TV Info, Fast Facts on MSU Hockey's NCAA Tourney Game

Basketball doesn't have a monopoly on Michigan State vs. UConn this week.

MSU hasn't been to a Frozen Four or won a national championship since 2007. The Spartans, as the nation's No. 3 overall seed this year, are hoping to end those long droughts in this year's NCAA Tournament. It all starts against the Huskies, who are the 14th seed in the 16-team field.

Michigan State's head coach Adam Nightingale calls out to players during hockey practice on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, at Munn Arena in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan State has reached three straight postseasons for the first time since 2006-08. The Spartans lost in the regional final (hockey's Elite Eight) two seasons ago to arch-rival Michigan and were upset by Cornell in the first round last season.

Here is how you can watch MSU's tournament opener, with the winner here facing either 2-seed Dartmouth or 3-seed Wisconsin in the regional final on Saturday.

TV Info

Michigan State Spartans goalie Trey Augustine talks with a referee during a game against the Michigan Wolverines on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Munn Ice Arena. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Puck Drop: 1:30 p.m. ET

Channel: ESPN2

Michigan State's Trey Augustine, right, deflects a Notre Dame shot during the first period on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, at the Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Announcers: Kevin Gehl (play-by-play); Angela Ruggiero (analyst)

What to Know about the Spartans

Michigan State Spartans center Eric Nilson looks towards a teammate before a faceoff against the Michigan Wolverines on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Munn Ice Arena. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

This is going to be Michigan State's 30th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament. During that time, MSU has reached the Frozen Four 11 times and won the national title three times in 1966, 1986, and 2007.

The Spartans, under the leadership of Adam Nightingale, have also won the Big Ten regular season title three years in a row, edging out top overall seed Michigan for the title by two points (51 to 49) in the standings. Michigan State tried for a third consecutive Big Ten Tournament title, but were knocked out by Ohio State in overtime of the semifinal, with the Buckeyes then losing the final to UM.

It has been a shaky month or so for the team, with MSU going 1-2-2 in its last five games entering the NCAAs, but the talent on the roster is still undeniable. Goalie Trey Augustine is the only player at his position to be a Hobey Baker finalist, sporting a stellar .929 save percentage with only 2.09 GAA. Forward Charlie Stramel is another Hobey finalist with 19 goals and 25 assists for 44 points.

Michigan State's leading goal-scorer is still Porter Martone, though. The Philadelphia Flyers prospect has 47 points (24 goals, 23 assists) in 33 games played this season, ranking him fourth in the country in points per game (1.42). Defenseman Matt Basgall was also named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year, joining Stramel, Martone, and Augustine with first-team all-conference honors. With so many other big prospects on the roster, a deep run this year is absolutely the expectation.

Michigan State's Matt Basgall moves the puck against Minnesota during the first period on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, at Munn Arena in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images