MINOT, N.D. -- It has been decades in the making. The Beavers, longing to have a chance to one day face their institutional rival on the ice. Finally, this Friday night, it will become a reality. It has been a moment circled on the calendars of each program, since UMary made the announcement to formally add fully funded, fully sanctioned ice hockey in September of 2017. 

Minot and Bismarck have been natural rivals since the dawn of the century. The two cities have faced off in every sport from high school athletics, to NAHL junior hockey rivals, to youth sports, to the current rivalry between the two universities in the current NSIC. The two institutions have faced off in every other sport for a number of years. The early stages of the rivalry started in the old North Dakota College Athletic Conference of the NAIA. Minot State had been a part of the conference since the 1930's, the Marauders were members of the conference since 1988. In 2005, UMary bolted for the NSIC, the Beavers followed suit in 2012 and reunited the rivalry. The rivalry will now be extended to the ACHA in 2018. 

"It is extremely exciting for our programs and our communities." Said Head Coach Wade Regier. "The Bismarck, Minot rivalry and the UMary, Minot State rivalry has gone on for decades. Whenever these schools meet on the field, the court or the diamond the places are packed. This is big for hockey and we look forward to finally taking them on. They have a great team over there who is playing well right now. We will need to keep our emotions in check and make sure we play disciplined hockey."

UMary made the athletic and institutional decision to add ice hockey on its campus in September of 2017. A decision to make hockey a major priority on their campus. As an institution UMary made strategic decision to fully support their hockey team something the state knew was bound to happen. After the addition of university hockey at the University of Jamestown in 2016, it was only a matter of time before we would see expansion through out the state. It is rare however, to see an institution go the route of fully funding and fully sanctioning a program. The Beavers currently operate as an independent program who does not receive any funding from its athletic department. The Beavers do receive money from a student fee, however, that fee only covers roughly 25% of the current budget. The Beavers have to find other revenue streams to make ends meet. The Marauders on the other hand do not. 

"It certainly is a big advantage for them." Said Head Coach Wade Regier. "Their travel, recruiting and equipment budgets are substantially higher than ours. It definitely puts us at a disadvantage in the future. It is a challenge our program is ready to take."

The Marauders come into the weekend series as one of the best teams in the ACHA D2 level. They currently spot a record of 24-1-1 and are ranked #1 in the west region national. The Marauders come into the weekend going 3-0-1 at the Beehive Showcase in Utah. The Marauders are lead in scoring by a trio of players all with 33 points currently. In goal, the Marauders  have split time between both Aaron Nelson and Lance Knudson. Both goaltenders spot sub 1.50 GAA. 

The Beavers enter the weekend on a five game winning streak. They come into the weekend after a big sweep of the University of Jamestown. The Beavers are lead in scoring by a pair of players, Junior Johl Swedlo and Freshman Connor Navrot both have 12 points each. The Beavers are currently lead in goal by sophomore Brey Effertz who currently spots a 6-0-1 record and a 1.40 GAA. 

The Beavers host the Marauders Friday night at 8:00pm at the MAYSA Arena. The Beavers then travel to Mandan to play the Marauders at the Schwan Arena on Saturday night 7:00pm puck drop.