MINOT, N.D. ‒ The Minot State men's hockey team came out of the gates with an impressive 2-0 start on the season. The Beavers look to keep the winning fire ignited as they face off against the Liberty University Flames this weekend at the Maysa Arena.
Competition between both teams is set to be intense. Head Coach Watt Waselenchuk sees this weekend's match-up as an "early season test" for the program. "Liberty is a perennial powerhouse at the ACHA Division I level, and we are excited for the opportunity to compete with such a great team." The Flames are traveling from Virginia with a 6-0 record in their suitcases, along with a history of successful seasons. Waselenchuk notes his confidence in his team, "our guys are really looking forward to the challenge ahead, and we look forward to getting back on the ice at the Maysa, in front of our home crowd."
The only matchup between the two teams prior to this weekend was in April of 2021, where the Beavers sent the Flames home packing in the 2021 ACHA National Semifinals in a 3-1 defeat. In preparation for this weekend's games, Coach Waselenchuk noted speed as a key component in MSU. "We have speed the speed to catch teams off-guard," in reference to the defenseman's ability to move the puck up the ice, "that's something we have emphasized a ton over the past 10 days of practice." With two weeks having passed since their last games, the team has spent this time focusing on sharpening their defense and "playing away from the puck".
Practice habits have played a large role in the Beavers' success on and off the ice since day one, notes head coach Waselenchuk. "I've been really happy with everybody," he mentions although there's many players who get a lot of credit where it's due, it's more than stats for the Beavers' winning culture. "It's the guys that may not be on the score sheet every night that kill penalties, but to me - it's the guys that make things tough on opposing teams."
As always, the team radiates off the energy in the stands, so fans are always encouraged to come out and support as part of the home crowd. Admission is $8 and the first puck of the night is set to drop at 7:00p.m.
