LAKE PLACID, N.Y. --- Forget about March as being basketball’s month for Madness, instead it’s hockey madness all next month in Lake Placid, N.Y. From the NHL stars of tomorrow to crowning a NCAA national champion the Olympic Center’s Herb Brooks Arena is at the center to all of the action.

The excitement begins Sunday, March 13, with ECHL hockey. The Adirondack Thunder (Glens Falls, N.Y.) square off against the Reading (Pa.) Royals in the first ever regular season professional hockey game in the Olympic Center. The Thunder (Calgary Flames) lead the Royals (Philadelphia Flyers) by just four points for second place in the league’s eastern division.

Started in 1988, with just five teams, the ECHL is one of only two minor leagues recognized by the NHL. More than 500 players have advanced from the ECHL to go on and play in the NHL. Today, 28 teams make up the league, from Glens Falls to Utah and each team play a 72 game regular season schedule.

The following weekend, March 18-19, the ECAC Hockey Championship returns to Lake Placid for a third straight postseason. The prestigious conference’s top four post season teams come to Lake Placid each hoping to earn an automatic bid to play in the NCAA championship tournament.

The two semifinal games are slated for Friday, March 18, at 4 and 7:30 p.m., while the Saturday, March 19, championship matchup is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Two years ago, Union skated away with the with the conference title, en route to the national championship and just three years ago, conference rival Yale won the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey championship.

March’s hockey madness wraps up, March 25-26, with the NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey National Championship returns to Lake Placid for a record sixth time. The semifinal games, on March 25, begin at 4 and 7:30 p.m., while the championship contest, the following night, gets underway at 7 p.m.

Ticket and event information for each of these events can be found by visiting http://www.whiteface.com/activities-events/events. For more information about all of the events and activities held on ORDA’s Olympic venues, log onto www.whitefacelakeplacid.com.

2015 ECAC Hockey Championship Photos, https://www.flickr.com/photos/whitefacemountain/albums/72157649136680704, Courtesy of ORDA/ Whiteface Lake Placid. NCAA and ECAC logos below.

-- ORDA --

Established in 1982, the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) was created by the State of New York to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. ORDA operates Whiteface, Belleayre and Gore Mountain ski areas; the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg; the Olympic speed skating oval, Olympic jumping complex and Olympic arena. As host to international and national championships, the Authority has brought millions of athletes, spectator and participants to the region, resulting in significant economic development.