COLORADO SPRINGS — The National Collegiate Hockey Conference announced on Monday the schedule for the 2020-21 hockey season.
With that, the Colorado College Tigers officially have their schedule for the new year.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league produced a 26-game, conference-only slate, opening with 10 games at Baxter Arena in Omaha, Neb., as part of the NCHC pod beginning on Tuesday, Dec. 1.
"It is exciting that we have a plan and schedule in place to start the season," Colorado College head coach Mike Haviland said. "I think everyone just wants to play and get back to some sense of normalcy. A lot of people did a lot of work to get it here. Our guys and staff are really excited to get back to playing games."
The Tigers open the campaign in the pod on Dec. 1 against Omaha, then battle St. Cloud State two days later. CC plays back-to-back contests against Western Michigan (Dec. 5) and Minnesota Duluth (Dec. 6) before taking on Omaha again on Dec. 9.
The second half of the pod begins on Dec. 11 against Western Michigan, followed by Minnesota Duluth on Dec. 13. The Tigers' first game against Miami University is slated for Dec. 15, while the rematches vs. St. Cloud State and Miami are scheduled for Dec. 18 and 19, respectively.
The second portion of the season will then take place January through March, with all divisional foes playing each other at home and on the road.
Therefore, the Tigers will face in-state rival and No. 5-ranked Denver as well as the preseason No. 1 team in the country, North Dakota, six times apiece, in addition to four more games against Omaha.
CC's first home game will take place on Jan. 1 against Denver, the first of four consecutive contests with the Pioneers. After hosting Omaha on Jan. 15-16, the Tigers travel to Grand Forks for a three-game weekend series against North Dakota.
Two games in Omaha are followed by a three-game home weekend series with North Dakota and the regular season wraps up with a pair of games against Denver.
