CORALVILLE, Iowa – Next weekend, the Iowa-Iowa State college hockey rivalry kicks back into high gear as the two teams meet in a home-and-home series Oct. 29-30.
After meeting Friday night at Ames/ISU Arena at 7 p.m., the series will shift to Xtream Arena in Coralville, home of the ECHL’s Iowa Heartlanders, for the finale Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.
“I have been lucky enough to be a part of this rivalry for over a decade now,” said Hawkeyes general manager Kevin Brooks. “These are some of the best games of the season each year. I know the players have this circled on the calendars when the schedule comes out. Iowa State has a great history and over the years, this rivalry has really grown into something special. Both clubs have great teams and when they meet up, it’s something special to be a part of. I am looking forward to keeping this going and starting a new tradition with playing them at Xtream Arena.”
“As part of the management team, our objective is to have a venue like the Xtream Arena as our home facility,” added Iowa assistant general manager Lester Griffin. “The players and coaching staff certainly have the talent and are putting a good product on the ice. Now it’s up to us to raise the bar on game operations and to build a fan base for the team. Having a home like the Xtream Arena provides the professional atmosphere for just that.”
Iowa senior defenseman Matt Wilson is already pumped for the series next weekend.
“The Iowa State series is always my favorite, and there’s always been that rivalry,” Wilson said. “Coming off a few wins is great but if we’re able to beat State it makes all the wins worth it. Playing in Xtream is a great opportunity and a long time coming. I know a lot of people have worked hard to make this possible. I just hope to sell out the arena, get the victory, and put on a good show.”
The Hawkeyes are 6-0-0 to start the 2021-22 season while the Cyclones are 3-2-1.
Iowa has swept home series to this point with Bradley, Wisconsin-Oshkosh and St. Louis. The Hawkeyes are idle this coming weekend.
TICKETS
General admission tickets for the game at Xtream Arena are available at https://fevo.me/heartlandershawkeye while student tickets (must have UI email address) are available at https://fevo.me/heartlandershawkeyestudent.
Please note that ticket prices include the 7 p.m. Heartlanders-Toledo Walleye game.
SCORING MACHINES
Wilson currently leads all ACHA Division 2 players in scoring, averaging better than four points per game with 12 goals and 16 assists for 28 points in six games.
Teammate Zach Lupori, a junior forward, is tied for second with 23 points on six goals and 17 assists, while Jake Carlson, another junior forward, has seven goals and 16 points, good for seventh in the nation.