By @StefanKubus –
Mark your calendars; the 140-game quest for the MacNaughton Cup begins Oct. 13 in an all-Michigan opening weekend, as the Western Collegiate Hockey Association released its schedule for the 2017-18 campaign Thursday afternoon.
Ferris State will welcome Northern Michigan, and Lake Superior State will host Michigan Tech, both on Oct. 13-14 to begin WCHA conference play.
Each member institution will play a total of 28 WCHA games (14 at home and 14 on the road).
Some highlights:
- Oct. 27-28: Ferris State will battle defending MacNaughton Cup champ Bemijdi State on the road
- Nov. 3-4: Michigan Tech faces Bowling Green at home in a rematch of their double-overtime 2017 WCHA Championship game
- Oct. 27-28: Michigan Tech and Minnesota State – who have combined for three of the last four WCHA titles – play in their only meeting
- Jan. 19-20: The Cappo Cup series between Lake Superior State and Northern Michigan will be decided in a season-opening non-conference series (Oct. 6-7) and in the January meeting in Marquette.
- Nov. 10-11: Michigan Tech vs. Northern Michigan (home-and-home)
- Feb. 23-24: Michigan Tech vs. Northern Michigan (regular season finale)
In non-conference play:
Oct. 6: Ferris State at Western Michigan
Oct. 7: Western Michigan at Ferris State
Oct. 27-28: Lake Superior State at Michigan State
Nov. 3-4: Ferris State at Michigan
Nov. 17: Ferris State at Michigan State
Nov. 18: Michigan State at Ferris State
Nov. 24-25: USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program at Lake Superior State (exhibition)
Additionally, Ferris State will battle Mercyhurst and participate in the Three Rivers Classic (opponents TBA); Michigan Tech will square off against Arizona State and participate in three tournaments – the Icebreaker Tournament, the Great Lakes Invitational and the Ice Vegas Invitational; Northern Michigan will battle Wisconsin, Omaha and participate in the Ice Vegas Invitational.
To see the full schedule, click here.