The bracket for the inaugural United Collegiate Hockey Cup has been finalized. Seeding was determined by the National Power Index (NPI), with Alaska Fairbanks securing the No. 1 seed with a final NPI ranking of 36.
The Nanooks finished the regular season with an overall record of 14-15-2, which included wins over nationally ranked Quinnipiac and Michigan Tech. Alaska posted a 9-2-1 record against the UCHC field, winning the Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup after taking six of eight against Alaska Anchorage.
Lindenwood will enter the tournament as the second seed with a final NPI ranking of 39. The Lions set a new program record for wins in a season with an overall mark of 14-14-0. LU notched a signature win against No. 5 Denver in October before going 6-4-0 against independent competition.
Facing Lindenwood as the No. 3 seed will be Long Island, who finished the regular season with an NPI ranking of 44. The Sharks went 12-17-1 overall with a 6-6-0 record versus UCHC participants. LIU also added a dominant 6-2 win over Big Ten opponent Minnesota to their resume in November.
Rounding out the field are No. 4 seed Stonehill and No. 5 seed Alaska Anchorage, who will face off in the tournament's opening game on Thursday, March 5th for a spot in the semifinals.
The Skyhawks posted a 10-21-2 record with a 6-6-0 mark against independent opponents. Stonehill finished the regular season strong, going 5-3-0 in February with a split against Lindenwood and three wins over LIU. The Skyhawks also bagged a signature 3-3 shootout win over No. 12 UConn in November.
Meanwhile, the Seawolves concluded the 2025-26 campaign with an overall record of 5-25-1 with a 3-12-1 mark against the UCHC field. UAA picked up a hallmark 4-3 win over ranked Denver in late October.
Tournament Schedule
Thursday, March 5th
Game 1 – No. 4 Stonehill vs. No. 5 Alaska Anchorage | 3:00 p.m. CT
Game 2 – No. 2 Lindenwood vs. No. 3 LIU | 7:00 p.m. CT
Friday, March 6th
Game 3 – No. 1 Alaska Fairbanks vs. G1 Winner | 3:00 p.m. CT
Game 4 – G1 Loser vs. G2 Loser | 7:00 p.m. CT
Saturday, March 7th
Game 5 – G3 Loser vs. G4 Winner | 3:00 p.m. CT
Game 6 – G2 Winner vs. G3 Winner | 7:00 p.m. CT
About the UCHC
The United Collegiate Hockey Cup will be held in Maryland Heights, Missouri from March 5-7, 2026, bringing together five NCAA Division I men's hockey programs - Alaska-Anchorage, Alaska-Fairbanks, Lindenwood, Long Island, and Stonehill - for a high-stakes postseason showdown.
The event represents a major step forward for independent college hockey programs, providing them with a postseason championship experience and an opportunity to showcase their talent on a national stage. The United Collegiate Hockey Cup is expected to draw college hockey fans, NHL scouts, and media attention, further growing the visibility of these programs.
All six games of the UCHC will be streamed exclusively on FloHockey.
Tickets
Tickets for the United Collegiate Hockey Cup can be purchased at LindenwoodLions.com/tickets. General Admission tickets start at a cost of $20 for adults and $10 for children.
