The 18th-ranked Mavericks drop the puck on the new season tonight when they play the Beavers, their longtime nonconference rival. Last season in Bemidji, MSU swept the series, winning 4-3 and 1-0, to break a four-game losing streak against the College Hockey America member. Bemidji State leads the all-time series, which goes back to 1974 and the Division II era, 44-31-13,

The 5-hole

Five things to know about this weekend’s games:

1. Line ’em up: Here’s how Minnesota State’s lines likely will look when the puck drops tonight. The top line will consist of Trevor Bruess, Mick Berge and Jason Wiley. Andy Sackrison will center Geoff Irwin and freshman Tyler Thompson, who iss in for the suspended Kael Mouillierat. Zach Harrison will skate between Rylan Galiardi and Mike Louwerse. Finally, coach Troy Jutting is putting out an all-freshman line of Adam Mueller, Joe Schiller and Justin Jokinen.

2. Back in the saddle: Louwerse, a redshirt freshman, returns to the ice and will play at the Alltel Center for the first time after missing last season with a sports hernia. A 5-foot-8, 160-pound forward, Louwerse got in four road games before being shut down for the season. “It definitely feels like I know what I’m doing a little more (than last year),” the Blake School graduate said. “But when it comes to (tonight’s) game, it’s going to feel like I’m a freshman.”

3. Experienced D: The six defensemen who played in the Mavericks’ season-ending playoff series against Minnesota are all back. The group includes seniors Blake Friesen and Brian Kilburg, junior Nick Canzanello and sophomores Ben Youds, Kurt Davis and Channing Boe. Davis was the top scorer in that group with a goal and 14 assists last year. Kilburg ranks 10th on MSU’s career penalty minutes list with 203. Todd George (1996-2000) holds the record with 325.

4. The future is now: Tom Serratore is entering his eighth season as Beavers coach, and this is Bemidji’s 53rd year of hockey. But the future is hazy. The College Hockey America conference is down to just four teams (Niagara, Alabama-Huntsville and Robert Morris are the others), forcing Bemidji to play 10 games against WCHA opponents this season. The NCAA did give the CHA a reprieve this season, allowing the league to keep its automatic bid to the national tournament.

5. Scouting the Beavers: Two Bemidj State players made the CHA’s preseason all-conference team, including the last year’s league’s rookie of the year, forward Matt Read, and junior forward Tyler Scofield. Combined with senior forward Travis Winter, the Beavers return their top three scorers from a year ago. The Beavers did have suffer some losses defensively, including the graduation of goaltender Matt Climie. Senior goalie Orlando Alamano returns.