The Bemidji State University men’s ice hockey team returns from a weekend free of competition to host University of Alaska in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series at Sanford Center.

The Beavers open the series 1-4-2 overall and seek their first victory in WCHA play and first since the season-opener versus then-No. 2/3 Minnesota Duluth, 3-2. Picked to finish fourth in the WCHA standings by the leagues’ coaches, BSU enters the weekend holding down the 10th spot with a 0-3-1 mark in WCHA play.

In a series that began during the 1981-82 season and was renewed in 2013-14 after a 29-year hiatus, BSU owns a 6-2-1 all-time record versus the Nanooks, which includes a 5-1-1 mark in games played in Bemidji and a three-game winning streak for the Beavers. As infrequent as the BSU-UA series has been, Alaska plays a significant role in Beaver Hockey history. BSU hosted the Nanooks for the NCAA Division II national semifinals in 1984. BSU eliminated Alaska, 9-6 and 4-2, and went on to defeat Merrimack to complete its perfect 31-0-0 season and earn its eighth national championship under head coach R.H. “Bob” Peters.