Weekend Preview: Old Friends

A 16-game, four-day weekend gets underway on Thursday night with a pair of non-league matchups, including Ferris State visiting No. 8/8 Western Michigan and Lake Superior State heading to Lindenwood. On Saturday, all eight CCHA teams are in action, with the Bulldogs hosting the Broncos and the Lakers concluding their series with the Lions.

Elsewhere, No. 19/19 Minnesota State hosts No. 7/7 Wisconsin for a pair, while No. 12/16 Michigan Tech travel to St. Cloud State. Bowling Green heads east to take part in the 2026 Ice Breaker Tournament, battling Sacred Heart and UConn on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Bemidji State renew its rivalry with No. 4/4 North Dakota, first hosting the Fighting Hawks on Friday, before heading to Grand Forks on Saturday.

Not to be outdone, Augustana gets its regular season underway at home with a series against No. 5/5 Minnesota Duluth and Northern Michigan travels to No. 3/3 Michigan State.

Notable Links:

Ferris State (0-1-1) vs. No. 8/8 Western Michigan (0-0-0)
Day/Time: Thursday (7:00 PM ET) & Friday (7:07 PM ET)
Video Stream: NCHC.tv (Thursday) | Midco Sports Plus (Friday)
Radio: FSU 97.3 FM
Live Stats: Thursday | Friday
Game Notes: FSU | WMU

The Bulldogs open a home-and-home series with No. 8/8 Western Michigan on Thursday night in Kalamazoo, before returning to Big Rapids for their home opener against the Broncos on Friday night. WMU owns an 89-54-15 lead in the all-time series, with Ferris State earning a split last year that included a 3-2 victory at Lawson Ice Arena.

Lake Superior State (0-0-0) at Lindenwood (1-1-0)
Day/Time: Thursday (8:00 PM ET) & Friday (8:00 PM ET)
Video Stream: FloHockey
Radio: LSSU 99.5 FM
Live Stats: Click Here
Game Notes: LSSU | LU

The Lakers open regular season play this weekend with a trip to St. Charles, Mo., to face Lindenwood in a two-game series. Lake Superior State looks to avenge a series sweep by the Lions last season in Sault Ste. Marie last year - the only previous meeting between the two programs. LSSU picked up a tie and a win last weekend at Windsor in exhibition play.

No. 7/7 Wisconsin (2-0-0) at No. 19/19 Minnesota State (0-0-0)
Day/Time: Friday (7:07 PM CT) & Saturday (6:07 PM CT)
Video Stream: Midco Sports Plus
Radio: MSU AM 1420
Live Stats: Click Here
Game Notes: UW | MSU

No. 19/19 Minnesota State welcomes former Mavericks head coach Mike Hastings and No. 7/7 Wisconsin to the Mayo for the first time since he took over at the helm. The two programs have met 49 times previously, with the Badgers owning a 26-17-6 lead all-time. Wisconsin swept their most recent trip to Mankato by scores of 4-3 and 2-1 during the 2012-13 season. The Mavericks picked up a 3-1 exhibition victory last Friday over Manitoba, while UW swept Robert Morris at home.

Bowling Green (0-2-0) at Sacred Heart (0-0-0) & No. 14/16 UConn (0-0-0)
Day/Time: Friday (7 PM ET) & Saturday (6:00 PM ET)
Video Stream: FloHockey (Friday) | ESPN+ (Saturday)
Radio: BGSU 88.1 FM
Live Stats: Friday | Saturday
Game Notes: BGSU | SHU | UCONN

The Falcons head east to take part in the 2026 Ice Breaker Tournament this weekend where they will face Sacred Heart and No. 14/16 UConn on Friday and Saturday respectively. Bowling Green's matchup with the Pioneers will be the first between the respective programs, while the Falcons own a 3-0-1 all-time record against the Huskies, but they have not met since 2011. BGSU dropped a hard fought series to No. 2/2 Michigan last weekend by scores 7-2 and 4-3.

Northern Michigan (1-1-0) at No. 3/3 Michigan State (0-0-0)
Day/Time: Friday (7:30 PM ET) & Sunday (1:00 PM ET)
Video Stream: B1G+
Radio: NMU 100.3 FM
Live Stats: Click Here
Game Notes: NMU | MSU

Northern Michigan hits the road for a two-game set at No. 3/3 Michigan State this weekend, following a home split against Miami (OH), which saw Oliver Auyeung-Ashton (Goaltender) and Coster Dunn (Rookie) earn weekly CCHA awards. The Spartans swept last year's series at the Berry, 6-2 and 4-0. NMU hasn't played at Munn Arena since October of 2018, when it earned a split.

Bemidji State (1-0-0) vs. No. 4/4 North Dakota (0-0-0)
Day/Time: Friday (7:07 PM CT) & Saturday (6:07 PM CT)
Video Stream: Midco Sports Plus (Friday) | NCHC.tv (Saturday)
Radio: BSU 92.1 FM
Live Stats: Friday | Saturday
Game Notes: BSU | UND

The Beavers open a home-and-home series with No 4/4 North Dakota at Sanford Center on Friday night, before heading to Ralph Engelstad Arena on Saturday. The Fighting Hawks hold a 39-6-8 lead in the all-time series, which dates back to 1970. The Beavers have battled to a 2-6-2 mark of the last 10 meetings, with UND sweeping last year's series, 5-3 and 2-1 (overtime). At least one game of the yearly series has gone to OT since 2016.

No. 5/5 Minnesota Duluth (2-0-0) at Augustana (0-0-0)
Day/Time: Friday (7:07 PM CT & Saturday (6:07 PM CT)
Video Stream: Midco Sports Plus
Live Stats: Click Here
Game Notes: UMD | AU

The Vikings get their 2026-27 regular season underway against No. 5/5 Minnesota Duluth this weekend at Midco Arena. Both teams picked up a victory in last year's non-league series in Duluth, with the Bulldogs winning 4-1, before Augie claimed a 4-0 shutout the following night. The Vikings dropped their exhibition opener at No. 4/4 North Dakota last week, 4-1, while UMD swept a series against LIU, 7-4 and 4-0.

12/16 Michigan Tech (2-0-0) at St. Cloud State (0-1-0)
Day/Time: Friday (8:00 PM ET) & Saturday (7:00 PM ET)
Video Stream: NCHC.tv
Radio: MTU 93.5 FM
Live Stats: Click Here
Game Notes: MTU | SCSU

No. 12/16 Michigan Tech hits the road for the first time this season, traveling to St. Cloud State for a two-game series. Tech is coming off a home sweep of then No. 14/18 Minnesota last weekend, while SCSU fell at Bemidji State in overtime. The homestanding Huskies hold a 56-28-5 lead in the all-time series, which dates back to 1948. Tech's last victory in the series came on March 2, 2013.