PREVIEW: Utah @ #1 Minot St

October 28, 2016 Minot, ND The University of Utah Skatin’ Utes face their toughest test in program history this weekend as they head to North Dakota for a meeting with Minot State, the #1 team in Division 1 of the ACHA. ABOUT THE SERIES: This is the first ever meeting between these two teams. ABOUT THE BEAVERS: Minot State, as mentioned above, is ranked number one in this week’s ACHA Division I Coaches’ Poll and is the first time that the Beavers are ranked 1st this season. The Beavers are 5-1 this season but are coming off their first loss of the year against Williston State from Division II of the ACHA. That was two weeks ago as the team was off last weekend. Minot State has two wins over #7 Lindenwood and two wins over #25 Jamestown this season and are 3-0 at home this season. ABOUT THE UTES: The Utes return to ACHA Division I play after spending the last two weeks playing against Division II teams. The Utes were able to sweep both weekends and now sit at 6-4 on the season. They’ll be looking for their first win over a Division I opponent this weekend and are hoping to build momentum with a good result in Minot. Goaltenders Jared Manzella and Patrick Kasper made their season debuts in goal last weekend for Utah, both picking up wins in their first games. PLAYERS TO WATCH: FOR MINOT STATE: Jeremy Johnson leads the team in points for Minot State with five goals and two assists for seven points on the year. Behind him is the pair of Derrick Brooks and Brett McNevin, who both have six points this season. Holden Kurtz will be the man to watch in goal for the Beavers, who has a 4-0 record so far this year. Kurtz has a 2.50 GAA and a .913 save percentage. FOR UTAH: Alex King and Nick Fornelius share the team lead in points with 11 each, with Alex being the main scoring threat with a team-leading seven goals this year. Fornelius leads the team in assists with nine so far this season. Connor Meaney, Julian Cronan, Josh Dangel, and Brett Myer are all tied with ten points this year as well. In goal will most likely be Chris Komma, who has played all four ACHA D1 games this year. Komma is 4-4 this season with a 2.02 GAA and a .939 save percentage, which is good for sixth in the nation at the D1 level. Friday night’s game from Minot, ND begins at 6:35pm MT at Maysa Arena. Saturday night’s game also begins at 6:35pm MT. Broadcast information can be found here.