LINK TO MEN'S ACHA POLL

MINOT, N.D. – The Minot State men's hockey team returned to a familiar place this week: The No. 1 spot in the ACHA poll.

For the first time this season, the Beavers claimed the No. 1 spot in the ACHA Division I men's hockey national poll and now look to defend their top ranking as they host No. 17 Midland on Friday and Saturday at the Maysa Arena. Puck drop both nights is 7:30 p.m.

The Beavers (15-1-1-1 overall, 7-1-1-1 MCH) moved up one spot to No. 1 after opening the 2026 portion of their schedule with a 4-0 win over Mary on Friday.
Minot State last held the No. 1 spot in the nation prior to the 2024-25 ACHA National Tournament in March.

The Beavers moved ahead of previously top-ranked Ohio, which slipped to No. 2 in the latest poll, while defending national champion UNLV moved up to No. 3, Niagara (N.Y.) slipped a spot to No. 4, and Drury (Mo.) held strong at No. 5.

Minot State's in-state rivals Jamestown and Mary both found themselves in the Top 10 as the Jimmies were No. 8, down two spots, while the Marauders retained the No. 10 spot.

Minot State's opponent this weekend, Midland, climbed back into the Top 25 as the Warriors jumped to No. 17, returning from the holiday break with a split against visiting Jamestown, falling 2-1 to the Jimmies before skating to a lopsided 8-1 win over Jamestown.

The Warriors (7-11-3-1 overall, 5-7-3-1 MCH), who snapped a four-game skid with that victory, look to build momentum from that victory heading into the second half of their season.

But the next step is a huge test in now top-ranked Minot State, which beat the Warriors 4-2 and 4-3, in overtime, back in October. All-time, Minot State is 35-0-1 against Midland in a series dating back to 2014, with the lone Warrior win a 3-2 shootout victory back on November 20, 2015.

The Warriors did push Minot State back in October in Nebraska, though, erasing a 3-0 deficit with three third-period goals before Logan Rands ended it 17 seconds into overtime with the winner for the Beavers. The teams also went to overtime back in January of 2023, with the Beavers grabbing a 3-2 win.

Sophomores Thomas Babb and Karl Grafelman lead the way for the Warriors this season as Babb has 6 goals and a team-high 14 assists, many of those setting up Grafelman, who leads Midland with 12 goals, and has 7 assists himself. Babb and Grafelman scored a goal each in both of the earlier games against Minot State.

Junior Liam Tereposky has handled the majority of the work in goal for Midland, playing 18 games with 6 wins, a 2.94 goals against average, and a 91.2 save percentage. Tereposky played both previous games against the Beavers, stopping 75 of 83 shots in the two-game series in Nebraska.

As for the top-ranked Beavers, junior forward Colby Joseph leads the team in scoring with 13 goals, and in points with 23, as he also has 10 assists, one of five Minot State skaters with double-digit helpers.

Junior defenseman Matthew Yakubowski leads the way in assists with 15 for Minot State, and has added 4 goals, while senior forward Joey Moffatt had 9 goals and 10 assists, senior defenseman Christian Kadolph has 2 goals and 10 assists, and sophomore forward Slade Stanick had 10 assists, all contributing to a balanced Beaver attack.

Sophomore William Dyke leads the way in goal for the Beavers, playing in 15 games and recording 12 wins, two shutouts, a 1.65 GAA, and a 93.7 save percentage.