UNO Hockey Season Begins Tonight

The Mavs drop the puck on the 2012-13 season tonight in Kansas City with the Icebreaker tournament.  I get the feeling this is not going to be a successful tournament attendance-wise at the Sprint Center, as I only see a handful of UNO fans making the three hour drive down I-29.  I can't imagine a large local crowd either.  Tonight's game is against Army and will be televised on the NBC Sports cable network at 9 pm.

Tomorrow night, the Mavs will face off against either Miami Maine or Notre Dame.  If UNO wins tonight, UNO will play at 6:30 PM Saturday for the Icebreaker championship, which will also be televised by the NBC Sports Network. A UNO loss tonight means the Mavs will play at 3:30 pm Saturday afternoon with no television coverage.

You have to expect UNO to come out with a victory against the "Black Knights of the Hudson", as UNO color commentator Terry Leahy will use to describe Army about three dozen times tonight.  Army finished last season 5-23-7 against a fairly weak Atlantic Hockey schedule.  But it's the first game of a new season, so you have to expect the unexpected.

I joined most UNO hockey fans, it seems, in skipping Monday night's exhibition game against Lethbridge which apparently was best described as disjointed.  Not sure what to read of it.  I am concerned about the loss of Jayson Megna and Terry Broadhurst to the pros this offseason; when Matt White has to step in to center the top line, you have to expect some growing pains this season. They'll have to solidify quickly tonight, because No. 8 Miami No. 20 Maine or No. 14 Notre Dame will not be pushovers.  Get a split this weekend in Kansas City, and it's an OK start to this hockey season.  Come away with the trophy, and start getting excited.