Fansided

Icepack Will Be Young But Experienced With UNC Nipping At Their Heels

By Chris Baker |
Feb 18, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; The NC State Wolfpack marching band plays during a stoppage in play during the game between the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes in the third period during the 2023 Stadium Series ice hockey game at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 18, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; The NC State Wolfpack marching band plays during a stoppage in play during the game between the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes in the third period during the 2023 Stadium Series ice hockey game at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Icepack of North Carolina State will kick off their 2023-24 season on September 8th against the Pirates of East Carolina at home in Cary. The Icepack will be building on a promising season in 2022-23 where State fans saw the team go 25-4.

And likely they will see success again this year with a large number of returning skaters. While seven seniors are not coming back, the Icepack will be returning a solid crop of experienced, but young players to take the ice.

State is bringing back 8 sophomores, 7 juniors, and 3 seniors making the Icepack a middle heavy team with a small senior leadership corps.

And that experience will be needed against a pretty interesting schedule. With big trips to Louisville, Kentucky to play the Kentucky IceKitties (10/21) and the University of Indiana (10/22) and Springfield, Virginia to face Penn State (11/3), the University of Maryland (11/4), and Rider University (11/5) experience can pay off for the Icepack. State will also be on the road with home-away series against Liberty University (10/5, 10/6), Wake Forest (1/19, 1/20) and Virginia Tech (1/26, 1/27) and the Icepack head to the University of Delaware in January.

Icepack Jan 29, 2022; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; General view of the hockey puck during the third period between the Calgary Flames and the Vancouver Canucks at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Icepack Jan 29, 2022; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; General view of the hockey puck during the third period between the Calgary Flames and the Vancouver Canucks at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports /

But NCSU won’t just be on the road. State hosts big games against Texas A&M at home in November and will have

in-state rivals UNC twice on home ice

(10/27, 2/2) and once (TBD) at

PNC arena for the Governor’s Cup

. The Tar Heels will be looking to avenge last year’s

Frozen Finley

trouncing, but have an uphill battle with three of four games “on the road” against State.

Also looming on the Icepack schedule is the Seahawks of UNC-Wilmington. While this has been less of a rivalry game in years past, State can not overlook the building team from the coast. That series is also a home (10/12) and away (1/31) series for the Icepack.

(Check out our FULL NORTH CAROLINA HOCKEY PREVIEW)

Rounding out the season will be the ACCHL – Quarterfinals at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Annex in Winston Salem, North Carolina in February.

Such an experience but young corps of skaters will be a great combination for the NC State this year. You can keep up with Icepack hockey on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, PackTV and the Technician.

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