Thursday, October 1, 2015
Big Apple Calls College Hockey
Showcase games set for Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center.
There are no Division I hockey programs in New York City, but that won’t stop the sport from taking over the city’s two NHL arenas for some big games in the coming years.
Building on recent successful games at Madison Square Garden, 10 schools will make the trip to the Big Apple in 2015-16, with two more already scheduled for 2016-17.
These games give New York-based alumni a chance to see their alma mater and offer a one-of-a-kind opportunity for student-athletes.
“That’s a big thing for our players,” said North Dakota head coach Brad Berry, whose team will face Boston College next season at Madison Square Garden. “We want them to have those experiences. Obviously, The Ralph is one of the best places in the world to play. But we also want our players to have experiences playing in other great venues.”
Nov. 1 – Barclays Center doubleheader
Atlantic Hockey and Hockey East have conference games set for the new home of the New York Islanders on Sunday, Nov. 1, with Bentley facing Army West Point and Notre Dame facing Connecticut.
Nov. 28 – Red Hot Hockey
Boston University and Cornell renew their rivalry at Madison Square Garden over Thanksgiving weekend, visiting the city Nov. 28. “Red Hot Hockey” has been held every other year since 2007, when it became the first NCAA hockey game to sell out MSG.
Jan. 9 – Rivalry on Ice
Quinnipiac visits MSG for the first time for an ECAC Hockey conference game against Harvard in the annual “Rivalry on Ice” event. Army and Navy’s ACHA teams will face off in a nightcap following the Quinnipiac-Harvard game.
Jan. 30 – Michigan vs. Penn State
The Wolverines and Nittany Lions face off at MSG as part of a Big Ten basketball and hockey doubleheader.
Dec. 3, 2016 – Boston College vs. North Dakota
The 2016-17 season should feature multiple NCAA games in New York City, but one has already been scheduled: national powers Boston College and North Dakota will meet on Dec. 3, 2016.