SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Coming off its first NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship, Union College has released its men's hockey schedule for the 2014-15 season. Union will be embarking on its 24th Division I season and it's 72nd varsity campaign overall.  For season ticket renewals, click here.

Union's schedule the first six weeks is heavy in home dates, as the Dutchmen play nine of 12 games at Messa Rink.  Coach Rick Bennett's squad will raise its championship banners on opening night, Oct. 10, with an 8:00 p.m. faceoff against American International.  Other non-conference opponents visiting Messa include New Hampshire (Oct. 11) and St. Cloud State (Oct. 24-25).

Union travels to a pair of holiday tournaments, facing off against Notre Dame (Nov. 28) and either Ohio State or Western Michigan (Nov. 29) at the Shillelagh Tournament in South Bend over Thanksgiving weekend.  The "U" also takes part in the inaugural Frozen Holiday Classic, meeting host UConn (Dec. 27) and either Sacred Heart or UMass-Lowell (Dec. 28) at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport – the building in which Union has won two NCAA East Regionals.  The Garnet and White also play a non-conference series at Maine (Oct. 17-18).

The Dutchmen begin defense of their Cleary Cup with the ECAC Hockey opener Halloween Night at Rensselaer.  RPI returns the next night to Messa and the teams square off in the third annual Capital District Mayor's Cup on January 24 at the Times Union Center in Albany.  Union will be designated the home team for that non-conference, neutral site event.

"Once again, our schedule is loaded with quality opponents," says Bennett, who enters his fourth season at Union.  "In past years, the toughness of our ECAC Hockey schedule has really prepared us for the postseason, and we expect that will be the case again this season."

The Dutchmen will play 22 conference games and close the regular season at home, hosting Clarkson February 28 on Seniors Night.

For the complete schedule, click here.