Alaska, UConn, Ferris State, defending champ Wisconsin announced as field for 2024 Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off men’s college hockey tournament

Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum has hosted the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off since 2021 (photo: fiservforum.com).

The fourth annual Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off men’s college hockey tournament returns to Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum on Dec. 28-29, featuring No. 5 Wisconsin, UConn, Alaska and Ferris State.

Single-day tickets at Ticketmaster.com.

Semifinal play will take place on Saturday, Dec. 28, with the championship and third-place games on Sunday, Dec. 29. Matchups and times will be announced at a future date.

Wisconsin returns to the tournament to defend its 2023 Holiday Face-Off title. Wisconsin has three consecutive championship game appearances and won the inaugural tournament in 2021. The 2023-24 Badgers finished second in the Big Ten with a regular-season record of 25-9-2, marking their first 25-win regular season since 2000. Wisconsin has 26 NCAA tournament appearances and six National Championships on its resume.

UConn is under the direction of tenth-year head coach Mike Cavanaugh. The Huskies wrap up their regular season tonight against Vermont before the Hockey East tournament.

Alaska is led by head coach Erik Largen, a former goaltender who was the youngest NCAA ice hockey head coach when he joined the program in 2018. The Nanooks currently sit at 15-14-3 heading into their final two games of the season.

Ferris State, led by two-time CCHA coach of the year Bob Daniels, has made four NCAA tournament appearances.

In the 2023 Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off, Wisconsin shut out Northeastern 3-0 to capture their second event title after shutting out Air Force 3-0 in their semifinal matchup.