It’s time to drop the puck on the conference season.  

After non-conference thrillers and standout performances, league play begins Friday night. With national title contenders and breakout stars already emerging, the long gauntlet toward the Big Ten crown officially begins now. 

Here is how the opening weekend shapes up across the league — and one more top-10 non-conference showdown. 

Top-Ranked Wolverines Lead the Charge into Conference Play 

The Big Ten enters conference play boasting the undisputed No. 1 team in the nation: the Michigan Wolverines. Off to a dominant, undefeated start through the non-conference slate, Michigan leads the country in goals scored (39) and is second in goal margin (3.57) while also having the nation’s top goal scorer in Jayden Perron, who has 10 already. 

The Wolverines’ resume so far includes a sweep of then-No. 1 Denver, beating the defending champions in two straight nights on the road, and a last-tenth of a second win over No. 5 Western Michigan last time out.  

Directly behind the Wolverines in the national rankings is No. 2 Wisconsin. The Badgers are off to a perfect 4-0 start after sweeping their non-conference slate and earning a win over Western Michigan in an exhibition.  

Up next? Bringing that momentum right into a high-stakes series to kick off conference action. 

Opening Weekend Matchups at a Glance 

• The No. 1 Wolverines head on the road to face Ohio State in Columbus for two games. The rivals open conference action with a rematch of the 2026 Big Ten Tournament final, which Michigan won 7-3. 

• The No. 2 Badgers host Notre Dame in Madison as the Irish look for their first signature conference win in a hostile Kohl Center environment. 

• After sweeping then-No. 3 North Dakota last weekend, No. 18 Minnesota welcomes Penn State to 3M Arena at Mariucci. The Golden Gophers look to get conference play started right after tallying their first two wins under new coach Brett Larson. 

Top-10 Tilt: Spartans Face Fighting Hawks 

No. 4 Michigan State is off to a 4-1 start to the season, coming off a road split against New Hampshire on the East Coast. Before the Spartans get into conference action, they have another top-10 showdown in Texas against No. 8 North Dakota in the 2026 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game. Michigan State heads to Austin to play a Fighting Hawks team that is looking to rebound after being swept by Minnesota last weekend in identical 5-3 losses.  

Adam Nightengale’s team will have to deal with a potent offense that has scored at least three goals in all six games this season, led by Cole Reschny’s four along with three players that already have three. The Fighting Hawks are averaging 3.83 goals per game, meaning Michigan State will have its hands full on the defensive end. Goalie Joshua Ravensbergen — who stopped 71 of 73 shots against the Wildcats — will once again be counted on to make crucial saves. 

Offensively, Michigan State will be looking for a jump after scoring just two goals last weekend. The Spartans are still finding their identity on that end of the ice after losing Porter Martone and Charlie Stramel to the pros; Anthony Romani, who has five goals and three assists, will be counted on as the primary catalyst to spark the Spartans' top line on the big stage in Austin. 

Along with Big Ten play, this is one you won’t want to miss. Catch it on NCHC.tv at 8:07 p.m. ET. 

Fasten your seatbelts for what promises to be another thrilling season of world-class college hockey. Check out the full schedule here as the programs start their race to the top.