FREMONT, Neb. – A weekend trip to Canada got the Beavers back on the ice, and now the Minot State women's hockey team is ready to officially open its 2023-24 season against a familiar foe in Nebraska.

The Beavers head to Midland University to take on the Warriors this Friday, at 5 p.m., and Saturday at 4 p.m., ready to set the tone for another successful season by starting off with one of their toughest opponents.

Midland, which is making its season debut as well, has won 8 of the last 12 meetings between the two programs, but Minot State boasts the bragging rights of winning their last head-to-head clash, a 1-0 victory for the Beavers in the ACHA national semifinals.

Minot State, which looks to stretch the win streak this weekend, got the chance to brush the dust off its game with a pair of exhibition contests this past weekend, a 4-3 shoot-out win over the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology on Friday, and an 8-0 setback at Regina on Saturday.

Midland played the same two foes last weekend in Canada so the Beavers got the chance to scout the Warriors a little before puck-drop this weekend.

Keys for the Beavers so far include returning goalie Haylie Biever, who stopped 3-for-4 penalty shot chances in the shoot-out for the win Friday, and incoming freshman Paige Kozak, who had a hat trick in regulation and a shoot-out goal in Friday's thriller.

As for Midland, two of their key leaders from last year in ACHA All-Americans Ally Rakowski and Hannah Stone return to lead the way this season.

Rakowski, now a senior forward, had 30 goals and 19 assists last season to lead the Warriors, while Stone, a fifth-year goalie, was named ACHA Player of the Year as she posted 24 wins and seven shutouts for Midland.