FAIRFIELD, Conn. (August 1, 2024) – The Sacred Heart University men's ice hockey team has formally announced its 2024-25 schedule. The highlight of the 34-game slate comes Jan. 24-25, when Martire Family Arena hosts CT Ice for the first time. In all, the docket features 26 Atlantic Hockey games, 18 home contests and eight non-conference tilts.
 
Following a pair of exhibition contests the first weekend of October, SHU opens its 32^nd season of varsity competition on Oct. 11-12. The Pioneers will play two games on the road against ECAC member Colgate, in a return trip of the Raiders' season-opening appearance at Martire Family Arena last year. The following weekend will see the Pios take on Hockey East opponent Massachusetts in a home-and-home set, including Sacred Heart's home opener on Oct. 19. It will be the first meeting between the two teams since 2015.
 
"We are very excited about the non-league schedule we have put together," said head coach C.J. Marottolo. "These types of tests are what our guys crave and, in turn, help us prepare for our very competitive league schedule."
 
That league competition begins the very next week, and from there it's 15 straight Atlantic Hockey games into the semester break, including seven straight weekend series and a Dec. 3 midweek contest at home against Army. The Pios open the AHA campaign at home on Oct. 25-26 against Holy Cross and make the return trip to Worcester on Nov. 29-30, as they play all four of their contests against the Crusaders in the first two months of the season. SHU has long-distance first-half trips to Mercyhurst (Nov. 8-9) and Canisius (Dec. 6-7).
 
Sacred Heart opens the second half on the road with a standalone game at Atlantic Hockey rival American International on Dec. 28, before flipping the calendar to 2025 and hosting Air Force on Jan. 3-4.
 
The Pios step back out of conference on Jan. 10-11 to take on their second ECAC opponent of the season, as they host Cornell at Martire Family Arena. It will be the first time ever SHU has hosted Cornell and the Friday night game will be just the second meeting between the two since 2007. SHU and Cornell have split four games all-time.
 
The six non-conference games outside of CT Ice should give SHU a good measuring stick throughout the season. Both Cornell and Massachusetts were NCAA Championship qualifiers a year ago, and Colgate is no slouch either, as the Raiders finished third in the ECAC.
 
"Our goal every year is to play the best teams we can from other leagues," continued Marottolo. "Taking on these nationally prominent programs allows our guys to push themselves and compete at a high level."
 
In all, SHU is home for four straight weekends in January, as AIC makes a two-game trip to Fairfield on Jan. 17-18 and then CT Ice comes to Martire Family Arena for the first time on Jan. 24-25. Sacred Heart will open play at Connecticut's annual college hockey tournament at 7:30 p.m. on Friday against Yale, following an afternoon matchup between Connecticut and Yale.
 
"We look forward to the opportunity to host CT Ice on our campus for the first time this winter," added Marottolo. "Bringing all of the state's college hockey programs together gives hockey fans in Connecticut a weekend to circle on their calendar every year. Competing for a trophy is always special and it's another weekend for our guys to test themselves against strong non-conference programs."
 
From there, it's five straight games on the road down the stretch, beginning with a two-game trip to Niagara on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. It will be SHU's only regular-season shot at the Purple Eagles, who have eliminated the Pioneers on home ice in the Atlantic Hockey quarterfinals each of the last two seasons.
 
The Pios return home to wrap up the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 22 against Bentley. SHU will hold its Senior Night festivities prior to the game.
 
Once again, the Atlantic Hockey postseason will be spread over four consecutive weekends in March, beginning with the single-game first round featuring the sixth through 11^th seeds on March 1. The best-of-three quarterfinal and semifinal series follow, on March 7-9 and March 14-16, respectively. The two semifinal winners will meet on March 22 in the winner-take-all Atlantic Hockey title game. The better seed in each matchup will host throughout the tournament.
 
Season tickets for the team's 16 home games – excluding CT Ice – are on sale now, via Ticketmaster (link). Individual game tickets, including both days of CT Ice, are scheduled to go on sale Aug. 15.