Storrs, CT — The UConn men’s hockey team is set to make its historic NCAA Tournament debut Friday, facing off against in-state rival Quinnipiac University in a high-stakes opening round matchup.
Puck drop is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where the Huskies will take the ice for the first time in the national tournament since the program’s elevation to Division I.
The matchup brings together two programs on opposite ends of NCAA Tournament experience. While UConn enters its first postseason at this level, Quinnipiac is a perennial contender, having captured the national championship in 2023 and finishing as runner-up in 2016 and 2013.
Friday’s game also marks a rematch from earlier this season, when the teams met during the Connecticut Ice Tournament, a showcase of the state’s top college hockey programs.
Quinnipiac enters the tournament with a notable distinction: the Bobcats are the first NCAA Division I men’s hockey team to win five consecutive regular season championships in the same league. They join Minnesota State, which won six consecutive titles across the WCHA and CCHA, as the only programs to achieve such dominance.
UConn’s emergence onto the national stage adds a new chapter to the rivalry, setting up what promises to be one of the most closely watched opening-round matchups in the 2025 tournament.
The winner of Friday’s game will advance to face the victor of the other Allentown Regional semifinal, with a trip to the Frozen Four on the line.
UConn fans can stream the game live, with broadcast details expected to be released by the NCAA later this week.
