LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell ice hockey team's full 2026-27 slate has been revealed, with the season kicking off against Clarkson on Friday, October 9.
The schedule will consist of 34 total regular-season games with opponents from three different athletic conferences, including Hockey East. The 2026-27 campaign also marks the 60th season of UMass Lowell Hockey.
The new slate will feature 21 home dates at the Tsongas Center, including 19 regular-season contests and two exhibition games against Concordia on Oct. 2 and Holy Cross on Dec. 28. The 21 home dates are tied for the most scheduled home games in a season in program history. UMass Lowell also played 21 home games in 2014-15, consisting of 17 regular-season games, three Hockey East playoff contests and one exhibition game.
Following the exhibition opener against Concordia, the River Hawks will officially begin the regular season with a pair of home contests against Clarkson on Oct. 9 and St. Lawrence on Oct. 10. UMass Lowell will then welcome Arizona State to Lowell for a two-game series on Oct. 16 and 17.
That brings the team into Hockey East play, beginning with a home-and-home series against Providence on Oct. 23 and 24. The River Hawks will then close out the month with a two-game road trip to Colgate on Oct. 30 and 31.
November will continue with more conference action, as UMass Lowell takes on New Hampshire in a home-and-home series on Nov. 6 and 7. The squad will then return home for a pair of ECAC Hockey matchups against Union and RPI on Nov. 13 and 14, respectively.
The River Hawks remain in Lowell the following weekend, hosting Vermont for a two-game Hockey East series on Nov. 20 and 21 before entering a Thanksgiving bye weekend.
UMass Lowell takes on two conference opponents during the month of December, beginning with a home-and-home series against Boston College on Dec. 4 and 5. The River Hawks will then host Maine on Dec. 11 to conclude the first half of the regular season.
Following a brief holiday break, UMass Lowell returns to the ice for an exhibition contest against Holy Cross on Dec. 28, preparing for the second half of the campaign.
The new year begins with a trip to New Jersey for a two-game series against Princeton on Jan. 1 and 2. The River Hawks will then return to Hockey East action with a home-and-home series against Connecticut on Jan. 7 and 9.
UMass Lowell continues conference play with a home-and-home series against Boston University on Jan. 15 and 16 before traveling to Maine for a two-game set on Jan. 22 and 23.
It will be a battle of the Commonwealth to kick off February, as the River Hawks travel to Massachusetts on Feb. 2. UMass Lowell then takes on Merrimack in a home-and-home series on Feb. 5 and 6 before hosting Northeastern for a two-game set on Feb. 12 and 13.
The two-game series against the Huskies will mark the fifth consecutive regular-season meeting between the teams at the Tsongas Center, a first in program history against any opponent. The previous record was four consecutive regular-season home games against Maine, spanning Nov. 8-9, 2019 and Jan. 3-4, 2021.
The River Hawks will wrap up the regular-season series against Massachusetts with a home-and-home matchup on Feb. 19 and 20 before closing out the regular season against Merrimack on March 5 and Boston University on March 6.
The Hockey East Playoffs are set to begin with the Opening Round on March 10.
Fans can also look forward to several marquee promotional events throughout the season. While the full 2026-27 promotional schedule is still being finalized, Homecoming Weekend is slated for Oct. 16-17 and will be highlighted by the annual outdoor fan festival on Saturday, Oct. 17. Parents and Family Weekend comes to campus on Oct. 23, when the River Hawks will also honor legendary head coach Billy Riley with a special dedication night.
Additionally, UMass Lowell will host a pair of Family Games with special 4:05 p.m. puck drops when the River Hawks welcome St. Lawrence on Oct. 10 and RPI on Nov. 14. The complete promotional schedule will be announced in August.
Season Ticket Memberships for the 2026-27 season are available now, with payment plan options and packages starting at less than $10 per game, if you click here or visit the Tsongas Center box office. Group opportunities, including the Rockland Trust River Hawk Experience Youth Hockey skate and pregame ice time, are also available. Contact groupsales@uml.edu for more information on availability. Single-game tickets will go on sale on Sept. 7.
