From Minot State Athletics
MINOT, N.D. – The reigning ACHA National Champs are set to begin defense of their title.
Minot State men’s hockey coach Wyatt Waselenchuk is pleased to announce that the puck drops on the 2023-24 season for the three-time national champion Beavers on Friday, Sept. 15, as Minot State opens its title defense with five straight road contests.
The Beavers play at the University of Regina to open the season at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15, then take on Briercrest College on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 16.
The Beavers then head across the country to Virginia to play perennial powerhouse Liberty on Sept. 22 and 23 in Lynchburg, Va., the start of an early-season home-and-home series between the two rivals.
The opening road trip wraps up closer to home as Minot State plays at in-state rival Jamestown on Wednesday, Sept. 27, before the national champs make their home debut at the Maysa Arena on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 29 and 30, hosting Liberty with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. both nights.
The rivalries continue on Saturday, Oct. 7, as Minot State battles another in-state foe playing at the University of Mary in Mandan, North Dakota, as the Marauders move into the ranks of the ACHA Division I teams this season.
After playing 6-of-8 away from home, Minot State settles in for a bit more of a home-ice advantage with 5 of its next 6 at the Maysa Arena starting with a three-game stretch, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Oct. 12-14.
The Beavers open the busy weekend hosting Missouri State on Thursday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m., then Minot State plays Waldorf on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 13 and 14, with puck-drop at 7:30 p.m. both nights.
Next on the schedule is a return to Mandan on Wednesday, Nov. 1, to play at the University of Mary before the Beavers host Jamestown on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 3 and 4, at 7:30 p.m. each night at the Maysa Arena.
Minot State then heads to Chicago for the pre-Thanksgiving Chicago Showcase, a three-game series on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Nov. 17-19, against some of the ACHA’s top teams.
The Beavers then play at Jamestown on Tuesday, Nov. 28, before starting a five-game homestand before the Christmas break.
Grand Canyon visits the Maysa Arena first for games on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1 and 2, at 7:30 p.m., then Midland is in town the next weekend to play Thursday and Friday, Dec. 7 and 8. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 7, and at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 8.
Minot State then hosts rival Mary for the first time on Wednesday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m. at the Maysa Arena before taking two weeks off for Christmas.
After the holiday break comes a pair of much anticipated exhibition games in Colorado against two former NCAA Division I national champions, at Colorado College on Friday, Dec. 29, and at Denver on Saturday, Dec. 30.
The Beavers stay on the road for two more games at UNLV on January 5 and 6 before a one-game homestand, hosting Mary on Wednesday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m. at the Maysa Arena.
The Beavers then hit the road once again to play twice at Midland, on January 19 and 20, then continue on the road with in-state rival games at Mary on Wednesday, Jan. 24, and at Jamestown on Friday, Jan. 26.
Minot State and Jamestown play back-to-back games over the weekend with the two teams meeting in a Saturday matinee at 3:45 p.m. on Jan. 27 at Maysa Arena before it’s back on the road for the Beavers who play at Waldorf on Feb. 2 and 3, then at Maryville on Feb. 9 and 10.
The Beavers then wrap up the regular season with 4-of-5 on home ice, hosting Simon Fraser on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 16 and 17, with both games at 7:30 p.m., then Mary on Thursday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m.
After a quick trip to Jamestown on Wednesday, Feb. 28, the Jimmies and Beavers wrap up the regular season at the Maysa Arena on Thursday, Feb. 29, at 7 p.m.
The ACHA National Tournament will be March 7-12 in St. Louis, Missouri.
(Originally published at https://msubeavers.com/news/2023/8/11/mens-hockey-reigning-acha-champion-minot-state-mens-hockey-team-opens-season-sept-15.aspx)
