WORCESTER, Mass. – The Holy Cross men's ice hockey team will travel to Palm Springs, Calif. to play in the inaugural Coachella Valley Cactus Cup on January 3-4, 2025.
 
A new tournament next season, the event will be held at Acrisure Arena, home to the American Hockey League's (AHL) Coachella Valley Firebirds, an affiliate of the National Hockey League's (NHL) Seattle Kraken. Holy Cross, the University of Nebraska – Omaha, UMass Lowell, and Michigan Tech will all be featured in the four-team tournament.

"We are excited to be headed to the Cactus Cup next winter in Palm Springs, Calif.," said head coach Bill Riga. "It will be a great opportunity to compete against three great college hockey programs in an unconventional setting that will allow us to help spread the Holy Cross hockey brand and the overall college hockey product all the way to the West Coast. It should be a great weekend, and we are looking forward to it."
 
Holy Cross will face Omaha in the second game of the opening day of the tournament on Friday, January 3 at 7:00 p.m. PT, while Michigan Tech and UMass Lowell will face each other in the opening game at 3:30 p.m. PT. The losers of the two games will square off at 3:30 p.m PT on Saturday, January 4, with the two winning teams meeting at 7 p.m PT.
 
Tickets go on sale to the general public starting Friday, April 19, at 10:00 a.m. PT at ticketmaster.com, the official ticketing provider of Acrisure Arena. Tickets for the COACHELLA VALLEY CACTUS CUP 2025 provide access to both games scheduled for each day, allowing fans to enjoy a full day of exciting NCAA Division I Men's Hockey action with just one ticket. Purchase tickets for Friday, January 3; Saturday, January 4; and a 2-Day Pass.
 
Additionally, Acrisure Arena invites fans to experience an exclusive limited-capacity backyard playground just steps away from the action on stage. Fans can upgrade their ticket with a Flight Pass for $27.50 to gain access to The Compound, a dedicated outdoor VIP premium space. The Compound includes cozy fire pits with couches for lounging, 9-hole mini golf, bocce ball, half-court basketball and pickle ball court, and more. Flight Pass add-ons are available for both Friday, Jan. 3, and Saturday, Jan. 4.
 
For more information about the COACHELLA VALLEY CACTUS CUP 2025 at Acrisure Arena, visit acrisurearena.com or follow @HockeyCactusCup and Acrisure Arena on social media for updates.

Full Press Release

FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS 
Be sure to follow the Holy Cross men's ice hockey team — and all things Crusader Athletics — on social media!
Twitter - @HCrossMHockey | @goholycross
Instagram - @hcrossmhockey | @goholycross
Facebook - Holy Cross Men's Ice Hockey | Holy Cross Athletics
YouTube - GoHolyCross