MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. - The bracket for the inaugural United Collegiate Hockey Cup (UCHC) has been revealed, and the Long Island University men's ice hockey team earned the No. 3 seed in the tournament. Seeding was determined by the National Power Index (NPI).
LIU will make its program postseason debut on Thursday, March 5, versus Lindenwood University, the tournament host and No. 2 seed. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. eastern.
The Sharks finished the regular season with an NPI ranking of 44, after posting a 12-17-1 overall record with a 6-6-0 mark versus UCHC participants. LIU notably earned a dominant 6-2 win over Big Ten opponent the University of Minnesota in November, a perennial powerhouse program and five-time national champion.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks secured the No. 1 seed in the UCHC with a final NPI ranking of 36. The Nanooks finished the regular season with an overall record of 14-15-2, including wins over nationally ranked Quinnipiac University and Michigan Tech. Alaska Fairbanks posted a 9-2-1 record against the UCHC field, winning the Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup after taking six of eight against the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Lindenwood earned the No. 2 seed with a final NPI ranking of 39. The Lions set a new program record for wins in a season with an overall mark of 14-14-0. Lindenwood notched a signature win against fifth-ranked the University of Denver in October before going 6-4-0 against independent competition.
No. 4 seed Stonehill College and No. 5 seed the University of Alaska Anchorage round out the field and will face off in the tournament's opening game on Thursday for a spot in the semifinals.
Stonehill posted a 10-21-2 record with a 6-6-0 mark against independent opponents. The Skyhawks finished the regular season strong, going 5-3-0 in February. Earlier in the season, Stonehill also posted a signature 3-3 shootout win over No. 12 the University of Connecticut in November.
Alaska Anchorage concluded the 2025-26 campaign with an overall record of 5-25-1 and a 3-12-1 mark against the UCHC field. UAA picked up a hallmark 4-3 win over ranked Denver in late October.
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Tournament Schedule
Thursday, March 5th
Game 1 – (4) Stonehill vs. (5) Alaska Anchorage | 4 p.m.
Game 2 – (2) Lindenwood vs. (3) LIU | 8 p.m.
Friday, March 6th
Game 3 – (1) Alaska Fairbanks vs. Game 1 Winner | 4 p.m.
Game 4 – Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser | 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 7th
Game 5 – Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner | 4 p.m.
*3rd-Place Game
Game 6 – Game 2 Winner vs. Game 3 Winner | 8 p.m.
*Championship Game
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About the UCHC
The United Collegiate Hockey Cup will be held at Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Missouri, March 5-7, 2026, bringing together five NCAA Division I men's hockey programs - Alaska-Anchorage, Alaska-Fairbanks, Lindenwood, LIU, and Stonehill - for a high-stakes postseason showdown.
The event represents a major step forward for independent college hockey programs, providing them with a postseason championship experience and an opportunity to showcase their talent on a national stage. The UCHC is expected to draw college hockey fans, NHL scouts, and media attention, further growing the visibility of these programs.
All six games of the UCHC will be streamed exclusively on FloHockey.
Tickets
Tickets for the United Collegiate Hockey Cup can be purchased at LindenwoodLions.com/tickets. General Admission tickets start at $20 for adults and $10 for children.
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