Beavers and Mavericks clash for first place in the CCHA

First place in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association standings is up for grabs this weekend when second-place Bemidji State University hosts first-place Minnesota State University, Mankato for a league series at Sanford Center. The series will get underway with a 7:07 p.m. opening faceoff before the teams wrap up the series at 6:07 p.m. Saturday.

Nearly halfway into the 28-game CCHA slate, Minnesota State currently holds down the top spot in the conference standings owning a 10-2-0 record in league play for 29 points. The Beavers, which are five points behind with 24, are 8-2-0 in league play and have played two fewer CCHA contests. This weekend, six league points are up for grabs setting BSU up with an opportunity to make a sweep by either team a significant step toward the 2021-22 regular-season crown.

In one of the Beavers’ most often visited rivalries and dating back to 1974, Minnesota State holds a 61-57-16 edge in the series, while BSU is 37-24-5 when hosting the Mavericks in Bemidji, Minn. To say that these teams know each other well is an understatement. Last season alone, six of the Beavers’ 29 games came against the Mavericks, and three of those games needed extra time to settle. MSU earned a 3-2-1 edge versus BSU in 2020-21.

Tickets for each game of the series are available now and begin at just $12 on ticketmaster.com or at the Sanford Center box office. Sanford Center Box Office hours are Wednesday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Thursday:10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Friday 10 a.m. to through the game.