Let the season begin

Minnesota State will play the University of Regina at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Verizon Center, using the official first day of the men's season for an exhibition game.

The game will be the first close look at this year's Mavericks team with so many new players and returning players in new roles.

"We'll probably play everybody," coach Mike Hastings said. "Experience is the best teacher, and we need to get some experience."

Hastings said that returning captain and senior defenseman Carter Foguth and junior forward C.J. Franklin will be the team's captains this season, each wearing the "C." Wearing the "A" as alternate captains will be seniors Michael Huntebrinker and Sean Flanagan and junior Brad McClure.

It's a big leadership group, but "that's the group they decided they want to follow," Hastings said. "I respect that. That's the group they want to be their leaders."

Look for my MSU preview in Sunday's edition of The Free Press, along with coverage of Saturday's game. As always, there will be live updates of the game and other tidbits from around college hockey right here on the blog and on Twitter.