The Minnesota State men’s hockey team was introduced to the new era of college hockey over the weekend.

With a renewed emphasis on protecting puck carriers, referees called 47 minor penalties, including 25 on MSU, during the Mavericks’ series against Bemidji State.

Minnesota State had 17 chances one the power play but had just two 5-on-3 goals to show for it.

“We need to be way better,” forward Mick Berge said. “That’s the game now. It seemed like someone’s on the power play every other shift.”

There are a few changes in the way the game is going to be officiated this season.

All Division I games will have two referees and two linesmen, a system the Western Collegiate Hockey Association experimented with during selected games last season.

Also, the points of emphasis will be to protect puck carriers. Referees have been instructed to strictly enforce rules when puck carriers’ hands or arms are impeded. They’ll no longer require those offensive players to fight through those actions.

Defenders now have two strides or two seconds to finish off their checks once a player moves the puck.

Expect to see more penalties this season, at least until players adjust.

“I couldn’t believe how many penalties were called,” Mavericks freshman Mike Louwerse said Friday. “I was out with my (regular) line maybe five times the whole game. The rest of the game I was on the power play.”

Other rule changes include not allowing a team that ices the puck to change lines before the ensuing faceoff, moving faceoffs after penalties into the defensive zone of the offending team and conducting all faceoffs on one of the nine dots on the ice.

Student achievement

MSU distributed its allotment of 1,100 free student tickets for the Bemidji State games last Wednesday, and, officials said, they were gobbled up in just 15 minutes.

A line of students stretched from Taylor Center to Myers Field House to get the tickets. Those who did not get one of the free tickets were not necessarily left out in the cold, however, as the university sold additional student seats for $6 apiece.

The last time