BELMONT PARK AND BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – Long Island University, in partnership with the New York Islanders and UBS Arena, are proud to announce the creation of the Empire State Holiday Invitational. This two-day tournament will bring four NCAA Division I men's ice hockey programs to Belmont Park on December 28–29, 2026, featuring LIU, Army West Point, Ferris State and St Lawrence competing on the home ice of the New York Islanders.
The tournament begins December 28, with St. Lawrence facing Ferris State at 3 p.m., followed by LIU taking on Army West Point at 7 p.m. The tournament will conclude December 29, with all four teams returning to the ice for the second day of competition.
"We are incredibly excited to host the first Empire State Holiday Invitational and bring college hockey to UBS Arena," said Brendan Riley, LIU Men's Hockey Head Coach. "For our players, having the opportunity to compete at a venue like UBS Arena is something special, and we are looking forward to welcoming three great programs to Long Island. We want this to become an event that our teams, fans and the hockey community look forward to every year."
Tickets for this year's tournament will go on sale Friday, October 2 at 10am via Ticketmaster.
The Empire State Holiday Invitational is a centerpiece of the strategic partnership between Long Island University, the New York Islanders and UBS Arena. LIU will serve as the host institution and compete in the tournament annually, creating a new holiday college hockey tradition on Long Island.
The partnership builds on LIU's growing presence within the Long Island hockey community. LIU's Division I men's and women's hockey programs play their home games at Northwell Health Ice Center, the official practice facility of the New York Islanders.
The relationship between LIU and the Islanders was recently celebrated on campus when New York Islanders Co-Owner Jon Ledecky visited LIU as part of the University's Centennial CEO Speaker Series. During the event, members of the LIU men's and women's hockey programs named Ledecky an Honorary Captain of LIU Hockey for the 2026–27 season and presented him with a customized LIU Hockey jersey.
The Empire State Holiday Invitational represents another exciting chapter in the partnership, bringing Division I college hockey to one of the region's premier sports venues and creating a new platform to showcase the sport across Long Island and the New York metropolitan area.
2026 Empire State Holiday Invitational
December 28–29, 2026
UBS Arena | Belmont Park, New York
Participating Teams:
Long Island University
Army West Point
Ferris State University
St. Lawrence University
December 28
3 p.m. – St. Lawrence vs. Ferris State
7 p.m. – LIU vs. Army West Point
December 29
Second-day matchups featuring all four participating teams.
Tickets
On Sale Friday, October 2 at 10am via Ticketmaster
12/28:
https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/3000653C2FA229E6
12/29:
https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/3000653C2FA829E9
