the Pioneers are finally looking to snap tonight on the sport's biggest stage.

5:00 p.m.: The national championship is a half hour away.

4:49 p.m.: The Pioneers entered the 2025-26 season with the target of a defending champion on their back, but they navigated the NCHC with trademark efficiency to finish with a 28-11-3 overall record. Despite some mid-season turbulence, they secured an automatic bid by capturing the NCHC Tournament title and entered the NCAA field as the No. 2 seed in the Loveland Regional.

Denver's road to Las Vegas was a masterclass in resilience; after dispatching Cornell and Western Michigan in the regionals, they outlasted top-seeded Michigan in a grueling 4-3 double-overtime semifinal where Kent Anderson finally ended the marathon.

Wisconsin’s journey has been a testament to the quick turnaround under Mike Hastings, finishing the regular season at 24-12-2 and proving to be one of the nation's toughest outs away from home. The Badgers earned an at-large bid out of a deep Big Ten and caught fire in the Worcester Regional, upsetting No. 3 seed Michigan State to punch their ticket to the Frozen Four.

The Badgers reached tonight's final by leaning on their stifling defensive structure to take down second-seeded North Dakota 2-1, surviving a desperate late-game push by the Fighting Hawks to keep their championship dreams alive.

4:39 p.m.: Both teams have arrived at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with the championship game less than an hour away.

4:30 p.m.: Welcome to the national championship game. Today, either Denver or Wisconsin will be the kings of the 2026 college hockey season.

Let's start with David Carle's Denver Pioneers, who are chasing an unprecedented 11th national title. The Pios arrive at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas riding a massive wave of momentum, fueled by a 14-game unbeaten streak. Their path to this final was anything but easy; they just survived the longest game in program history on Thursday, a grueling 4-3 double-overtime thriller against the top-seeded Michigan Wolverines.

Freshman goaltender Johnny Hicks was the hero of that marathon, stopping 49 of 52 shots to keep Denver’s season alive. While Denver has already won three titles in the last decade (2017, 2022, 2024), they face a historical hurdle today: the Pioneers are 0-3 all-time against Wisconsin in the NCAA tournament.

Across the ice, Mike Hastings has the Badgers back in the title game for the first time since 2006. Wisconsin took a more efficient route to the final, stifling North Dakota in a 2-1 victory behind two goals in a 27-second span from Simon Tassy and Ryan Botterill. With freshman Daniel Hauser matching school records in net, the Badgers are looking to reclaim their spot atop the hockey world in what promises to be a legendary blue-blood battle.

How to watch Denver vs. Wisconsin tonight: TV channel, live stream

Denver vs. Wisconsin will air nationally on ESPN. The national championship game will also be available to stream on fubo and the ESPN app.

Now you can watch ESPN without cable. Stream live NHL, NFL, NBA, MLB and college sports, plus "SportsCenter," "First Take" and all your favorite ESPN shows — anytime, anywhere — only in the new ESPN app.

Denver vs. Wisconsin start time

  • Date: Saturday, April 11
  • Time: 5:30 p.m. ET

Denver vs. Wisconsin is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 11. The game will be played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

NCAA men's hockey tournament schedule, results 2026

Thursday, March 26 — Regional Semifinals

GameMichigan State 2, UConn 1Wisconsin 5, Dartmouth 1Quinnipiac 5, Providence 2North Dakota 3, Merrimack 0

Friday, March 27 — Regional Semifinals

GameWestern Michigan 3, Minnesota State 1Michigan 5, Bentley 1Denver 5, Cornell 0Minnesota Duluth 3, Penn State 1

Saturday, March 28 — Regional Finals

GameWisconsin 4, Michigan State 3 (OT)North Dakota 5, Quinnipiac 0

Sunday, March 29 — Regional Finals

GameDenver 6, Western Michigan 2Michigan 4, Minnesota Duluth 3

Thursday, April 9 — Semifinals

GameWisconsin 2, North Dakota 1Denver 4, Michigan 3 (2OT)

Saturday, April 11 —Finals

GameTime (ET)TV/Live StreamDenver vs. Wisconsin5:30 p.m.ESPN, ESPN app, fubo

NCAA men's hockey tournament champions by year

Here are the last 10 tournament champions:

YearChampionRunner-up2025Western MichiganBoston University2024DenverBoston College2023QuinnipiacMinnesota2022DenverMinnesota State2021MassachusettsSt. Cloud State2020No tournament (COVID-19 pandemic)—2019Minnesota DuluthMassachusetts2018Minnesota DuluthNotre Dame2017DenverMinnesota Duluth2016North DakotaQuinnipiac2015ProvidenceBoston University

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