The University of Maine men’s ice hockey team released its schedule on Tuesday for the 2012-’13 season, which includes a trip to Kansas City, Missouri for the Ice Breaker Tournament in November.

The Black Bears will begin its season on Oct. 6 at Alfond Arena against ECAC opponent, Quinnipiac University.

Maine will face off against the Atlantic University Sports Champion, the University of New Brunswick in exhibition play the following night before departing for the Kansas City, MO.

The Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri will home to the Ice Breaker Tournament on Oct. 12-13. Maine, who will be making its fourth appearance in the tournament, will face future Hockey East foe Norte Dame, followed by the winner of Army vs. Nebraska-Omaha.

Boston College, the defending National and Hockey East champions, will visit Orono for the first time on Nov. 2.

The Black Bears non-conference schedule will include a pair of games against St. Lawrence and Mercyhurst and a rematch of the Northeast Regional semifinals against the Minnesota-Duluth in the Florida College Classic on Dec. 28.

On Jan. 4, the Black Bears will invade the Cumberland County Civic Center for its annual trip to Portland, facing Mercyhurst in the first of two games on the weekend. The second will take place in Orono.

“I really like our schedule for the 2012-2013 season,” said Maine head coach Tim Whitehead in a press release. “We face a challenging slate, including some non-conference opponents that we don’t normally see. We can’t wait to get started.”

Maine’s second half of the season will focus entirely on Hockey East as they’ll face Merrimack three times in a seven day span in Jan. The Black Bears will travel to North Andover, Mass for a game on Jan. 12 with the Warriors returning to visit Alfond Arena on Jan. 18-19.

South Portland native Jon Gillies will make his first trip to Maine on Feb. 1 as Providence College comes to town for its only visit to Alfond Arena.

Senior night will take place on Saturday, Jan. 2 as the Black Bears will end the home portion of their schedule against Northeastern.

The Black Bears end its season on Mar. 8-9 in Durham, NH against rival New Hampshire as they hold their annual Whiteout the Whit.

Hockey East playoffs are schedule to take place March 15-17 with the Hockey East semifinals and championship game to be played at the TD Garden on March 22-23.