Ten days after the Wisconsin men’s hockey team clinched its first Frozen Four berth in 16 years, the Badgers will take the ice against an old rival, North Dakota, in a national semifinal at T-Mobile Arena.
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The puck drops at 4 p.m. CT.
The matchup pits programs that are all too familiar with each other.
Thanks to the rivalry they established during their days in the WCHA, UW and North Dakota have played 173 times. The Badgers hold an 87-73-13 edge in the series.
The Fighting Hawks own the Badgers in the postseason, though. This will be the programs’ fourth meeting in the NCAA Tournament. North Dakota is 3-0 in those meetings. Here is the rundown of the results.
1982: Championship – North Dakota, 5-2.
2008: Regional final – North Dakota, 3-2 overtime
2014: First round – North Dakota, 5-2.
Will the fourth time be the charm for Wisconsin?
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A win sends the Badgers to the championship game for the first time in 20 years, where they would meet Denver or Michigan at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 11.
Check jsonline.com here throughout the afternoon and evening for updates.
More: Mike Hastings rides highs, lows of the game to rebuild Wisconsin hockey
How to watch Wisconsin hockey in the Frozen Four
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
Wisconsin’s Jack Phelan tries to get a shot past goaltender Anton Castro during practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
Wisconsin’s Jack Phelan tries to get a shot past goaltender Anton Castro during practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
Wisconsin coach Mike Hastings skates off the ice following his team’s practice at the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
Wisconsin’s Grant Deering controls the puck as Ben Dexheimer pursue during practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
Goaltender Eli Pulver makes a save of Christian Fitzgerald’s shot during practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
Wisconsin’s Oliver Tulk takes a shot during practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
Wisconsin coach Mike Hastings watches practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
Wisconsin goaltenders Eli Pulver (left) and Anton Castro watch the end of practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
Wisconsin’s Ben Dexheimer (center) controls the puck as Finn Brink pursues during practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
Wisconsin’s Luke Osburn controls the puck during practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
All eyes are on the puck after goaltender Daniel Hauser makes a save during practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
Wisconsin coach Mike Hastings talks to one of his players during practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
Wisconsin’s Joe Palodichuk chops the ice as he tries to get a shot past goaltender Anton Castro during practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
Wisconsin’s Luke Osburn tries to get a shot past goaltender Daniel Hauser during practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
Wisconsin’s Christian Fitzgerald answers a question following practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
Wisconsin’s Jack Horbach listens to a question following practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
Wisconsin coach Mike Hastings answers a question following practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
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Best photos from Wisconsin hockey’s practice at the Frozen Four
(From left to write) Wisconsin’s Jack Horbach, Christian Fitzgerald and coach Mike Hastings answer questions after practice for the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
How to listen to Wisconsin vs North Dakota on the radio
What are Wisconsin’s odds of winning the national championship?
BetMGM lists Michigan as the favorite to win the title, and the Badgers rank last out of the four semifinalists as of Thursday morning.
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The third-seeded Badgers are the lowest seed in a field that includes No. 1 seeds Michigan and North Dakota and No. 2 seed Denver, which is making its third straight Frozen Four appearance.
If Wisconsin is embracing the underdog role, it wasn’t apparent Wednesday, April 9.
“We’re just trying to focus on ourselves and cross those Ts and dot our Is, just sticking to our dailies and worrying about how we can improve our game and how we’re going to bring it tomorrow,” senior Jack Horbach said. “I think we don’t really look at ourselves as underdogs, but I think we’re ready to play when we punch through the drop tomorrow.”
A first for the Frozen Four
The Badgers aren’t the only team in the national semifinals with a freshman goaltender. Every team is starting one, a first in the history of the Frozen Four.
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Here is what UW coach Mike Hastings said about his netminder, Daniel Hauser.
“This one, in that locker room, whether we’ve won, we’ve lost, he’s crushed it; he’s had a rough night, he just kind of stays even keel,” Hastings said. “And I’m going to tell you, as a coach, you respect that.”
More: Daniel Hauser’s ability to handle adversity key to Wisconsin’s run to Frozen Four
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin hockey vs. North Dakota live updates, score from Frozen Four
