Women's Hockey Gets its Turn at Friendship Series in Northern Ireland: Puck Drop

The men got their shot, now its the women's turn, who will also make history at the Friendship Series in Northern Ireland beginning Friday.

Although women's college teams have been making the trip across the Atlantic Ocean since 2019, it had previously been just two teams playing a two game series. Northeastern defeated Clarkson in the event debut, with Quinnipiac defeating Merrimack in 2020, and Princeton over Providence in 2024.

Just like their male counterparts — as Union, Miami, Sacred Heart, and RIT competed in the latest Friendship Four around the Thanksgiving holiday (won by the Redhawks) at at SSE Arena — the women will have four teams this time, playing in a tournament format.

That'll make it like the men as well in that it's the only NCAA Division I women's ice hockey tournament to take place outside of North America. It'll feature Harvard vs. No. 5 Minnesota Duluth in the opener, followed by Boston University vs. No. 8 Quinnipiac. The winners will play for the Belpot trophy.

Quinnipiac has been there before, but it's the first international game for the other programs, and UMD is the first non-East Coast team to make the trip. Boston University and Harvard could also play in a preview of the upcoming women's Beanpot.

An interesting sidebar story to the tournament is Harvard head coach Laura Bellamy, who was raised in Duluth, Minn. As a goaltender she played for the Crimson and subsequently began her coaching career with he alma mater, but then spent eight seasons as a UMD assistant coach and associate head coach.

UMD is 17-5-1 all-time against Harvard, and is riding a seven-game winning streak against the Crimson. Meanwhile, BU is 4-1-1 all time against Quinnipiac, but they haven't played since 2016.

Greetings from Dublin and Belfast! Excited for @UMDWHockey to rep the @WCHA_WHockey in the 2026 @Friendship_Four pic.twitter.com/DwkSy8xrwS
— Michelle McAteer (@mmcateer19) December 31, 2025

Puck Drop: Friday, January 2, 2025

• Although Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, out of the U.S. National Development Team, was at Florida's practice at loanDepot park, he's been ruled out for the Winter Classic against the New York Rangers on Friday (8 p.m. ET, TNT). He's yet to be cleared for contact after having surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia on Aug. 22.

• Team Canada general manager Doug Armstrong on former Boston University center Macklin Celebrini being named to the Olympic team that will compete at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games: "He’s really taken off,” Armstrong said per NHL.com. "He’s gone to the Worlds, he fit in well socially with the top players in the game, and his product on the ice speaks for itself. So he worked his way on." Celebrini is still only 19 but is already considered one of the frontruners for the NHL's MVP award this season, the Hart Memorial Trophy. "His resume is shorter, but it’s extremely filled for his age."

• Reminder: Team USA for the Olympic and Paralympics will be announced at 8:25 a.m. ET on the Today Show.

• Boston University defenseman Cole Hutson participated in a full practice with the U.S. Junior National Team and is expected to play in Friday's quarterfinal against Finland. Hutson also met with reporters and talked about taking the puck in the back of the head against Switzerland last Saturday. “I regained consciousness as I was kind of wheeling off the ice (on a stretcher). I was laying down for like … it felt like forever, but it’s probably like two or three minutes, and [Cole Eiserman] was telling me, like, ‘Grab my hand.’ And I was like, ‘Dude, I can’t move my body.’ So he bragged me head and had a little bit of feeling and but I couldn’t really move my body until I was getting wheeled off the ice.”

2026 IIHF World Junior Championship Schedule

At Minneapolis, St. Paul., Minn. (All Times ET)
Friday's Games
Relegation game: Germany vs. Denmark, 3M Arena; 12:30 p.m.
Quarterfinal : Sweden vs. Latvia, Grand Casino Arena; 2 p.m., NHLN
Quarterfinal 2: Czechia vs. Switzerland, 3M Arena; 4:30 p.m.
Quarterfinal 3: United State vs. Finland, Grand Casino Arena; 6 p.m., NHLN
Quarterfinal 4: Canada vs. Slovakia, 3M Arena; 8:30 p.m., NHLN

First practice in the new year 🏒#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/nBd2w20m8P
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) January 1, 2026

Thursday's College Hockey Scores

No Games Scheduled

Games between ranked opponents are bolded. All times are local to where the game is being played.

Weekend College Hockey Schedule

MEN
Friday, January 2
Cactus Cup (at Acrisure Arena, Palm Springs, Calif.)
UMass Lowell vs. No. 14 Minnesota State, 3:30 PT
St. Cloud State vs. Yale, 7 p.m. PT

Desert Hockey Classic (at Mullett Arena, Tempe, Ariz.)
Michigan Tech vs. Air Force, 3 p.m. MT
Alaska-Anchorage at Arizona State, 7 p.m. MT

AHA
Holy Cross at Bentley, 7 p.m. ET

CCHA
Ferris State at St. Thomas, 7:07 CT

ECAC
No. 9 Dartmouth at Princeton, 7 p.m. ET
No. 18 Harvard at No. 10 Quinnipiac, 7 p.m. ET

Non-Conference
Bowling Green at Ohio State, 6:30 ET
Omaha at No. 17 Cornell, 7 p.m. ET
No. 15 Maine at No. 6 Denver, 7 p.m. MT
No. 7 Western Michigan at Notre Dame, 7 p.m. ET
Alaska at No. 16 Providence, 7 p.m. ET
Stonehill at St. Lawrence, 7 p.m. ET
No. 12 Northeastern at Army, 7 p.m. ET
Mercyhurst at No. 4 North Dakota, 7:07 CT
Colorado College at Augustana, 7:07 CT
Canisius at Lindenwood, 7:30 CT

Exhibition
Simon Fraser at Massachusetts, 7 p.m. ET
Minnesota at Bemidji State, 7:07 CT

Saturday, January 3
Cactus Cup (at Acrisure Arena, Palm Springs, Calif.)
Third-place game
Championship

Desert Hockey Classic (at Mullett Arena, Tempe, Ariz.)
Third-place game
Championship

AHA
Sacred Heart at Robert Morris, 4 p.m. ET
Bentley at Holy Cross, 7 p.m. ET

CCHA
Northern Michigan at Lake Superior, 6:07 ET
Ferris State at St. Thomas, 6:07 CT

ECAC
No. 18 Harvard at Princeton, SNY 7 p.m. ET
No. 9 Dartmouth at No. 10 Quinnipiac, 7 p.m. ET

Non-Conference
No. 11 UConn at Long Island, 2 p.m. ET
Canisius at Lindenwood, 3:30 CT
Alaska at No. 16 Providence, 5 p.m. ET
Stonehill at St. Lawrence, 5 p.m. ET
Ohio State at Bowling Green, 6 p.m. ET
No. 15 Maine at No. 6 Denver, 6 p.m. MT
Clarkson at Niagara, 6 p.m. ET
RPI at Vermont, 6 p.m. ET
Notre Dame at No. 7 Western Michigan, 6 p.m. ET
Mercyhurst at No. 4 North Dakota, 6:07 CT
Colorado College at Augustana, 6:07 CT
Merrimack at Brown, 7 p.m. ET
Omaha at No. 17 Cornell, 7 p.m. ET
Colgate at New Hampshire, 7 p.m. ET
No. 8 Penn State at RIT, 7:05 ET

Exhibition
Simon Fraser at No. 19 Boston University, 5 p.m. ET
Royal Military at No. 20 Union, 5 p.m. ET

Sunday, January 4
Exhibition
US Under-18 at Michigan State, 4 p.m. ET

CCHA
Northern Michigan at Lake Superior, 4:07 ET

Non-Conference
RIT at No. 8 Penn State, 5 p.m. ET
Colgate at New Hampshire, 7 p.m. ET

WOMEN
Friday, January 2
2026 Friendship Series (Belfast, Northern Ireland)
Harvard vs. No. 5 Minnesota Duluth, 10 p.m. ET
Boston University vs. No. 8 Quinnipiac, 2 p.m. ET

AHA
Mercyhurst at Lindenwood, 4 p.m. CT
Delaware at Syracuse, 6 p.m. ET

ECAC
Rensselaer at Brown, 6 p.m. ET
Union at No. 15 Yale, 6 p.m. ET

Hockey East
No. 6 UConn at Providence, 2 p.m. ET

Non-Conference
Stonehill at No. 9 Princeton, 3 p.m. ET
No. 3 Minnesota at Sacred Heart, 5 p.m. ET
Saint Michael's at No. 11 Clarkson, 6 p.m. ET
No. 4 Penn State at No. 2 Ohio State, 6 p.m. ET
Dartmouth at Vermont, 6 p.m. ET

Saturday, January 3
2026 Friendship Series (Belfast, Northern Ireland)
Third-place game
Championship

AHA
Mercyhurst at Lindenwood, 12 p.m. CT
Delaware at Syracuse, 3 p.m. ET

ECAC
Union at Brown, 3 p.m. ET
Rensselaer at No. 15 Yale, 3 p.m. ET

Hockey East
Providence at No. 6 UConn, 3 p.m. ET
Holy Cross at Maine, 6 p.m. ET

Non-Conference
No. 3 Minnesota at Sacred Heart, 1 p.m. ET
Saint Michael's at No. 11 Clarkson, 2 p.m. ET
Long Island at New Hampshire, 2 p.m. ET
No. 14 Colgate at Boston College, 2 p.m. ET
No. 4 Penn State at No. 2 Ohio State, 3 p.m. ET
Stonehill at No. 9 Princeton, 3 p.m. ET
Vermont at Dartmouth, 4 p.m. ET
Bemidji State at Merrimack, 7 p.m. ET

Exhibition
St. Thomas at No. 13 St. Cloud State, 2 p.m. CT

Sunday, January 4
Non-Conference
Long Island at New Hampshire, 2 p.m. ET
Bemidji State at Merrimack, 7 p.m. ET

This Date in Hockey History:

January 2, 1889: Hall of Fame right wing Harry Hyland was born in Montreal.

January 2, 1952: Forward Robbie Ftorek, who played on the 1972 U.S. Olympic team that won the silver medal, was born in Needham, Mass.

January 2, 1954: Bowling Green center John Stewart was born in Toronto.

January 2, 1961: Illinois-Chicago defenseman Wade Campbell was born in Peace River, Alberta.

January 2, 1975: Minnesota Duluth center Rick Mrozik was born in Duluth, Minn.

January 2, 1980: Gordie Howe became the first player in NHL history to play in five different decades> he was 51 when the Hartford Whalers tied the Edmonton Oilers 3-3.

January 2, 1983: Michigan center Andrew Ebbett was born in Vernon, British Columbia.

January 2, 1989: Former Boston College center Craig Janney tied a Bruins rookie record with four assists during an 8-7 win over visiting St. Louis.

January 2, 1991: Former Minnesota Duluth defenseman Curt Giles became the Minnesota North Stars' all-time leader in games played (731) during a 6-2 loss to the Red Wings.

January 2, 1992: The blockbuster Doug Gilmour trade sends 10 players to new teams: Gilmour, Ric Nattress, Jamie Macoun, Rick Wamsley, and Kent Manderville to Toronto for Gary Leeman, Michel Petit, Craig Berube, Jeff Reese, and Alexander Godynyuk to Calgary.

January 2, 1993: Brian Boucher, who set the modern NHL record with five consecutive shutouts in 2003–04 and became a staple in American hockey broadcasting, was born in Woonsocket, R.I.

January 2, 1993: Former Alaska Anchorage left wing Mike Peluso tallied 24 penalty minutes as Ottawa lost to Buffalo, 7-2.

January 2, 1993: Hall of Fame goaltender Tom Barrasso became the first Penguins goaltender to record 100 victories as Pittsburgh defeated the visiting New York Rangers 5-2.

January 2, 1994: Former UMD left wing Brett Hull scored against his former team to set the St. Lous record for goals scored with 353, and also notched his 600th career NHL point, as the Blues defeated the Flames 4-3.

January 2, 1997: Former Wisconsin goaltender Mike Richter extended his winning streak to 14 games as the Rangers defeated the visiting Islanders 4-3. In the same game, Mark Messier had two goals (and an assist) to move ahead of Guy Lafleur for 11th place on the NHL’s all-time goals list with 561.

January 2, 1997: Former Michigan State center Rod Brind’Amour notched NHL goal No. 200 in a 4-1 road victory at San Jose. It extended Philadelphia’s unbeaten streak to 15 games.

January 2, 1999: Former Michigan Tech goaltender Damian Rhodes became the first goalie in NHL history to score a goal and get a shutout in the same game. He made 30 saves as Ottawa defeated visiting New Jersey 6-0. The goal wasn’t on an open net, but in the first period. He was the last Senators player to touch the puck before Lyle Odelein accidentally sent the puck into his open net during a delayed penalty.

January 2, 2001: Wisconsin right wing Cole Caufield was born in Stevens Point, Wisc.

January 2, 2009: Former Michigan left wing Max Pacioretty made his NHL debut and scored on his first shot. However, the Montreal Canadiens still lost to the New Jersey Devils, 4-1.

January 2, 2008: The Anaheim Ducks acquired former North Dakota right wing Brandon Bochenski from Boston for Shane Hnidy and a 6th round pick.

January 2, 2010: Jamie Langenbrunner, who played for the U.S. in numerous international tournaments, notched his first, and only, hat trick of his 15-year NHL career, and became just the third Minnesota-born player to get a hat trick in a game played in his home state, as the Devils defeated the Wild 5-3.

January 2, 2014: Former Minnesota right wing Kyle Okposo tied an Islanders franchise record with his fourth career regular-season overtime goal, as New York defeated Chicago 3-2.

Hockey Quote of the Day

“When you look at all the players who are in the Hall that I looked up to and tried to emulate, players like [Chris] Chelios, [Bill] Guerin, [Keith] Tkachuk, [Brian] Leetch and [Tony] Amonte, and now to be in the Hall with them, I’m certainly grateful."
Chris Drury (Boston University)

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We'll Leave You With This ...

Elle Sproule on the mic! 🎙️

Listen in as our first-year forward takes you through a practice with the Crim in Belfast! #GoCrimson x #OneCrimson pic.twitter.com/Eza8yxTSW6
— Harvard Women's Hockey (@HarvardWHockey) January 1, 2026