Seems like old times
Friday Morning Skate
It will feel like a throwback weekend at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center this weekend when one-time WCHA foes Minnesota State and North Dakota clash in a nonconference series. This marks just the second time since the WCHA split in 2013 that the Fighting Hawks are skating in Mankato. The last time was exactly five years ago in 2019, a 4-4 tie (above photo) followed by a 2-1 MSU win.
Like then, this time will be a top-20 matchup, with the host Mavericks (2-2-0) falling to No. 20 in the USCHO poll this week, taking on the No. 5 Fighting Hawks (1-0-0). The two teams played last season in Grand Forks, with UND winning 6-2 before the two teams tied 2-2 the next night.
It should be a rocking good time in downtown Mankato, that’s for sure.
“No secret NoDak travels well. They’ve got a storied …university with the hockey program. It will be exciting for our guys,” MSU coach Luke Strand said. “Obviously the community is going to embrace it. You turn back the page and see the WCHA days. You turn back the page to see rivalry time.
“We haven’t seen a lot of each other (lately). … But to get them to town, everyone wants to see good hockey games, and I think when you start to add up teams from the west that will play hard and compete against each other, it will be a good atmosphere and fun entertainment for the fans.”
