It was an incredible moment for the University of Mary. The entire offseason was spent rebranding this program. New logo, new coaches, new culture. And now, a new team. UMary hockey was welcomed to an absolutely packed house at the Schwan Rink. The opponent is perhaps the most familiar brand in the state of North Dakota: the Bison of North Dakota State. The event was such a big draw, they had to turn fans away for fire code reasons! But everyone who made it in was treated to a show. The Marauders got on the board first, exactly what the crowd wanted. That surge of electricity powered the Marauders to a high-intensity first period that would only see the one breakthrough. Then in the 2nd, that’s when the Mary intensity paid off. Averaging a goal a minute, fans were introduced to this Marauder team as they continued to put the puck in net. Defensemen, forwards, everyone got in on the party. All the while, Aaron Nelson was a wall in the cage for UMary. Stifling defense and relentless offense were the theme of the night for the Marauders, and the game-defining run in the 2nd would carry the day. The Marauders would begin their hockey franchise undefeated, picking up the victory in 8-0 fashion.