The DI men's hockey postseason has brought loads of chaos, and we haven't even made it to the NCAA tournament yet. Four No. 1 seeds fell in conference tournaments over the weekend as potential bid-stealers kept their seasons alive by upsetting some of the nation's top teams.
Top seeds Providence, Michigan State, Quinnipiac and North Dakota were all eliminated from their conference tournaments in dramatic fashion. Here's how it happened.
Merrimack stuns Providence in OT
Merrimack kept its NCAA tournament hopes alive in a stunning overtime win over top-seeded Providence in the Hockey East quarterfinals. Trevor Hoskin scored the game winner 3:50 into overtime to propel the Warriors to the Hockey East semifinals at TD Garden.
Providence falls in its first game after earning a first-round bye, while Merrimack continues it quest for an autobid with a semifinal matchup against UMass on Friday, March 20. With an at-large bid secured thanks to their No. 7 NPI rank, the Friars will have a week of rest before playing in NCAA tournament regionals.
SURVIVE
— Merrimack Men’s Hockey (@Merrimack_MIH)
AND
ADVANCE
LET'S GO TO THE GARDEN x
Ohio State downs Michigan State in OT
The Buckeyes avenged their 2025 Big Ten championship loss, eliminating top seed Michigan State on the road in an overtime thriller in the Big Ten semifinal. Felix Caron scored the OT winner, hammering a slapshot from the top of the circle past Mike Richter Award semifinalist Trey Augustine.
Ohio State advances to the Big Ten title game where it will face bitter rival Michigan on Saturday, March 21, while the Spartans will have to regroup before their NCAA tournament run.
ICYMI: The Buckeyes sealed a spot in the championship game with this OT winner from Felix Caron 💥
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY)
Clarkson sweeps Quinnipiac after shocking Game 2 comeback
Clarkson outscored Quinnipiac, 7-3, in a two-game sweep in the ECAC quarterfinals. After shutting out the Bobcats, 3-0, in Game 1, the Golden Knights mounted a furious third-period rally with three late goals to stun Quinnipiac. The first two goals came shorthanded, 38 seconds apart, before Erik Bargholtz netted the eventual game-winner at even strength just 1:23 later. Clarkson moves on to face Dartmouth in the semifinals on Friday, March 20.
UMD cruises past North Dakota
After going 2-2 in the season series against North Dakota with two OT wins and two decisive losses, Minnesota Duluth made a statement with a 5-1 win over the top-seeded Hawks in the NCHC semifinals. UMD had five different goal scorers as it shocked North Dakota in its home barn. Sophomore goaltender Adam Gajan smothered North Dakota's third-ranked offense, making 33 saves for a .971 SV% in his 18th win of the season. The Bulldogs will play Denver in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff title game on Saturday, March 21.
Still thinking about that Saturday semi
— UMD Men's Hockey (@UMDMensHockey)
