Here we go. The curtain raises on another Division III hockey season, and there is plenty of action going on during the first weekend.
We got a few high profile matchups on tap, including St. Olaf battling St. Norbert and Utica taking on Adrian in a USCHO.com Top 15 matchup.
Without further delay, let the puck drop and the season begin.
Friday
Augsburg at Dubuque
The Auggies are always a contender and open the season on the road at a tournament in Dubuque.
Augsburg did lose their All-American goalie but a program like this one always finds a way to reload rather than rebuild. Cade Stibb is the top returning scoring threat for the Auggies, tallying seven goals and 12 assists last year.
Dubuque is in its second year as a program and should take steps forward. The Spartans return 13 players and have added a few transfers as well. Playing against Augsburg is always a tall order, but win or lose, the Spartans will gain a ton from this experience.
Augsburg, 4-2
Friday and Saturday
Concordia (MN) at Concordia (WI)
Here’s one thing we do know about this matchup. Concordia is going to win. We just don’t know if it will be the Cobbers or the Falcons.
The Cobbers welcome back their top two scorers in Mason Plante and Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe and will lean on an experienced offensive group for success. The Falcons have plenty of experience on their side, with only three players lost to graduation. Among the returnees is Alex Ochitwa, who scored 11 goals and tallied 10 assists. I feel like this one could end with a split.
Concordia (WI) 4-2; Concordia (MN) 4-3.
St. Scholastica at MSOE
The Saints were one of the better teams in the MIAC last season, winning 15 games, and bring back two of their top scorers in Nathan Adrian and Tristan Shewchuk. The big question mark for the Saints is at goal as Jack Bostedt has left a void.
The Raiders have plenty of talent back and spent part of their offseason in Latvia playing hockey. That kind of experience should prove valuable for a lot of reasons. Carson Jones is the top player back for MSOE, which looks to make an early-season statement.
This should be a fun two-game series to watch.
MSOE, 3-2; St. Scholastica, 5-4
St. Olaf at St. Norbert
Don’t be surprised if you see this showdown again in March. These two teams both have the potential to play in the NCAA tournament.
St. Olaf could very well win the MIAC while St. Norbert could do the same in the NCHA. Nothing like getting tested on the opening weekend.
The Oles have 12 of their 15 top scoring threats from last season back. The fifth-ranked Green Knights have no shortage of talent either, led by the play of Liam Fraser, last year’s leading scorer.
A lot of goal could be scored this weekend. This series comes down to who makes plays on defense in the end. Let’s go with the upset in this one.
St. Olaf, 4-3
Saturday
Bethel at St. Norbert
The Green Knights welcome in another MIAC contender as Bethel comes to town. St. Norbert lost only once at home last season and are aiming to close out the weekend on a high note. The Royals are coming off one of their best seasons in program history and will get a quick idea of where they stand heading into the new season. Should be a fun game to watch.
St. Norbert, 3-2
Saint John’s at UW-River Falls
The Johnnies head out on the road to take an always tough River Falls squad. More than 70 percent of the scoring is back for the Falcons, with Jonny Meiers and Dylan Smith leading the way. The dup combined for 20 goals last season.
The Johnnies have great depth at goal with Jon Howe and Bailey Huber and it will be interesting to see how this one plays out.
UW-River Falls, 3-2
Saturday and Sunday
Utica at Adrian
Does it get any better than Utica and Adrian facing off at the start of the year. The two teams play Saturday and Sunday
The Bulldogs come in ranked third in the nation. The Pioneers are fourth.
A year ago, these two teams matched up and one game ended in a scoreless tie while the other went Utica’s way in a 3-2 win.
Adrian gets home ice advantage this time and faces a Utica team that has a lot of depth and balance. But the Bulldogs have the same thing and return three players who accounted for 45 goals. This is a matchup worth watching for sure.
Adrian, 3-2; Utica, 2-1
