ECAC Hockey men's ice hockey tournament

ECAC Hockey Tournament
Conference hockey championship
SportIce hockey
ConferenceECAC Hockey
FormatSingle-elimination, best two-of-three tournament
Current stadiumHerb Brooks Arena[1]
Current locationLake Placid, New York
Played1962–present
Last contest2024 ECAC Hockey Tournament
Current championCornell
Most championshipsCornell (13)[2]
Winner trophyWhitelaw Cup
TV partner(s)ESPN+
Official websiteThe Official Site of ECAC Hockey

The ECAC Hockey Tournament is the conference tournament for ECAC Hockey. The winner of the tournament received an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament which has occurred every year the NCAA has allowed automatic berths into the tournament. The ECAC tournament champion has only once not received an invitation to the NCAA tournament, that coming in 1963 when Harvard won its first conference championship (the second year in existence for the ECAC).

The tournament was first held in 1962, the first year of conference play. It was held at Boston Arena in Boston from 1962–66. It then moved to the much larger Boston Garden From 1967–92 (capacity for ice hockey games was 14,000+ in the Garden as opposed to the ~4,000 at the Arena). Because of a schism that occurred in the ECAC in 1984 that saw most Boston-area schools break away and form the Hockey East conference in 1984, the championship rounds moved to the Olympic Arena in Lake Placid, New York, for the next decade (1993–2002). From 2003–2010, along with a change to the tournament format, the semifinal and championship games were moved to the Pepsi Arena in Albany, New York, which changed its name to the 'Times Union Center' in 2007. From 2011 thru 2013 the final four games were held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and afterwards it was announced that the 2014 championship would return to Lake Placid and play at the since renamed Herb Brooks Arena.

History

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The Boston Garden hosted the ECAC tournament final from 1967 to 1992.
The Times Union Center hosted the ECAC tournament final from 2003 to 2010.

In 1960, two play-in games were held for the top four eastern teams that were up for two spots in the NCAA tournament. About a year and a half later, ECAC Hockey was founded and included nearly 30 programs. Despite the cumbersome arrangement, the league held its first conference tournament in 1962 and has crowned a champion every year since with the exception of 2020 (as of 2023).

In response to a threat from the Ivy League schools to split from the conference over scheduling disagreements, the six teams that comprised the East Division left the conference to form Hockey East in 1984. ECAC Hockey still contained eleven teams after the break and was able to retain its automatic bid to the tournament, a necessity for the stability of a conference.

The tournament was first hosted at the Boston Arena and was moved to the Boston Garden in 1967. The tournament remained there from 1967 through 1992 and was succeeded by the Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York, from 1993 to 2002 and again from 2014 to the present. The Times Union Center and the Boardwalk Hall have also hosted ECAC tournament championships.

Cornell has won the most ECAC Hockey championships with 13 and also has the most championship game appearances with 24. Current Cornell coach Mike Schafer has won the most championships with six and also has coached in the most championship games with 12 appearances.

In 1989 the championship trophy was renamed in honor of retiring commissioner Robert Whitelaw.[3]

Formats

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1962

The ECAC Hockey Tournament format begins as a single-game elimination three-round format featuring the top eight teams in the standings.

1983

The quarterfinal round is changed to a two-game format where if the two teams are tied afterwards a 'mini-game' is held to determine who advances. Overtime is not played in the quarterfinals outside the 'mini-games'

1990

Two preliminary games are added to determine the final two qualifiers in the tournament played between the teams that finished seventh thru tenth in the standings.

1992

The quarterfinal round was changed to a single-elimination format.

1993

The quarterfinal round was converted into a modified best-of-three series where the first team to receive three points would advance (2 points for a win 1 point for a tie) with only the third game permitted to continue past a 5-minute overtime if the score was still tied.

1998

The preliminary round was scrapped and the quarterfinal round expanded into 5 modified best-of-three series. The two lowest-seeded teams to advance out of the quarterfinals would then play in a single 'Four vs. Five' game to determine the final semifinalist.

2000

The quarterfinal round was altered to include standard best-of-three series with no ties allowed.

2003

ECAC Hockey adds a fourth round to the tournament (called the 'First Round') and includes all 12 conference teams in the tournament. The First round pits the fifth thru twelfth teams in the standings in four best-of-three series with the winners advancing to the quarterfinals. The top four teams in the standings automatically advance to the quarterfinal round and play the remaining four teams in reverse order of their finish in the standings in a second best-of-three round. The semifinal, third-place and championship games are all single-elimination.

2014

The third place game is eliminated.[4]

2021

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only four competing institutions will compete in a single-elimination championship over the course of one championship weekend.[5]

2023

After 20 years, the opening round of the tournament gets changed to single-elimination, replacing the best-of-three format prior; the quarterfinals remain best-of-three, however, along with the semifinals and final both being single games.

Champions

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Year Winning team Coach Losing team Coach Score Location Venue Ref
1962 St. Lawrence George Menard Clarkson Len Ceglarski 5–2 Boston Boston Arena [6]
1963 Harvard Cooney Weiland Boston College John Kelley 4–3 (OT) Boston Boston Arena
1964 Providence Tom Eccleston St. Lawrence George Menard 3–1 Boston Boston Arena
1965 Boston College John Kelley Brown James Fullerton 6–2 Boston Boston Arena
1966 Clarkson Len Ceglarski Cornell Ned Harkness 6–2 Boston Boston Arena
1967 Cornell Ned Harkness Boston University Jack Kelley 4–3 Boston Boston Garden
1968 Cornell Ned Harkness Boston College John Kelley 6–3 Boston Boston Garden
1969 Cornell Ned Harkness Harvard Cooney Weiland 4–2 Boston Boston Garden
1970 Cornell Ned Harkness Clarkson Len Ceglarski 3–2 Boston Boston Garden
1971 Harvard Cooney Weiland Clarkson Len Ceglarski 7–4 Boston Boston Garden
1972 Boston University Jack Kelley Cornell Dick Bertrand 4–1 Boston Boston Garden
1973 Cornell Dick Bertrand Boston College Len Ceglarski 3–2 Boston Boston Garden
1974 Boston University Jack Parker Harvard Bill Cleary 4–2 Boston Boston Garden
1975 Boston University Jack Parker Harvard Bill Cleary 7–3 Boston Boston Garden
1976 Boston University Jack Parker Brown Richard Toomey 9–2 Boston Boston Garden
1977 Boston University Jack Parker New Hampshire Charlie Holt 8–6 Boston Boston Garden
1978 Boston College Len Ceglarski Providence Lou Lamoriello 4–2 Boston Boston Garden
1979 New Hampshire Charlie Holt Dartmouth George Crowe 3–2 Boston Boston Garden
1980 Cornell Dick Bertrand Dartmouth George Crowe 5–1 Boston Boston Garden
1981 Providence Lou Lamoriello Cornell Dick Bertrand 8–4 Boston Boston Garden
1982 Northeastern Fern Flaman Harvard Bill Cleary 5–2 Boston Boston Garden
1983 Harvard Bill Cleary Providence Lou Lamoriello 4–1 (OT) Boston Boston Garden
1984 Rensselaer Mike Addesa Boston University Jack Parker 5–2 Boston Boston Garden
1985 Rensselaer Mike Addesa Harvard Bill Cleary 5–1 Boston Boston Garden
1986 Cornell Lou Reycroft Clarkson Cap Raeder 3–2 (OT) Boston Boston Garden
1987 Harvard Bill Cleary St. Lawrence Joe Marsh 6–3 Boston Boston Garden
1988 St. Lawrence Joe Marsh Clarkson Cap Raeder 3–0 Boston Boston Garden
1989 St. Lawrence Joe Marsh Vermont Mike Gilligan 4–1 Boston Boston Garden
1990 Colgate Terry Slater Rensselaer Buddy Powers 5–4 Boston Boston Garden
1991 Clarkson Mark Morris St. Lawrence Joe Marsh 5–4 Boston Boston Garden
1992 St. Lawrence Joe Marsh Cornell Brian McCutcheon 4–2 Boston Boston Garden
1993 Clarkson Mark Morris Brown Bob Gaudet 3–1 Lake Placid, New York Olympic Arena
1994 Harvard Ronn Tomassoni Rensselaer Buddy Powers 3–0 Lake Placid, New York Olympic Arena
1995 Rensselaer Dan Fridgen Princeton Don Cahoon 5–1 Lake Placid, New York Olympic Arena
1996 Cornell Mike Schafer Harvard Ronn Tomassoni 2–1 Lake Placid, New York Olympic Arena
1997 Cornell Mike Schafer Clarkson Mark Morris 2–1 Lake Placid, New York Olympic Arena
1998 Princeton Don Cahoon Clarkson Mark Morris 5–4 (OT) Lake Placid, New York Olympic Arena
1999 Clarkson Mark Morris St. Lawrence Joe Marsh 3–2 Lake Placid, New York Olympic Arena
2000 St. Lawrence Joe Marsh Rensselaer Dan Fridgen 2–0 Lake Placid, New York Olympic Arena
2001 St. Lawrence Joe Marsh Cornell Mike Schafer 3–1 Lake Placid, New York Olympic Arena
2002 Harvard Mark Mazzoleni Cornell Mike Schafer 4–3 (2OT) Lake Placid, New York Olympic Arena
2003 Cornell Mike Schafer Harvard Mark Mazzoleni 3–2 (OT) Albany, New York Pepsi Arena
2004 Harvard Mark Mazzoleni Clarkson George Roll 4–2 Albany, New York Pepsi Arena
2005 Cornell Mike Schafer Harvard Ted Donato 3–1 Albany, New York Pepsi Arena
2006 Harvard Ted Donato Cornell Mike Schafer 6–2 Albany, New York Pepsi Arena
2007 Clarkson George Roll Quinnipiac Rand Pecknold 4–2 Albany, New York Times Union Center
2008 Princeton Guy Gadowsky Harvard Ted Donato 4–1 Albany, New York Times Union Center
2009 Yale Keith Allain Cornell Mike Schafer 5–0 Albany, New York Times Union Center
2010 Cornell Mike Schafer Union Nate Leaman 3–0 Albany, New York Times Union Center
2011 Yale Keith Allain Cornell Mike Schafer 6–0 Atlantic City, New Jersey Boardwalk Hall
2012 Union Rick Bennett Harvard Ted Donato 3–2 Atlantic City, New Jersey Boardwalk Hall
2013 Union Rick Bennett Brown Brendan Whittet 3–1 Atlantic City, New Jersey Boardwalk Hall
2014 Union Rick Bennett Colgate Don Vaughan 5–2 Lake Placid, New York Herb Brooks Arena
2015 Harvard Ted Donato Colgate Don Vaughan 4–2 Lake Placid, New York Herb Brooks Arena
2016 Quinnipiac Rand Pecknold Harvard Ted Donato 4–1 Lake Placid, New York Herb Brooks Arena
2017 Harvard Ted Donato Cornell Mike Schafer 4–1 Lake Placid, New York Herb Brooks Arena
2018 Princeton Ron Fogarty Clarkson Casey Jones 2–1 (OT) Lake Placid, New York Herb Brooks Arena
2019 Clarkson Casey Jones Cornell Mike Schafer 3–2 (OT) Lake Placid, New York Herb Brooks Arena
2020 Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic [7]
2021 St. Lawrence Brent Brekke Quinnipiac Rand Pecknold 3–2 (OT) Hamden, Connecticut People's United Center
2022 Harvard Ted Donato Quinnipiac Rand Pecknold 3–2 (OT) Lake Placid, New York Herb Brooks Arena
2023 Colgate Don Vaughan Harvard Ted Donato 3–2 Lake Placid, New York Herb Brooks Arena
2024 Cornell Mike Schafer St. Lawrence Brent Brekke 3–1 Lake Placid, New York Herb Brooks Arena

Performance by team

[edit]

The code in each cell represents the furthest the team made it in the respective tournament:

  •  –  Team not in ECAC Hockey
  •  FR  Preliminary / First round (4 teams from 1990 to 1997, 10 teams from 1998 to 2002, 8 teams afterwards)
  •  QF  Quarterfinals (2 teams from 1998 to 2002, no quarterfinals in 2021)
  •  SF  Semifinals (2 teams 2021)
  •  F  Finals
  •  CH  Champion

Note: the remainder of the 2020 tournament was cancelled prior to the start of the quarterfinal round.

School # QF SF F CH 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Cornell 53 49 39 23 12 QF F CH CH CH CH SF F CH SF SF SF SF QF SF CH F SF CH QF SF SF SF F QF QF CH CH QF FR SF F F CH QF CH F QF SF F CH F SF QF SF FR QF F SF F QF – QF SF
Harvard 53 45 35 23 11 SF CH QF QF QF F SF CH SF QF F F SF F CH QF F SF CH SF SF QF SF QF SF CH QF F QF SF FR FR SF CH F CH F CH QF F FR QF QF F FR FR CH F CH SF SF QF – CH F
St. Lawrence 50 35 19 11 7 CH SF F QF SF QF QF QF QF QF SF QF QF F CH CH QF F CH QF FR FR QF FR FR F CH CH FR FR QF QF QF SF FR SF SF QF FR QF QF SF SF QF FR FR FR CH QF QF
Clarkson 60 49 34 15 6 F SF SF SF CH QF SF SF F F QF SF QF QF SF QF QF SF SF SF QF SF SF F QF F QF SF CH SF CH SF SF SF F F CH QF FR SF FR F QF QF CH QF FR FR FR FR FR QF FR QF QF F CH QF SF QF
Boston University 17 17 15 7 5 SF SF F SF SF SF SF CH QF CH CH CH CH SF SF QF F – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Rensselaer 50 34 14 6 3 QF SF QF QF QF QF SF QF QF QF QF CH CH QF SF QF QF F QF SF SF F CH QF SF FR SF F FR SF QF QF FR FR FR FR QF FR FR QF FR FR QF QF FR FR FR QF – QF FR
Princeton 36 16 7 4 3 QF QF QF FR FR QF QF FR F FR SF CH SF FR FR FR FR FR FR FR QF CH SF FR FR FR FR FR FR FR QF CH FR QF – FR QF
Union 25 14 5 4 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – QF FR QF FR FR FR FR FR FR FR QF QF F QF CH CH CH QF FR SF QF QF FR – QF FR
Boston College 17 17 7 5 2 QF F QF CH QF SF F QF QF F QF QF CH QF QF QF SF – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Colgate 46 35 15 4 2 QF QF QF QF QF SF QF QF QF QF QF QF QF CH QF FR QF QF SF QF FR FR QF SF FR QF SF SF SF QF SF FR QF SF SF FR F F FR FR QF FR QF SF SF CH
Providence 16 16 5 4 2 QF QF CH QF QF QF QF QF QF F QF SF CH QF F QF – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Yale 37 27 6 2 2 QF QF QF QF SF SF QF QF QF QF QF QF SF FR FR FR FR QF FR FR QF FR QF CH QF CH QF SF QF QF QF QF FR QF QF – FR QF
Quinnipiac 17 16 8 4 1 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – QF F QF QF QF QF QF SF SF SF CH SF QF QF QF F F SF
New Hampshire 14 14 5 2 1 – – QF QF SF QF QF QF QF F QF CH QF SF SF QF – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Northeastern 4 4 1 1 1 QF QF QF CH – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Brown 41 24 10 3 0 QF F SF QF QF QF QF QF F QF SF QF QF FR QF F SF QF QF FR FR FR SF QF QF FR FR FR QF SF FR FR SF FR FR FR FR FR SF FR – FR FR
Dartmouth 30 20 9 2 0 QF QF QF F F FR FR FR SF QF SF SF QF SF SF FR FR FR SF QF QF QF QF SF FR QF QF FR – FR FR
Vermont 21 15 5 1 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – SF QF QF QF QF SF F FR QF FR FR QF QF SF QF FR FR QF QF FR SF – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Pennsylvania 3 3 1 0 0 – – – – – – QF QF SF – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Colby 1 1 1 0 0 SF – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Army 3 3 0 0 0 QF QF QF – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Maine 1 1 0 0 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – QF – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

References

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  1. ^ "ECAC Men's Hockey Championships". Whiteface Lake Placid. Archived from the original on 2013-05-15. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  2. ^ "ECAC Hockey Tournament". College Hockey Historical Archive. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  3. ^ "Cleary & Whitelaw Cups" (PDF). ECAC Hockey. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  4. ^ https://dailygazette.com/blog/parting-schotts/ecac-hockey-tournament-third-place-game-eliminated [dead link‍]
  5. ^ "ECAC Hockey Announces Upcoming Postseason Information". ecachockey.com. February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  6. ^ "ECAC Hockey Tournament". College Hockey Historical Archive. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  7. ^ "ECAC Hockey Cancels Remainder of Men's Tournament". ecachockey.com. March 12, 2020. Archived from the original on March 18, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  8. ^ "Cornell Men's Team History". Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  9. ^ "Harvard Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  10. ^ "Clarkson Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  11. ^ "St. Lawrence Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  12. ^ "Boston University Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  13. ^ "Rensselaer Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  14. ^ "Boston College Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  15. ^ "Brown Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  16. ^ "Providence Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  17. ^ "Princeton Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  18. ^ "Union Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  19. ^ "Dartmouth Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  20. ^ "New Hampshire Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  21. ^ "Yale Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  22. ^ "Colgate Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  23. ^ "Northeastern Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  24. ^ "Quinnipiac Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  25. ^ "Vermont Men's Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
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