PITTSBURGH -- Tickets are now available for the seventh edition of the Three Rivers Classic college hockey tournament, which will feature three first-time participants and the addition of a new venue for Day 1 of the event.

Two of the participating teams -- No. 2 St. Cloud State and No. 11 Union -- are ranked and will square off in the opening game Friday, Jan. 4 at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, followed by Robert Morris hosting Brown in the nightcap at the same facility. The consolation and championship games will take place Saturday, Jan. 5 at PPG Paints Arena, the home of the NHL's Penguins.

"We're thankful for the dedication of PPG Paints Arena and the Penguins for partnering in another Three Rivers Classic," RMU head coach Derek Schooley said. "We feel we've got an excellent field with some high-level teams and we know this will be another great event for the hockey community of Pittsburgh."

Games will take place at 5 and 8 p.m. on both days of the event. Single-day tickets can be purchased at the PPG Paints Arena box office, via TicketMaster CHARGE-BY-PHONE at 1-800-745-3000, or at www.ppgpaintsarena.com.

RMU will aim to hoist the Confluence Cup for the fourth time in seven seasons; the Colonials won their own tournament in 2012, 2015 and 2016, beating a ranked opponent for the title in each of those years. The hosts have made the championship game five times, missing out only once since joining forces with the Penguins to put on the event. Schooley's Colonials have an all-time record of 8-4 in the Three Rivers Classic.

St. Cloud State was ranked No. 1 in the USCHO.com national poll last week and has lost just once so far this season. Playing out of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) from their home base of St. Cloud, Minnesota, the Huskies have made the NCAA tournament in five of the past six seasons, starting with a Frozen Four appearance in Pittsburgh in 2013. The program counts current Penguins center Matt Cullen and Pittsburgh-born former NHLer Ryan Malone as alums.

Based in Schenectady, New York, Union has become a national power in college hockey this decade. The Dutchmen's rise culminated in an NCAA championship in 2014, led by current Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, but their recent track record also includes four regular-season ECAC conference titles, three postseason ECAC crowns and five NCAA tourney berths, all since the 2010-11 season.

Also housed in the ECAC, Brown is one of the nation's oldest college hockey programs, with a history that dates back to 1896. The Rhode Island-based university has participated in four NCAA tournaments and three Frozen Fours. Coached by 10th-year bench boss Brendan Whittet, the Bears will participate in two holiday tournaments this season, with a trip to Dartmouth's Ledyard Classic set for the weekend before the Three Rivers Classic.

Winners of three of its past four games, Robert Morris (6-7-1, 5-4-1 Atlantic Hockey) returns home for a two-game Atlantic Hockey series against Holy Cross this weekend. Game times are set for 7:05 p.m. Friday and 4:05 p.m. Saturday at the RMU Island Sports Center.