ERIE, Pa. -- The University of Notre Dame hockey team will take part in the 2018 Ice Breaker Tournament on Oct. 12-13 at the Erie Insurance Arena the Erie Sports Commission, Mercyhurst University and College Hockey Inc., announced in a joint press conference on Thursday afternoon.

The Fighting Irish will join Mercyhurst University, Providence College and Miami University to form the 2018 tournament field. In the first round (Oct. 12), the Friars will play the Redhawks, while Notre Dame will play the host Lakers in the second game. The consolation and championship games will then be played on the following day (Oct. 13.).

Hosted by College Hockey Inc., the annual Ice Breaker Tournament is played at the start of each college hockey season and brings together four teams from different conferences. The tournament began in 1997. For a complete tournament history, click here.

Tickets to the 2018 Ice Breaker Tournament, presented by LECOM, will be available for purchase on Thursday, November 22 through the Erie Insurance Arena box office. Weekend passes can be purchased for $49 and provide access to all four games. Day passes will go on sale at a later date.

Notre Dame has previously played in the Ice Breaker in 1999 (Denver, Colorado), 2012 (Kansas City, Missouri) and hosted in 2014 (Notre Dame, Indiana). In 2012, the Irish downed Maine, 1-0, and Nebraska Omaha, 3-2, to win the championship.

The Irish will open the 2017-18 season with a home exhibition contest versus the USNTDP (U18) at 5:05 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 1 and then will get into regular-season play the following weekend with a home series against Alabama-Huntsville (Oct. 6-7). To purchase tickets, click here.