Northern Michigan University’s Jordan Klimek, right, keeps the puck from Bemidji State’s Jordan Heller in the first period of a WCHA first-round playoff game on March 3 at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minn. (Bemidji Pioneer photo by Jillian Gandsey)

MARQUETTE — A couple of weeks ago, the Northern Michigan University hockey team introduced its new head coach and on Thursday, the Wildcats produced the first schedule under the leadership of Grant Potulny.

The Wildcats play three nonconference series, but will only have one of those games at the Berry Events Center. That game will be part of a home-and-home series with Lake Superior State to open up the season on Oct. 6-7. NMU hosts the Lakers on Saturday night of that weekend.

Northern does technically have another home nonconference series, but it will be in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Oct. 20-21 where it will take on Big Ten foe Wisconsin. The Wildcats split with the Badgers there last season.

The last nonconference series will be Nov. 24-25 at former CCHA rival Nebraska-Omaha. The Wildcats had a tie and a loss against the Mavericks at the BEC last year.

NMU heads to Ferris State Oct. 13-14 and to Alabama-Huntsville Oct. 27-28. The Wildcats will then hold their first WCHA series at the Berry on Nov. 3-4 against Minnesota State. This will be followed by a home-and-home series with rival Michigan Tech on the Nov. 10-11, and then a trip to Alaska-Fairbanks on the Nov. 17-18.

The following month, Northern completes three straight road series with two games at Bemidji State on Dec. 8-9 before returning to Marquette to face Ferris. The Wildcats then close out the first half of the season in Mankato, Minnesota, against the Minnesota State Mavericks.

After hitting Las Vegas for the inaugural Ice Vegas Invitational from Jan. 5-6, the Wildcats play back-to-back home series with Bowling Green State coming to the Berry on the Jan. 12-13 and Lake Superior State the Jan. 19-20. NMU then closes out the month in Alaska against Anchorage the Jan. 26-27.

Northern ends its regular season with five of their last six games in Marquette. The Wildcats start with Huntsville Feb. 2-3 and then host Fairbanks Feb. 9-10. NMU’s last series is the traditional home-and-home with Tech Feb. 23-24. The Wildcats host the Huskies on Friday night of that weekend.

Ryan Stieg can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal.net.