ECAC Men’s Hockey Championship | Lake Placid | March 20-21, 2026
- Herb Brooks Arena 2634 Main Street Lake Placid, NY, 12946 United States (map)
ECAC Men’s Hockey Championship Returns To Lake Placid March 20–21, 2026
Championship college ice hockey action at Herb Brooks Arena in the Olympic Center.
Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid. Photo courtesy ORDA.
March Madness takes on a distinctly Adirondack edge when the ECAC Men’s Hockey Championship returns to Lake Placid on March 20–21, 2026. The Eastern College Athletic Conference’s top four teams will converge inside the legendary Herb Brooks Arena for a high-stakes showdown on historic Olympic ice.
For hockey fans searching for the best sporting events in the Adirondacks, this championship weekend delivers playoff intensity, fierce rivalries, and a coveted berth in the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship.
Championship weekend schedule.
Friday, March 20, 2026
Semi-final Game One | 4:00 pm – Teams TBD
Semi-final Game Two | 7:00 pm – Teams TBD
Saturday, March 21, 2026
Championship Game | 5:00 pm – Teams TBD
The four teams will earn their spots after the conference playoffs determine the finalists. Once the matchups lock in, expect a charged atmosphere from puck drop to the final horn.
Historic ice, championship stakes.
Herb Brooks Arena stands as one of the most storied venues in hockey history. Team USA stunned the Soviet Union here during the 1980 Winter Olympics’ “Miracle on Ice,” and every championship played on this sheet carries that legacy forward.
Now, Lake Placid serves as the official home of both ECAC Hockey Championships. In March, the arena hosts the women’s finals earlier in the month and the men’s championship on March 20–21, solidifying the village’s role as a premier college hockey destination.
Championship weekend offers more than bragging rights. The winner punches a ticket to the NCAA tournament, where national title dreams begin in earnest.
A conference with a championship pedigree.
ECAC Hockey ranks among the nation’s premier Division I men’s conferences. The league burst into the national spotlight when Yale University and Union College captured back-to-back NCAA titles in 2013 and 2014.
Contenders for this year’s ECAC championship may include teams from Colgate, Cornell, Quinnipiac, Clarkson, Yale, or Princeton.
In 2013, Yale denied top-seeded and fellow ECAC foe Quinnipiac University in a 4–0 championship victory, earning the nation’s oldest collegiate hockey program its first NCAA crown. One year later, Union stormed past Minnesota in the Frozen Four, scoring three goals in just 1:54 en route to a 7–4 national championship win.
Those victories added a dynamic chapter to a conference already known for tradition, elite student-athletes, and influential coaches.
Today, ECAC Hockey features teams from 12 prestigious institutions: Brown University, Clarkson University, Colgate University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton University, Quinnipiac University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, St. Lawrence University, Union College, and Yale University. Any one of these programs could skate into Lake Placid and seize conference glory.
Why fans should plan a weekend in Lake Placid.
Playoff hockey creates a different level of urgency. Every shift matters. Players block shots with abandon. Overtime looms large. The crowd rises with every breakaway and every thunderous hit along the boards.
Beyond the arena, Lake Placid delivers a quintessential Adirondack winter experience. Visitors can explore the Olympic Center, stroll Mirror Lake, shop Main Street, and dine at cozy village restaurants between games. The compact downtown allows fans to park once and enjoy the weekend on foot.
For alumni, families, and diehard hockey fans, this weekend blends elite Division I competition with Olympic history and mountain-town charm.
Tickets and event details.
Fans can find ticket information, team announcements, and event updates through the official ECAC Hockey website and the Lake Placid Olympic Center’s website. Advance ticket purchases are strongly recommended, especially for Saturday’s championship game.
When the puck drops on March 20, the road to the NCAA tournament runs straight through Lake Placid. Championship dreams, storied tradition, and Adirondack energy collide for one unforgettable weekend.
ECAC Championship at Herb Brooks 1980 Arena.
The newly designed hospitality suites offer an elevated viewing experience, while the renovated restrooms and concourse ensure convenience and accessibility for all visitors. The state-of-the-art LED event and broadcast-quality lighting create an electrifying atmosphere that enhances the excitement of every game.
Additionally, the arena now boasts a cutting-edge air handling and dehumidification system for optimal ice conditions, expertly maintained by a newly acquired electric Zamboni that glides across the rink. In Lake Placid, every detail has been thoughtfully considered to provide an unparalleled hockey experience.
For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit the Olympic Center website.
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