15 Home Games, Northern Ireland, and NCAA Tournament Opponents Highlight 34-Game Campaign
The Colgate men’s hockey program has announced its 2019-20 slate where 34 regular season matchups include 15 home games, six 2019 NCAA Tournament teams, and the Raiders’ second appearance in the Friendship Four Tournament in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
“The nonconference portion of our schedule is very challenging, including Frozen Four participant Providence College and NCAA Tournament participant Ohio State,” Colgate Men’s Hockey Head Coach Don Vaughan said. “If you include the four ECAC teams that made the tournament last year, we play a total of six teams that participated in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
“As always, the tough nonconference schedule will prepare us for what I consider our most challenging games that are the ECAC conference matchups.”
Colgate’s season gets underway Oct. 5 when it hosts RIT at Class of 1965 Arena.
After traveling to Ferris State (Oct. 10), the Raiders host Boston College on Sunday, Oct. 13, for the first time since the 1982-83 season. Colgate travels to UMass Lowell for a two-game series (Oct. 18-19) before hosting NCHC powerhouse Miami (OH) for a pair Oct. 25-26. Standing out with a single matchup on Nov. 1, the Raiders then continue nonconference play as they face 2019 Frozen Four participant Providence.
As the Raiders open ECAC Hockey action Nov. 8-9, they hold Silver Puck Weekend against conference foes Yale and Brown. Four ECAC games follow, including the first of three regular season matchups against Princeton (Nov. 22).
Just a week after their meeting in Hamilton, the Raiders and Tigers meet again Nov. 29 for the 2019 Friendship Four tournament in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The international competition marks Colgate’s first return to the Emerald Isle since 2015, while after Friday’s nonconference meeting with Princeton, the Raiders take on Northeastern or New Hampshire on Saturday, Nov. 30.
“We are excited to host Miami and Boston College at the Class of 1965 Arena, and of course we are very much looking forward to playing once again in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the Friendship Four,” Coach Vaughan said.
Returning stateside for continued conference play, first-half action is concluded at Dartmouth and Harvard (Dec. 6-7). Colgate takes on another NCAA Tournament opponent as it travels to Columbus to face Ohio State in a two-game series Dec. 27-28 for its final scheduled nonconference competition.
Second-half action begins at Union and Rensselaer (Jan. 10-11) before the Raiders return to Class of 1965 Arena after a two-month road stretch to host Harvard and Dartmouth on Jan. 24-25.
Colgate’s much anticipated Route 13 Rivalry is renewed Feb. 7 in Ithaca, before the Raiders and Cornell take to Hamilton on Feb. 8. Four more ECAC matchups follow before the final weekend of the regular season Feb. 28-29, when the Raiders host Clarkson and then St. Lawrence for Senior Night.
Postseason play begins with the best-of-three First Round of the 2020 ECAC Hockey Tournament from March 6-8, followed by the Quarterfinals March 13-15. After the first two rounds on campus sites, teams travel to Lake Placid, New York, for the single-game Tournament Semifinal and Championship on March 20-21.
Team Outlook
“We are already looking forward to the 2019-20 season as we return a number of players with a lot of experience,” said Vaughan. “Our junior and senior classes have played a lot of college hockey games and many have played in every situation, while rising sophomore Mitch Benson ‘22 led all freshman goalies nationally with 33 starts.”
A seven-player freshman class is slated to join the program for the upcoming 2019-20 season. The five forwards and two defensemen join 21 returners to the program from the 2018-19 campaign when the Raiders recorded significant victories over then-No. 3 Quinnipiac and in-state rival Cornell. Colgate graduated five players to the Class of 2019 and has eight seniors leading the program for the upcoming season.
“As a whole, the incoming Class of 2023 is a very talented group. They will have an immediate impact on our on-ice performance and will help improve our offensive production,” Vaughan added. “All possess leadership experience from their previous teams and three of the seven won league championships last season with one taking home a national championship. This kind of experience is priceless.”
Season Ticket Information
Fans can lock in season tickets by placing a $50 deposit per ticket, which is valid for both current season ticket holders looking to renew as well as fans interested in becoming a new season ticket holder.
New season ticket holders who put down a deposit will be able to choose from available chair back reserved seating once the renewal period is over, while all deposits are non-refundable.
Fans can place their ticket deposits by clicking HERE, calling the box office at 315-228-4062, or by visiting the box office from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Sullivan Suite season tickets can be purchased by calling or emailing David Riggs at 315-228-4062 or driggs@colgate.edu. Keep an eye on GoColgateRaiders.com for full season ticket information in the near future.
Follow The Raiders
For more information on the Colgate men’s hockey program, follow the Raiders on Twitter @ColgateMIH and Instagram at colgate_mih.
2019-20 Home Game Schedule
- Saturday, Oct. 5 RIT
- Sunday, Oct. 13 Boston College
- Friday, Oct. 25 Miami (OH)
- Saturday, Oct. 26 Miami (OH)
- Friday, Nov. 8 Yale * ^
- Saturday, Nov. 9 Brown * ^
- Friday, Nov. 22 Princeton *
- Saturday, Nov. 23 Quinnipiac *
- Friday, Jan. 24 Harvard *
- Saturday, Jan. 25 Dartmouth *
- Saturday, Feb. 8 Cornell *
- Friday, Feb. 14 Rensselaer *
- Saturday, Feb. 15 Union *
- Friday, Feb. 28 Clarkson *
- Saturday, Feb. 29 St. Lawrence * &
* indicates ECAC Hockey game
^ Silver Puck Weekend
& Senior Night