Michigan
Ohio State
Historic Night at Yost: Michigan, Ohio State to Battle for Big Ten Crown
3/19/2026 10:55:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 1-ranked and No. 2-seeded University of Michigan ice hockey team (28-7-1) will play for the 2026 Big Ten Tournament title against No. 19-ranked and No. 5-seeded Ohio State (14-20-2) on Saturday (March 20) at Yost Ice Arena. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m., with the game airing live on Big Ten Network.
Notes
• Michigan enters the championship at 28-7-1 and sits atop the NCAA Percentage Index (NPI), a key metric used to determine the NCAA Tournament field. The Wolverines have held the No. 1 spot in the national polls for three consecutive weeks after a midseason stretch of 11 straight weeks at No. 1.
• Saturday marks the first time Yost Ice Arena will host the Big Ten Championship game. Yost previously hosted NCAA Regionals, most recently in 2002-03 when Michigan, then a member of the CCHA, defeated Maine and Colorado College to advance to the Frozen Four.
• The Wolverines advanced to the title game with a 6-1 win over Notre Dame in the quarterfinals and a 5-2 victory against Penn State in the semifinals. Michael Hage leads the team with five points over the two games, while T.J. Hughes, Jayden Perron and Garrett Schifsky have three points each. In net, Jack Ivankovic is 2-0 with a .943 save percentage and a 1.50 goals-against average.
• Michigan is seeking its fourth Big Ten Tournament title, having previously won championships in 2016, 2022 and 2023.
• This will be the first championship meeting between Michigan and Ohio State. The Buckeyes claimed a 3-2 overtime win in the 2018 semifinals, while the teams' scheduled 2020 semifinal matchup was canceled due to COVID-19. In an abbreviated 2021 tournament, Michigan earned a 4-0 one-game quarterfinal win in South Bend, and the Wolverines posted a 7-3 semifinal victory in 2023.
• Ohio State advanced to the title game with a 7-1 road win over Wisconsin and a 3-2 overtime victory against top-seeded Michigan State in East Lansing.
• Michigan went 4-0 against Ohio State during the regular season, earning 5-2 and 8-1 wins at Yost in November before securing 6-4 and 3-2 (OT) victories in January. The Wolverines hold a 102-53-16 advantage in the all-time series.
• Hughes was named Big Ten Player of the Year and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors on March 18. Tyler Duke and Hage were named second-team All-Big Ten, while Ivankovic also earned all-freshman team recognition. [ All-Big Ten Honors ]
• Hughes was also named a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. The senior leads Michigan in scoring and ranks third nationally with 50 points in 36 games (1.39 points per game). [ Hughes Named Finalist for 2026 Hobey Baker Memorial Award ]
