A Cold Start to 2026

The Dragons kicked off the spring semester this past weekend against the Lake Region State Royals, and let’s just say the weather was a perfect metaphor for the weekend.

Coming off a long winter break without a single practice, we stepped onto the ice facing more than just a tough opponent. With temperatures hitting a brutal -28°F, the weekend was a battle against the elements from the start. We even had a team van refuse to start in the sub-zero temps, forcing the boys to scramble just to get to the rink.

Fighting the Deep Freeze

That cold carried over onto the ice. While the final scores (7-1 and 10-1) were tough to swallow, the games were less about a lack of skill and more about a lack of heat. The Dragons have the talent to play with Lake Region—we generated quality chances and moved the puck well in bursts—but the “hockey sense” and timing were clearly frozen after the long layoff.

Lake Region capitalized on those moments of hesitation. We created plenty of offensive opportunities, but the finish just wasn’t there yet. It was a classic case of shaking off the rust (and the frostbite).

Next Up: Thawing Out for Creighton

The good news? We have time to warm up.

The Dragons have a two-week break to get back into a rhythm before our next big test. We head south to Omaha to take on Creighton University.

This gap in the schedule is exactly what we need. It gives us valuable practice time to get our legs back under us, tighten up the defensive zone, and find our scoring touch before hitting the road again. The rust is gone, the vans (hopefully) will start, and we’ll be ready to bring the heat in Nebraska.