We are back and we are starting of 2026 with a SUPER episode for all of you! We are breaking down all of the greatest matchups, holiday tournaments during the new year with lots of shifting in the rankings. Dartmouth gets a reality check in their conference. SCSU wins the Cactus cup and ASU snags the Desert Hockey Classic. Princeton has take the scene leading the ECAC. Can they continue their streak? Plus we break down some great action coming up. Tune IN!

Ho Ho Ho! The holiday season is here and we have a gift for all of our fans. A magnificent breakdown of what we predicted WRONG to start the year. We break down all of our predictions when we started season 5, with some wild points that we not achieved. Not a lot of games this time of year, but last week we had some action. Dartmouth takes there first loss of the year, SCSU knocks down Denver, and much more! Running into 2026 with some wild rankings nationally. Where will the chips fall?

The Light the Lamp crew dives deep into a jam-packed college hockey weekend as the Big Ten wraps up play before the holiday break and the national picture starts to take real shape. Minnesota’s split at Ohio State sparks a bigger conversation about missed points, road wins, and whether the Gophers can still claw their way back into tournament contention when January rolls around. Wisconsin continues to look like a full-on wagon, stacking quality wins and proving they belong in the national title conversation, while Michigan and Michigan State trade blows in one of the most electric series of the season.

The episode also tackles Notre Dame’s ongoing struggles, questionable rankings around the country, and the growing debate over how much past reputation still influences polls and MPI placement. From Quinnipiac’s uneven resume to Dartmouth holding onto the top spot, the guys break down who feels legit, who’s overrated, and who could make a surprise run after the break. Add in shoutouts from the CCHA, chaos in Hockey East, and a look ahead at pivotal January gauntlets, and this episode sets the stage for the most important stretch of the college hockey season.