A distance-regular graph of diameter d has 2d intersection numbers that determine many properties of graph (e.g., its spectrum). We show that the first six coefficients of the matching
polynomial of a distance-regular graph can also be determined from
its intersection array, and that this is the maximum number of
coefficients so determined. Also, the converse is true for
distance-regular graphs of small diameter—that is, the
intersection array of a distance-regular graph of diameter 3 or
less can be determined from the matching polynomial of the graph.