LAS VEGAS – No. 15 Omaha hockey (0-0-0) will begin its season Friday, Oct. 11 at the 2024 Men's Ice Breaker Tournament off the Las Vegas strip at the Orleans Arena against No. 14 Massachusetts (1-0-0) at 4 p.m. PT/6 p.m. CT on B1G+.  

Apart from Omaha and Massachusetts, the field will also feature Air Force and No. 5 Minnesota, serving as the tournament's host. 

In eight matchups between the Minutemen and Mavericks, Omaha leads the series 5-2-1 and completed a five-game win streak between Nov. 8, 1997 and Nov. 28, 2003.  

This will also be the first time the two programs play on a neutral site, as six of the eight contests have occurred in Omaha.  

The Mavericks are guaranteed a second game on Saturday, Oct. 12. However, depending on the results of the tournament field, the opponent is yet to be determined.  

If Minnesota and Omaha were to meet on Saturday night, it would be a rematch of last March's Sioux Falls Regional Semifinal. 

The Ice Breaker Tournament traditionally signifies the start of the college hockey season. In the 28th edition, the Mavericks will compete in this year's tournament for the third time in program history, the first since 2012 when it was in Kansas City, Mo. 

Omaha captured a title in the 2009 Men's Ice Breaker Tournament when it served as the host city. When the Mavericks take the ice against Massachusetts on Friday, it will be the first time the two have done so since Dec. 30, 2004. 

Next week, the Mavericks will host Augustana at Baxter Arena for the regular season home opener on Friday, Oct. 18 and again on Saturday, Oct. 19.  

Season and single-game for Omaha hockey home games at Baxter Arena are on-sale now at OMavs.com/Tix. 

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