The final four ECAC teams will meet in the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena for a single-elimination tournament with an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I tournament and the Scott M. Whitelaw Cup on the line.

The 12-team ECAC men’s hockey tournament will begin in early March with a single-game format, followed by best-of-three quarterfinal matchups. The first two rounds are played at respective schools based on seeding in the tournament. The four teams that qualify for the semifinal round earn a spot in Lake Placid, with the winner receiving an automatic entry into the 16-team NCAA tournament that determines the national champion.

Last year, 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 won 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.

Those interested can purchase tickets, at https://tinyurl.com/5n7vscb6.