College hockey’s newest venue opens its doors this weekend when Augustana hosts Ferris State in the first-ever games at Midco Arena in Sioux Falls.
It’s the 15th new arena to open in NCAA Division I men’s hockey since 2010 and tickets are sold out for Friday’s inaugural game inside the 3,082-seat venue. The Vikings played the first five home games of their debut season at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.
“It’s a huge weekend for the program,” fifth-year captain Arnaud Vachon (Ajax, Ontario) recently told USCHO’s Jack Hittinger. “It’s a big weekend having a new rink for the first time.”
Midco Arena features a luxury club area and 12 private suites. Its amenities also include a strength and conditioning facility totaling nearly 7,300 square feet.
Added Vachon: “The whole team, but also the community and the school, has been pumped up for this moment for two years now, so it’s nice to finally have that come about.”
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Must Read:
Bangor Daily News: UMaine men’s hockey tickets have become the must-have item of the season
Boston Globe: BU and BC are on a collision course, and other takeaways from the weekend
College Hockey News: Freshman Benincasa has become a key player for Ferris State
College Hockey News: Team of the Week: Notre Dame
Daily Gazette: RPI men’s hockey looking to snap Mayor’s Cup scoring drought against Union
Duluth News Tribune: Fischer keeps earning his shot as UMD runs low on centers
FloHockey: Air Force offense has Falcons flying high
Hartford Courant: As CT Ice comes to Hartford, participating schools want to make it the next big thing
The Rink Live: Mason Salquist takes up leadership role with SCSU’s centers
USCHO: No. 1 Boston University vs. No. 2 Boston College looking large, but not the be all end all
USCHO: St. Cloud State looking to give special teams a boost moving forward
USCHO: Augustana done with trailers, thrilled to call brand-new Midco Arena home
Must Hear:
CHN Insiders: Featuring Notre Dame Head Coach Jeff Jackson
Inside Atlantic Hockey: Featuring RIT junior G Tommy Scarfone
Inside ECAC Hockey: Featuring Brown Head Coach Brendan Whittet
Inside Hockey East: Featuring Providence senior F Chase Yoder
The CCHA Show: Featuring St. Thomas G Jake Sibell, Lake Superior State G Ethan Langenegger
The Big Rink: Michigan’s T.J. Hughes talks exciting series against Spartans, his career
UND Hockey Podcast: Ludvig Persson puts on a show against SCSU
USCHO Spotlight: Air Force’s Frank Serratore on the Falcons, 500th career win
USCHO Weekend Review: BU, BC prep for first-ever 1-2 series; Michigan, Mich. St. have wild weekend
Must Watch:
NCAA: Denver reenters latest men’s hockey Power 5
Rank and File:
This weekend’s men’s college hockey slate promises to be a PairWise aficionado’s dream.
Six different games around the country will feature matchups with both teams ranked among the top 20 in the current PairWise rankings, including three tilts between top-10 squads:
Click HERE for the entire weekend schedule in NCAA Division I men’s hockey.
We’re Going Streaking!:
Four different players across NCAA Division I men’s hockey will carry point streaks of double-digit games into this weekend’s action.
Falcons Crest Offensively:
When Air Force closed out the 2023 calendar year, it had lost each of its last three games and had been shut out in two of them.
It’s been a different story since the calendar flipped to 2024.
The Falcons have won five of six games in the new year and are averaging 5.3 goals per game during that stretch, tied with Denver for fourth-best in the NCAA. Only Michigan (7.8), Long Island (6.0) and Boston College (5.5) are averaging more goals in that time.
Air Force began its current stretch with 3-1 and 7-3 victories at Bentley, then followed with a 6-2 win over AIC. After falling 4-1 to AIC the next day, Air Force bounced back with 8-1 and 7-6 wins at Army.
Those 15 goals against Army tied an Atlantic Hockey two-game series record.
Andre the Giant:
Northern Michigan F Andre Ghantous (Gr., Glendale, Calif.) is closing in on rarified air in college hockey.
Ghantous is just three points from reaching 150 for his collegiate career and needs five assists to reach 100 career helpers. He would be the only active NCAA Division I men’s player to reach either of those milestones.
In 22 games this season, Ghantous has seven goals and 23 points.
Fit to Print:
“He made a couple of saves tonight that you just don’t even think goalies can make.”
-- North Dakota freshman D Jake Livanavage after teammate Ludvig Persson made a season-high 34 saves in Friday’s NCHC win at St. Cloud State (source: Grand Forks Herald)
NHL Note of the Week:
Winnipeg F Kyle Connor (Michigan, 2015-16) was added to the NHL All-Star Game roster this week, joining the initial 12 NCAA alumni who were previously selected for the event. It’s the second such career honor for Connor, who leads the Jets with 18 goals in 29 games.
The Shelby Township, Mich., native has produced the fourth-most goals (227) from his 2015 NHL Entry Draft class, topped only by Connor McDavid (320), Mikko Rantanen (246) and Sebastian Aho (234).
Fries at the Bottom of the Bag:
Lake Superior State will honor Clarence “Taffy” Abel, after whom the Lakers’ rink is named, during the second intermission of Friday’s game against Michigan Tech. Abel won the silver medal with the United States at the 1924 Winter Olympics and was the earliest known Native American to be a U.S. Olympic flagbearer … Maine remains the nation’s lone unbeaten team at home, having amassed a 9-0-2 record at Alfond Arena … Air Force Head Coach Frank Serratore (Bemidji State ’82) collected career win No. 500 in Saturday’s win over Army, making him just the fourth active coach to reach that milestone … St. Cloud State senior F Veeti Miettinen (Espoo, Finland) collected his 100th collegiate point with a goal in Friday’s loss to North Dakota, becoming the 10th active men’s player to reach that plateau. He added another tally in Saturday’s 3-3 overtime tie, giving him a new career high with 13 … Augustana’s 5-4 victory over Arizona State last Friday was the Vikings’ first-ever win over a nationally-ranked opponent.
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Did you know? 92% of NCAA Division I men’s hockey players earn their degree!