How to Watch Penn State vs. Minnesota-Duluth in the NCAA Hockey Tournament: TV, Odds

Penn State begins its quest Friday for a second straight Final Four berth in the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament. The second-seeded Nittany Lions face No. 2 seed Minnesota-Duluth in the Albany Regional, which includes three of the nation’s top-10 teams.

The winner will face either No. 1 Michigan or Bentley on Sunday with a trip to the Frozen Four in Las Vegas at stake. Friday marks the first matchup between the Nittany Lions and Minnesota-Duluth. This heavyweight game features two of the top-five point scorers in college hockey in Penn State freshman forward Gavin McKenna (51) and Bulldogs sophomore forward Max Plante (49).

Here is what else to know ahead of Penn State’s ninth NCAA Tournament game in program history.

PICTURE THIS: Gavin McKenna For Hobey Baker! 😤#WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/t5VWmHwTAh
— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) March 26, 2026

How to watch Penn State vs. Minnesota-Duluth

The Nittany Lions and Bulldogs battle in the late window of Friday’s college hockey slate, with puck drop scheduled for 9 p.m. ET at MVP Arena in Albany, N.Y. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and can be streamed at ESPN Unlimited.

Can’t watch? Catch the Penn State radio broadcast, featuring Brian Tripp and Chris Funkey, on the Penn State Sports Network.

What is the Penn State-Minnesota-Duluth betting line?

Penn State is a 1.5-goal favorite and -135 on the moneyline for Friday’s contest against Minnesota-Duluth, per DraftKings. The over/under total is set at 6.5 goals.

About the Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State Nittany Lions defenseman Jackson Smith passes the puck against the Michigan State Spartans. — Penn State Nittany Lions defenseman Jackson Smith (7) passes the puck during the third period against the Michigan State Spartans at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State (21-13-2) heads into Friday’s game with two weeks of rest after a tough 5-2 loss to No. 1 Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament. After dealing with their fair share of injuries late in the season, the Nittany Lions “welcomed” the extended break and used it as a time to heal, head coach Guy Gadowsky said.

Just like last year’s team, which went on a run to the Frozen Four, Penn State was eliminated in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament. However, the teams’ situations are quite different.

The year’s Penn State team has not beaten a ranked opponent since Jan. 24 against then-No. 5 Wisconsin. The Nittany Lions have a 3-7-2 record in their past 12 games.

The cold streak has been the worst stretch of games for Penn State dating to December of the 2024-25 season, when the team was in last place in the Big Ten.

The Nittany Lions remain paced by Hobey-Baker Award candidate McKenna, who is second in the country in assists (36) and points per game (1.50). He is set for his first do-or-die hockey game in a Penn State uniform.

Outside of McKenna, defenseman Jackson Smith, forward Aiden Fink and center Charlie Cerrato are the team’s major offensive threats. Fink is eighth in the Big Ten in points (38) despite missing two months with a thumb injury and eighth in the nation in points per game (1.31).

Smith is fourth in the country in goals by a defenseman (11), and his seven power-play goals are tied for sixth in the nation. He leads the country in scoring by a defenseman.

And Cerrato is finally regaining his footing after returning from a two-month injury in early March. He is sixth on the Nittany Lions in points (27) and tied for fourth in assists (20). The line of Cerrato, Matt DiMarsico and JJ Wiebusch could define a Penn State championship run. The three carried the Nittany Lions offensively during last year’s Frozen Four run.

For Penn State, special teams will likely decide Friday’s contest. The Nittany Lions went 0-for-6 in the March 14 loss to Michigan and need to flip the switch on the man-advantage against Minnesota-Duluth’s third-ranked penalty kill (89.3 percent).

Penn State’s penalty kill has been strong all season. While boasting the third-best penalty kill in the country, the Bulldogs’ power play rates as the second-best at 29.9 percent, just shy of Michigan (31.1 percent).

About the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs

USA forward Max Plante celebrates a goal during the 2024 World Junior Summer Showcase at USA Hockey Arena. | David Reginek-Imagn Images

Second-seeded Minnesota-Duluth (23-14-1) is fresh off a double-overtime loss to Denver, the No. 5 team in the NPI rankings, in the NCHC championship. The Bulldogs had won three straight before the loss.

Minnesota-Duluth is a juggernaut of college hockey, winning three Division I titles, including back-to-back championships in 2018 and 2019. The Bulldogs made seven straight NCAA Tournaments and four Frozen Fours from 2015-22 but are returning to the bracket for the first time since 2022.

Minnesota-Duluth is led by the Plante brothers, with Max leading the team, and sitting fifth in the country, in points (49). Zam is 11th in the nation in points with 46.

The Bulldogs thrive on special teams but do not have a top-15 scoring offense (3.26 goals per game) or defense (2.47 goals allowed). Between the pipes is a familiar face for Gadowsky, as he coached Bulldogs goaltender Adam Gajan in the 2025 Spengler Cup for the US Collegiate Selects. Gajan is 18-12-1 this season with a 2.24 goals-against average and .908 save percentage.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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