MINOT, N.D. – The Minot State men's hockey team will embark on a unique set of games, as they get to battle in a pair of classic North Dakota rivalries. The Beavers will travel to University of Mary for a midweek matchup, and then a home-and-home set with University of Jamestown.

1^st-ranked Minot State (22-4-0) will confront the No. 10 Mary Marauders (18-9-0) and No. 4 Jamestown Jimmies (19-7-0) for three games this week, once in Mandan and Jamestown, ND, and then back home in the Magic City. The Beavers and Marauders will drop the puck tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. (CT) at the Schwan Cadillac Rink. Then, the festivities will roll into the weekend as the Beavers turn their attention to the Jimmies for two games at each of their respective home venues. Note the time change for Friday, as it has now moved to 7:35 p.m. (CT) in Jamestown, followed by a 3:45 p.m. (CT) Saturday matinee at Maysa Arena.

Minot State continues to dominate early in the 2024 portion of the regular season, as they sit amid a 10-game winning streak that dates back into late 2023. The Beavers are coming off a sweep of Midland University, as the previous win was their third shutout of the 2024 calendar year in an 8-0 decision over Midland.

Looking at Mary first, the last time they hit the ice was against Illinois State. The Marauders flexed their muscles in a 7-1 win, followed by a 3-2 response from the Redbirds who battled back for the series split.

As for Jamestown, everything was going their way last weekend. They picked up back-to-back shutouts over Waldorf in wins that ended 7-0 and 6-0 over the Warriors.

Scoring wise, the same suspects remain for Mary. Seth Cushing has brought his total points to 35, including 21 goals which both lead the team. He is the player to watch out for in tomorrow's game. Looking at goaltenders, the Marauders have a reliable tandem in net. Kyle Hayden leads the way with a 2.21 goals-against average and .936 save percentage. Right behind him is Conan Hayton. Although he has the most wins, his numbers feature a 2.61 goals-against average and .913 save percentage.

Taking a glance at Jamestown, their scorers also stand out on paper and on the stats sheet as the Jimmies have two players above 30 points this season. Leading the Jimmie knights in shining armor is Brad Fortin. He carries with him the team lead in points (37) and goals (18). Sustaining the load in net for Jamestown is Brandon Weare, who is the no-doubt number one netminder. Through 24 games, he has amassed an astonishing 1.46 goals-against average and .943 save percentage.

The Beavers have some top end scoring of their own. Two guys have cracked the 30-point margin at this time of the season. Carter Barley re-took the team lead in points with 36, with defenseman Christian Kadolph right behind him at 35. Adding to his goal total last time out was Reid Arnold, as he continues to usher the way in goal scoring with 16. That is good for the top spot on the Beavers.

With three games happening in a four-day window, keeping the goalies fresh is going to be key for the Beavers. Luckily, they have two that can get the job done. Riley Wallace when called upon will look to pick up where he left off as he has caught himself on a fantastic stretch to begin 2024. In his last three starts, he currently stands with three shutouts, facing 62 shots and stopping every single one in that span. His numbers have now improved to a 1.20 goals-against average and .936 save percentage. When Jake Anthony gets the call, he can also be trustworthy. He has accounted for a 2.24 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in 15 games played.

There have been some incredible battles over the years between Minot and Jamestown, and Mary has added themselves into the fold since they first started in 2018. Since beginning affiliation with Minot State Athletics, the Beavers in their 10 games versus the Marauders have won nine of them, including a six-game winning streak that is ongoing. Both teams last met on January 10, 2024, when the Beavers shut out the Marauders 3-0 in Minot. Peeking at the all-time series with Jamestown, Minot State has won 18 out of 21 since affiliating with MSU Athletics. However, the Jimmies have gotten the best of the Beavers in two of the last three matchups. Both teams collided in Jamestown where the Jimmies picked up a convincing 4-1 victory over Minot back on November 27, 2023. Both teams will be hungry for their first meeting in nearly two months.

Minot State is ready to compete against some familiar North Dakota foes in the University of Mary and Jamestown. After their busy week wraps up, the Beavers head to Waldorf for a two-game set with the Warriors starting on February 2.