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UND Hockey to Face Merrimack in Sioux Falls Tournament
The Fighting Hawks take on the Warriors in the first round of the NCAA Hockey Tournament.
Mar. 22, 2026 at 7:50pm
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The University of North Dakota hockey team, the top seed in the Sioux Falls Region, will face off against Merrimack College in the first round of the NCAA Hockey Tournament on Thursday night. Merrimack earned an automatic bid to the tournament by winning the Hockey East Championship as an 8-seed. If UND wins, they will advance to the regional final on Saturday against the winner of the Providence-Quinnipiac matchup.
Why it matters
This is a high-stakes matchup between two of the top teams in college hockey, with UND looking to make a deep tournament run as a top seed and Merrimack hoping to continue their Cinderella story after their surprise conference tournament victory.
The details
The University of North Dakota hockey team, led by head coach Brad Berry, enters the tournament as the top seed in the Sioux Falls Region after a dominant regular season in the NCHC. They will face off against Merrimack College, who earned an automatic bid to the tournament by winning the Hockey East Championship as an 8-seed, defeating UConn 2-1 in the final. If UND can get past Merrimack, they will advance to the regional final on Saturday to face the winner of the Providence-Quinnipiac matchup.
- The UND vs. Merrimack game will take place on Thursday, March 26, 2026 at 7:30pm.
- The regional final will be played on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
The players
University of North Dakota Hockey Team
The UND Fighting Hawks are the top seed in the Sioux Falls Region of the NCAA Hockey Tournament, led by head coach Brad Berry.
Merrimack College Warriors
The Merrimack College Warriors earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Hockey East Championship as an 8-seed.
Providence College
Providence College will face off against Quinnipiac in the other first-round game in the Sioux Falls Region.
Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac University will face off against Providence College in the other first-round game in the Sioux Falls Region.
What they’re saying
“We're excited to have the opportunity to compete against a top program like UND. They've had an incredible season, but we're ready to give it our all and see what we can accomplish.”
— Sami Tavernier, Merrimack College Forward
What’s next
The winner of the UND-Merrimack game will advance to the regional final on Saturday, March 28th to face the winner of the Providence-Quinnipiac matchup.
The takeaway
This first-round matchup between UND and Merrimack features two of the hottest teams in college hockey, setting the stage for an exciting tournament opener in the Sioux Falls Region. UND will look to use their top seed status and tournament experience to advance, while Merrimack hopes to continue their Cinderella run after winning their conference tournament as an 8-seed.
