University of St. Thomas vs. St. Cloud State University

A festive game against a tough opponent set in a unique venue. That's the opportunity awaiting St. Thomas Men's Hockey on Sunday Oct. 3 when it plays its first home contest of its NCAA Division I era.

The Tommies' non-conference clash with St. Cloud State will be played at Grand Casino Arena in downtown St. Paul with a 5 p.m. puck drop.

St. Cloud State was the NCAA runner-up last season as it won six of its last eight games to post a final record of 20-11. The Huskies also play the Tommies on Saturday Oct. 2 at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud -- St. Thomas' first game in D-I men's hockey.

Rico Blasi was introduced last April as the Tommies' first D-I men's hockey coach. Blasi's previous 20-season Division-I head coaching run produced 398 victories and one NCAA runner-up finish among two Frozen Four appearances.

Blasi and his Tommie coaching staff went to work this spring and built a 27-player roster for 2021-22, including 16 newcomers. Those additions join a group of 11 returners that helped St. Thomas post a 6-1-2 record during a Covid-shortened season of 2020-21.

Nearly half of Blasi's first Tommie roster has previous experience in D-I programs, and virtually all of them previously competed at a high level of Juniors hockey.

Later in October, St. Thomas begins conference play in the eight-team Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). Besides their season-opening games against St. Cloud State, the Tommies' 2021-22 non-conference schedule includes a Nov. 23-24 home series with Penn State at Saint Thomas Ice Arena, as well as road series at Arizona State and Alaska-Fairbanks.