Northern Michigan University captain Joseph Nardi awaits a faceoff in a game against Michigan Tech last season at the Berry Events Center in Marquette. (Photo courtesy NMU)

Tonight: Exhibition: NMU at Michigan Tech, 7 p.m.; Radio: WUPT 100.3 FM The Point

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MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University hockey team gets its season started — in an unofficial way — by playing an exhibition game against Michigan Tech at 7 p.m. Saturday in Houghton.

Though they are long-time rivals, this is the first time these two schools have met in an exhibition, made possible this season through an NCAA Committee for Legislative Relief-approved waiver.

They also play four CCHA games in two home-and-home series in the regular season on Nov. 12-13 and Jan. 21-22. All of the Wildcats’ regular-season games are paired in Friday-Saturday series. In the games vs. MTU, the Saturday game in November and Friday game in January will be played at Northern’s Berry Events Center.

Starting next weekend, NMU plays its first six regular-season games at home. The opening series on Friday and next Saturday is against new CCHA and NCAA Division I member St. Thomas of St. Paul, Minnesota. The next weekend, Oct. 15-16, the Friday game is against the U.S. National Team Development Program Under-18 team and Saturday is against Notre Dame.

The last weekend of this opening homestand, Oct. 22-23, is against Bemidji State.

Last season, the Wildcats narrowly missed the NCAA Division I Tournament despite a final record of a modest 11-17-1. After a slow start, the team finished 3-2 in the WCHA Tournament during March, reaching the league’s playoff championship game before falling to Lake Superior State 6-3.

In that run was a stunning 5-1 win over No. 3-ranked and league regular-season champion Minnesota State-Mankato in the semifinals.

Fans can follow the NMU hockey squad and other Wildcat teams on social media on Twitter at twitter.com/NMU_Wildcats and at twitter.com/NMUHockey.

The game will be broadcast on radio station WUPT 100.3 FM The Point and live statistics are to be available online at www.nmuwildcats.com/sports/mice/2021-22/boxscores/20211002_b0ht.xml.

No live stream of this game will be available on flohockey.tv.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.