The No. 3 Utica College men's hockey team is the #1 seed in this weekend's UCHC playoffs and receives a bye to the semi-finals where they'll play a two game series on Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Adirondack Bank Center.  Utica will play the lowest seed to advance from the quarter final round, against either Elmira, Nazareth or Neumann.

The series winner will be determined during the two game series, or in the event of a series tie after Sunday's game, a mini-game format will be played immediately following game two.

According to UCHC tournament rules for the mini-game, teams will play a single 20 minute period at regular 5-on-5 strength. The higher scoring team at the end of that period is declared the winner and advancing team. If the score is tied at the end of that period, the minigame will have another fifteen minute intermission, followed by a 20 minute sudden death overtime period. The teams will play additional 20 minute periods, separated by 15 minute intermissions, until someone scores to advance.

If Utica wins their semi-final round this weekend, they will play the winner of the other semi-final game from Wilkes at the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica for the championship on March 6th and 7th, at a time to be determined. The winner of the UCHC playoffs will receive an automatic bid into NCAA Division III men's hockey tournament.

Tickets for Saturday and Sunday's games go on sale to the general public Monday morning (Feb. 24, 2020) at 10 am at the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica or by going online at Empire State Tickets. Season ticket holders will have until the end of the day on Wednesday to claim and purchase their seats; after that, those tickets will go on sale to the general public.

Utica won their conference championship for the fourth straight year and seventh time in program history on Saturday with a 5-1 win over Wilkes.

More From 96.9 WOUR