LOWELL, Mass. – UMass Lowell Ice Hockey Head Coach
Norm Bazin unveiled the River Hawks' complete 2023-24 competition schedule on Tuesday. The squad will open the new campaign with a trek to Alaska Anchorage for a two-game set on October 7-8.
The 2023-24 schedule features a total of 35 regular-season contests with opponents from four different athletic conferences outside of Hockey East.
"We are excited to announce our upcoming schedule, which includes games against NCHC, Atlantic, ECAC and Independent institutions," said Bazin. "That combination of opponents will give us a good look into the different leagues."
The new slate will also keep the River Hawks on the road more than most years with 19 contests away from friendly confines. However, the challenge presents the opportunity to prep for postseason life on the road early on.
"Looking at this year's schedule, playing so many road games will be the biggest challenge for our hockey club," added Bazin.
The squad will visit Colgate for two games on Oct. 20-21 before welcoming back all of River Hawk Nation to the Tsongas Center for the 2023 home opener on Oct. 27 against Hockey East foe UConn. UMass Lowell last squared off against the Huskies in the quarterfinal round of the 2022 Hockey East Tournament, picking up a 2-1 road win to propel the team to its third consecutive semifinal appearance.
Weekend home-and-homes with league rivals Boston College (Nov. 3-4), Boston University (Nov. 10-11) and Merrimack (Nov. 17-18) make for an exciting start to the month of November.
The River Hawks close out the month with its first of two in-season tournaments, the Turkey Leg Classic, on November 24-25. The team will host the event in conjunction with Merrimack, and battle Bentley and Army for this year's Turkey Leg title after defeating Rensselaer and Penn State to win the championship in the 2019 installment of the same tournament.
UMass Lowell welcomes two non-conference opponents to Tsongas during the month of December, as a visit from Holy Cross is scheduled for Dec. 8, followed by a Dec. 30 matinee against AIC.
The new year begins at the Desert Hockey Classic, a tournament hosted by Arizona State that features Harvard and Omaha in addition to UMass Lowell, on January 5-6.
"This year's team will have an opportunity to compete in two in-season tournaments," explained Bazin. "These weekend tournaments challenge our players to play for trophies and face the obstacles of making crucial team-first plays in adverse situations. These events also mimic the late-season NCAA Tournament opportunities that we are hoping to play in at the end of the year."
The River Hawks are then slated to spend two days at Maine (Jan. 19-20) and host Providence (Jan. 26-27) in the first game of a weekend series to wrap up the month of January.
February is highlighted by a four-game homestand against BC (Feb. 2), Vermont (Feb. 9-10) and Northeastern (Feb. 16). The River Hawks will then take on system rival Massachusetts on March 1-2 before closing out the regular season against New Hampshire (March 8-9). The 2024 Hockey East Tournament is set for March 13-23.
"Hockey East continues to get even more competitive from top to bottom," concluded Bazin. "We will need to continue improving if we want to finish in the top half of our league again. That top-half finish gives us the best chance at winning Hockey East at the end of the season."
Season ticket membership unlocks savings of nearly 60 percent off Box Office prices and the best seats in the house for River Hawk hockey. Talk to a River Hawk representative to find your seat or find more information at www.GoRiverHawks.com/seasontickets. For specific seat availability or information on booking your group experience for the 2023-2024 season, contact Tyler Kenney (Tyler_Kenney@uml.edu | 978-934-5739). Group outings start at just 10 tickets, and include the opportunity to get on the ice with the River Hawks and more.
Single Game Tickets and Mini Plan Packages will be available for purchase later in the summer, along with a full promotional schedule. Game times, dates and promotions are subject to change.
