Frozen Four expert predictions, picks for NCAA hockey bracket, national title
· Yahoo Sports
The Frozen Four field is set, with the Michigan Wolverines facing the Denver Pioneers and the North Dakota Flying Hawks taking on the Wisconsin Badgers in Las Vegas.
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It's a somewhat surprising field, given the teams beaten to get here. Denver was able to avenge last year's Frozen Four loss to Western Michigan to advance to its 21st Frozen Four, while Michigan became the only one of the three teams in the state playing in the second round to make the trip to Sin City.
Wisconsin stunned No. 3 overall seed Michigan State in overtime and is looking to became the second team to have both the men and women win a hockey championship since ... Wisconsin in 2006. It will have its work cut out for it against the North Dakota Flying Hawks, who are making their first Frozen Four appearance since winning the title 10 years ago in 2016.
So who will come out on top? USA TODAY Sports makes its picks for who will win this year's Frozen Four.
USA TODAY Sports Frozen Four expert predictions
Kevin Skiver, USA TODAY
Regions listed in parentheses, predicted semifinal winners bold.
- Michigan (Albany)
- Denver (Loveland)
- North Dakota (Sioux Falls)
- Wisconsin (Worcester)
In an annoyingly chalky pick, this just kind of feels like Michigan's year. It's a true blue-blood field, but Michigan has made the Frozen Four in four of the past five years. This might be its best team yet, with T.J. Hughes and Michael Hage leading the way. Jack Ivankovic will have to step up in the net, but the experience of this team wins out. North Dakota arguably has the best player left in the tournament, with Keaton Verhoeff serving as a key blue-liner and potential top five NHL entry draft pick. Jan Spunar is yet to give up a goal for the Flying Hawks, who traipsed through the Sioux Falls regional. Ultimately, however, the Wolverines do enough to overcome the stifling North Dakota backcheck and win their first championship in 28 years.
Championship prediction: Michigan 3, North Dakota 2 (OT)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Frozen Four predictions, picks for 2026 NCAA hockey tournament