The Bemidji State University Men’s Hockey team returns from its bye week for a home-and-home nonconference series against No. 8/9 University of Minnesota Duluth. The teams meet at 7:07 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn., before closing the series at 6:07 p.m. Saturday, at Sanford Center.

Saturday is Family Night sponsored by Affinity Plus at Sanford Center. The series completes Bemidji State’s season-opening, six-game nonconference stretch.

Both games can be heard on FM 92.1 through the Beaver Radio Network. Live-stat and broadcast links are available at BSUBeavers.com.

Bemidji State returns to action following its first bye week of the 2026-27 season. The Beavers last played Oct. 10 at No. 4 University of North Dakota and begin the UMD series after 12 days without a game. The Beavers enter the weekend 1-2-0 after opening the season with a 3-2 overtime victory over St. Cloud State University and consecutive one-goal losses to then-No. 4 North Dakota. Bemidji State’s first three games have all been decided by one goal, with the Beavers scoring eight goals and allowing nine.

Minnesota Duluth is Bemidji State’s second consecutive nationally ranked opponent after the Beavers played two games against then-No. 4 North Dakota. The Beavers battled North Dakota to 3-2 and 4-3 decisions, erasing a two-goal deficit and tying the Oct. 10 game twice before the Fighting Hawks scored the winning goal with 3:58 remaining. UMD enters the weekend ranked No. 8/9 nationally and owns a 3-1-2 record through six games.

Since the start of the 2015-16 season and the current college hockey landscape, Bemidji State is 4-9-3 against Minnesota Duluth. Over that span, the Beavers are 2-3-1 at home and 2-6-2 in Duluth. All-time the Beavers are 17-30-5 against the Bulldogs in 52 meetings, 7-11-3 at home and 8-19-2 in Duluth. Bemidji State’s most recent win in the series was a 4-3 overtime victory at AMSOIL Arena on Oct. 5, 2024. Minnesota Duluth won both meetings last season, earning a 7-3 victory at Sanford Center and a 5-1 win at AMSOIL Arena on Oct. 17-18, 2025. Five of the 16 meetings since 2015 have required overtime or ended tied, including Bemidji State’s 2024 overtime victory.