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// SEPTEMBER 2026 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM
A HISTORIC
SETTING
PHOTOS BY Bigstock; Unversity of Utah; ACHA
The American Collegiate Hockey Association Hosting
Historic Fall Faceoff Invitational in Lake Placid
here was excitement around
t h e g r o w i n g A m e r i c a n
Collegiate Hockey Association
well before it scheduled games
in one of America's most famous
rinks for the inaugural Lake
Placid Fall Faceoff Invitational (Sept. 18-20).
N o w t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f U t a h m e n 's
and women's hockey teams, as well as 23
additional club hockey teams, are stoked for
the September collegiate hockey showcase,
which begins with a stand-alone matchup
between the Utes men's team and North
C a r o l i n a S t a t e i n h i s t o r i c H e r b B r o o k s
Arena—the site of the 1980 Miracle on Ice.
"There's very few places in American hockey
history where a building itself can inspire a
team and the Herb Brooks Arena is one of
them," said Morgan Feenie, Utah's head coach.
"It gives me goosebumps."
The 36-game event features teams from
all five ACHA divisions – men's division 1, 2
and 3 and women's division 1 and 2. Schools
from across the nation are making the trek
to upstate New York, including Weber State,
Central Maine Community College and the
University of Tampa.
All the Fall Faceoff teams will play three
contests at Lake Placid's Olympic Center,
including at least one at Herb Brooks Arena.
By JOE PAISLEY
The Olympic Center
first opened in 1932
ahead of the Olympic
Winter Games.
