ECAC Hockey and the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority today announced a two-year extension for the ECAC Hockey men’s championship, which will take place at the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena in the Olympic Center.
This season’s tournament will be held March 22-23, with the event remaining in Lake Placid through 2026.
“Lake Placid is a special place for American Hockey,” said ECAC Hockey commissioner Doug Christiansen in a statement. “This year marks the 20th ECAC men’s hockey championship in Lake Placid. The city offers something for everyone and the games showcase some of the best teams in the country vying for their chance to win a championship and earn a berth in the NCAA tournament. I am thrilled to work with ORDA and ROOST to continue to make Lake Placid the Home of the ECAC Men’s Championship.”
This year’s competition kicks off on Friday with two matchups, the first featuring defending NCAA national champion Quinnipiac vs. upset-minded St. Lawrence, followed by an evening tilt between Cornell and Dartmouth in the second semifinal.
“Since it first came to Lake Placid in 1993, the ECAC men’s hockey championship has been a flagship event for our community and region,” said Chadd Cassidy, Olympic Center general manager. “We are excited to be extending our contract through the 2026 Championship and continue to be the home of ECAC Hockey for many years to come. Hockey fans from all over will continue to see why Lake Placid is such a special place.”
Colgate shocked the field at last season’s ECAC Hockey tournament in Lake Placid, knocking off top-seeded Quinnipiac in the semifinals and second-seeded Harvard in the championship game. All four teams in Lake Placid earned NCAA tournament berths, with Colgate advancing via the automatic bid, and Cornell, Harvard, and Quinnipiac earning at-large invitations. Quinnipiac went on to win the school’s first NCAA men’s national championship after beating Minnesota in the title game.
The ECAC tournament began in 1962 with the championships held at Boston Garden each year until 1993 when it moved to Lake Placid. The 2024 tournament marks the 20th championship to be hosted at the Olympic Center over the years.
On March 9, 1989, the league paid tribute to retiring commissioner Robert M. “Scotty” Whitelaw by announcing that the men’s hockey championship trophy would be named the Whitelaw Cup. Whitelaw joined the ECAC in 1960 as assistant commissioner, two years before the ECAC Division I hockey championship was formalized.
