COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College men's ice hockey team will commemorate its 2025 Northeast 10 Conference Championship crown with a banner celebration on Saturday prior to its 3 p.m. contest at Cairns Arena in South Burlington. After playing its home opener on Rink 2 on Friday, the 2025-26 Purple Knights will make their debut on Rink 1 for their Saturday game with Assumption University.
 
Under the guidance of NE10 Coach of the Year Damian DiGiulian, the Purple Knights culminated their sixth NE10 championship season last year with a decisive 5-1 victory in the title game at Saint Anselm College. May graduate David Ciancio was named tournament most valuable player, as the captain netted two goals and added an assist in the final from his spot on defense. Current sophomores Patrick Last (Derry, N.H./Twin City Thunder) and Evan Plunkett (Charlotte, N.C./Holderness School) joined him on the all-championship team, as Last scored three times in two postseason games and Plunkett earned both wins behind a .969 save percentage.
 
With first-year head coach Jack Fitzgerald now at the helm, the Purple Knights are 3-0-1 overall and 2-0 in the NE10, having just swept a league-opening weekend series at Saint Anselm. Dating back to last year, Saint Michael's is riding an eight-game unbeaten streak, its longest in 28 years.