Ice Breaker Tournament

Annual sporting exhibition games for American college ice hockey teams

Ice Breaker TournamentTournament information

Sport| College ice hockey

Number of
tournaments

| 27
Teams| 4
Current champion
Omaha

The Ice Breaker Tournament (also called the Ice Breaker Invitational or the Ice Breaker Cup) is a college Division I men's ice hockey tournament played annually at the start of each season.[1]

The tournament began play in 1997 as an exhibition[2] and was created as an early-season showcase for top-ranked teams from four separate conferences. After the first year the games became an official part of the NCAA season and counted towards the standings. The participants are selected partially based upon their pre-season rankings with one of the four usually serving as the host. Twice, in 2010 and 2012, local sports commissions served as hosts when there was no local university available. Only Minnesota has played in consecutive Ice Breaker Tournaments (2013, 2014). The tournament is typically held during the opening weekend of college hockey season.

Due to the 2020 edition being cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was held twice in 2021 in successive weeks. The first tournament (East) had a predetermined schedule rather than utilizing an elimination format; the winner and placement was determined by highest record in the two games. The second tournament (West) returned to the normal championship/consolation format.[3]

The 2022 edition was co-hosted by Air Force and Denver, necessitating a predetermined schedule rather than an elimination format. The 2023 edition was co-hosted by Bemidji State and North Dakota.[4]

## Yearly results

[edit]

Year | Champion | Runner-up | Third place | Fourth place | Venue (Host)

|
|
|
|
|

2024 | Omaha | Minnesota | Massachusetts | Air Force | Orleans Arena (Minnesota)
2023 | North Dakota | Bemidji State | Wisconsin | Army | Sanford Center (Bemidji)

Ralph Engelstad Arena (Grand Forks)

2022 | Denver | Maine | Air Force | Notre Dame | Cadet Ice Arena (Colorado Springs)

Magness Arena (Denver)

2021 (West)  | Michigan | Minnesota State | Minnesota Duluth | Providence | AMSOIL Arena (Duluth)
2021 (East)  | Boston College | Quinnipiac | Northeastern | Holy Cross | DCU Center (Holy Cross)
2019 | Ohio State | RIT | Western Michigan | Bowling Green | Huntington Center (Bowling Green)
2018 | Notre Dame | Providence | Miami | Mercyhurst | Erie Insurance Arena (Mercyhurst)
2017 | Michigan Tech | Minnesota–Duluth | Minnesota | Union | AMSOIL Arena (Duluth)
2016 | Air Force | Ohio State | Boston College | Denver | Magness Arena (Denver)
2015 | North Dakota | Maine | Michigan State | Lake Superior State | Cumberland County Civic Center (Maine)
2014 | Minnesota | Rensselaer | Minnesota–Duluth | Notre Dame | Compton Family Ice Arena (Notre Dame)
2013 | Minnesota | New Hampshire | Clarkson | Mercyhurst | Mariucci Arena (Minnesota)
2012 | Notre Dame | Nebraska–Omaha | Maine | Army | Sprint Center (Kansas City Sports Commission)
2011 | Boston College | North Dakota | Michigan State | Air Force | Ralph Engelstad Arena (North Dakota)
2010 | Boston University | Notre Dame | Wisconsin | Holy Cross | Scottrade Center (St. Louis Sports Commission)
2009 | Nebraska–Omaha | Massachusetts–Lowell | St. Lawrence | Army | Qwest Center (Nebraska–Omaha)
2008 | Boston University | Michigan State | Massachusetts | North Dakota | Agganis Arena (Boston University)
2007 | Minnesota | Michigan | Boston College | Rensselaer | Xcel Energy Center (Minnesota)
2006 | Vermont | Miami | Denver | Colgate | Goggin Ice Arena (Miami)
2005 | Colorado College | Maine | Air Force | Union | World Arena (Colorado College)
2004 | New Hampshire | St. Lawrence | St. Cloud State | Ohio State | Whittemore Center (New Hampshire)
2003 | Boston College | Findlay | Michigan State | Minnesota–Duluth | Munn Ice Arena (Michigan State)
2002 | Boston University | Renssealer | Wisconsin | Northern Michigan | Kohl Center (Wisconsin)
2001 | St. Cloud State | Maine | Bowling Green | Clarkson | Alfond Arena (Maine)
2000 | New Hampshire | Colgate | Michigan†
North Dakota† | None† | Yost Ice Arena (Michigan)
1999 | Denver | Providence | Notre Dame | Union | Magness Arena (Denver)
1998 | Boston College | St. Lawrence | Minnesota | Ohio State | Mariucci Arena (Minnesota)
1997 | Michigan State | Wisconsin | Boston University | Clarkson | Dane County Coliseum (Wisconsin)

† Michigan and North Dakota declined to participate in a shootout to determine a winner[5]

## Team records

[edit]

Team | # of times participated | Titles | Conference

|
|
|

Boston College | 6 | 4 | Hockey East
Minnesota | 5 | 3 | Big Ten
Boston University | 4 | 3 | Hockey East
New Hampshire | 3 | 2 | Hockey East
North Dakota | 5 | 2 | NCHC
Michigan State | 5 | 1 | Big Ten
Notre Dame | 4 | 1 | Big Ten
Ohio State | 4 | 1 | Big Ten
Air Force | 3 | 1 | Atlantic Hockey
Denver | 3 | 1 | NCHC
Michigan | 3 | 1 | Big Ten
Nebraska–Omaha | 2 | 1 | NCHC
St. Cloud | 2 | 1 | NCHC
Colorado College | 1 | 1 | NCHC
Michigan Tech | 1 | 1 | CCHA
Vermont | 1 | 1 | Hockey East
Maine | 4 | 0 | Hockey East
Minnesota–Duluth | 4 | 0 | NCHC
Clarkson | 3 | 0 | ECAC Hockey
Rensselaer | 3 | 0 | ECAC Hockey
St. Lawrence | 3 | 0 | ECAC Hockey
Union | 3 | 0 | ECAC Hockey
Wisconsin | 4 | 0 | Big Ten
Army | 3 | 0 | Atlantic Hockey
Bowling Green | 2 | 0 | CCHA
Colgate | 2 | 0 | ECAC Hockey
Holy Cross | 2 | 0 | Atlantic Hockey
Providence | 2 | 0 | Hockey East
Bemidji State  | 1  | 0 | CCHA
Findlay | 1 | 0 | CHA
Lake Superior State | 1 | 0 | CCHA
Massachusetts | 1 | 0 | Hockey East
Massachusetts–Lowell | 1 | 0 | Hockey East
Mercyhurst | 1 | 0 | Atlantic Hockey
Miami | 1 | 0 | NCHC
Minnesota State | 1 | 0 | CCHA
Northeastern | 1 | 0 | Hockey East
Northern Michigan | 1 | 0 | CCHA
Quinnipiac | 1 | 0 | ECAC Hockey
RIT | 1 | 0 | Atlantic Hockey
Western Michigan | 1 | 0 | NCHC

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Ice Breaker Tournament". College Hockey Inc. Retrieved 2017-01-20.
2. ^ "BU men's Hockey Record Book" (PDF). Boston University Terriers. Retrieved 2017-01-20.
3. ^ "Holy Cross to host 2021 Ice Breaker Tournament". Holy Cross Crusaders. February 13, 2021. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
4. ^ "Bemidji State, North Dakota to co-host 2023 Ice Breaker Tournament". College Hockey Inc. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
5. ^ "Michigan, North Dakota Settle for Tie in Ice Breaker, 5-5". USCHO. 2000-10-07. Retrieved 2017-01-20.