Wisconsin Hosts Minnesota in Big Ten Series
No. 1 Wisconsin, unbeaten at 6-0-0, opens a Thursday-Saturday home series against Minnesota, which has struggled to start the season.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Hockey
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Wisconsin hosts Minnesota in a Big Ten college hockey series on Thursday, November 5 and Saturday, November 7, both games at 7 p.m. The Badgers are ranked No. 1 in this week's national polls and are 6-0-0 this season.
Why it matters
The series pits a top-ranked, unbeaten Wisconsin team against a Minnesota program that is 0-3-1 to start the season and has not won a home game since its January 2026 sweep by the Badgers. The matchup carries weight in the Big Ten race and in the broader rivalry.
Wisconsin enters 6-0-0 having allowed five goals in six games, while Minnesota opened 0-3-1 after a 1-6-2 finish in 2025-26. It is not yet known whether Minnesota's early struggles will carry into the series.
The players
Mike Hastings
Wisconsin's head coach, a Crookston, Minnesota native who previously coached Minnesota State in Mankato.
The details
The series is set for Thursday and Saturday at 7 p.m. in Madison. Wisconsin has not trailed at any point this season, and Minnesota is coming off a split of its Big Ten opener with Penn State.
Timeline
January 2026: Minnesota swept Wisconsin 4-1 and 8-4 in Minneapolis.
2026: Wisconsin lost the national championship game to Denver.
Thursday, November 5, 2026 at 7 p.m.: Wisconsin hosts Minnesota.
Saturday, November 7, 2026 at 7 p.m.: Wisconsin hosts Minnesota.
Season Trajectory
The January 2026 sweep in Minneapolis set the tone for this rivalry, and Wisconsin has gone 9-4-0 since. Minnesota's home winless run since that sweep now sets up a test for both programs in the early Big Ten standings.
Fantasy and betting readers tracking the Badgers should note Wisconsin's perfect start and Minnesota's winless home stretch. Fans planning to attend should expect two 7 p.m. games in Madison on consecutive days.
The takeaway
Wisconsin's unbeaten start meets a Minnesota team trying to find its footing, and the two home games will show whether the Gophers can break their slide. Readers following the Big Ten race have a clear early test to watch.
What happens next
Wisconsin hosts Minnesota on Thursday, November 5 and Saturday, November 7, both at 7 p.m. in Madison.
Further reading
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