Connecticut Ice is an annual ice hockey event celebrating the tradition and progress of youth and amateur hockey in the state of Connecticut. The three-day event is headlined by a four-team tournament with participation from all of the state's four Division I programs: Connecticut, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart and Yale.[1]
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Sport | College ice hockey |
| Location | Connecticut |
| Established | 2020 |
Number of tournaments | 4 |
| Format | Single-elimination |
| Venue | Webster Bank Arena (2020–2022) Home sites (2023–) |
| Teams | 4 |
| Current champion | |
| Quinnipiac | |
History
After years of organization, the first event was finally arranged for late January in 2020.[2] In addition to the collegiate tournament, the three-day event includes youth tournaments from various levels of junior ice hockey.
SportsNet New York agreed to broadcast all four games of the tournament.[3]
In 2021, in what was supposed to be the second edition of the tournament, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other problems, the virus had led Yale to cancel its entire season.[4]
After returning in 2022, the tournament ended its arrangement with the Webster Bank Arena and was played at the M&T Bank Arena, the home venue for Quinnipiac. As a result, SNY decided against broadcasting the tournament, which was renamed as the 'Connecticut Hockey Tournament'. After the season, the series reverted to being called 'Connecticut Ice' and a new arrangement was made to hold the series at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut for 2024.[5] SNY agreed to resume broadcasting the series which was also renewed until at least 2026.