Women’s Ice Breaker Tournament 2025: Full Schedule, Scores, and Highlights

The 2025 Women’s Ice Breaker Tournament marks the exciting start of another thrilling NCAA women’s hockey season. The annual event brings together some of the nation’s top college programs for a weekend of fast-paced action, setting the tone for the months ahead.

When and how to watch the Women’s Ice Breaker in 2025

The 2025 Women’s Ice Breaker tournament will take place at the M&T Bank Center in Schenectady, New York, from October 17–18, and Union will host No. 1 Wisconsin, Vermont, and Saint Anselm.

The 2025 Women’s Ice Breaker schedule is available here, along with information on how to watch each match. ET at all times:

Friday, Oct. 17

Game 1: 12:07 p.m. | No. 1 Wisconsin vs. Vermont | ESPN+
Game 2: 3:37 p.m. | Union vs. Saint Anselm | ESPN+

Saturday, Oct. 18

Game 3 (Consolation game): 12:07 p.m. | Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 | ESPN+
Game 4 (Championship game): 3:37 p.m. | Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 | ESPN+

The Women’s Ice Breaker’s History

In 2019, Mercyhurst hosted Colgate, UConn, and Minnesota Duluth as part of the inaugural Women’s Ice Breaker tournament, which UMD won. Due to COVID-19, the competition was canceled in 2020 and 2021. However, it was held at a neutral location in 2022, this time at Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York.

Ohio State defeated Cornell in the championship game to win the 2024 tournament. The full history of the Women’s Ice Breaker is as follows:

YEAR	Participants (champion bolded)	Venue	host
2024	Ohio State, Cornell, Penn State, Stonehill	OhioHealth Ice Haus (Columbus, Ohio)	Ohio State
2023	St. Cloud State, Lindenwood, Northeastern, Sacred Heart	Martire Family Arena (Fairfield, Connecticut)	Sacred Heart
2022	Clarkson, Holy Cross, St. Lawrence, Syracuse	1980 Rink Herb Brooks Arena (Lake Placid, New York)	Neutral site
2021	*Not held because of COVID-19
2020	*Not held because of COVID-19
2019	Minnesota Duluth, Colgate, UConn, Mercyhurst	Buffalo Harbor Center (Buffalo, New York)	Mercyhurst

What is the Women’s Ice Breaker tournament?

To celebrate the beginning of the hockey season every year, the Hockey Commissioners Association devised the Ice Breaker. Four of the best teams in the country compete in the annual tournament; these teams usually come from various NC women’s hockey leagues.

Because of COVID-19, the Women’s Ice Breaker lost two years in 2020 and 2021 after starting in 2019. 2025 will mark the fifth edition of the competition, which was revived in 2022. While the losers of the first two games compete for third place, the victors of Games 1 and 2 compete for the championship on the second day of the Ice Breaker, which has a similar format to the Beanpot.

The M&T Bank Center in Schenectady, New York, Union’s new rink, will host the competition this year. Union will compete in the tournament alongside No. 1 Wisconsin, Vermont, and Saint Anselm. Games are set for October 17–18.