The 1986 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Tournament involved 8 schools playing in a 2-game series followed by single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college ice hockey. It began on March 21, 1986, and ended with the championship game on March 29. A total of 12 games were played. The quarterfinal round consisted of a 2-game series with the winner being the team scoring the most goals. Michigan State University, coached by Ron Mason, won the national championship with a 6-5 victory over Harvard University in front of 8,341 fans.