When Missouri moved from the Big 12 to the Southeastern Conference in 2012, Mizzou’s athletics programs said goodbye to their border rivalry with the Kansas Jayhawks.
But now the Mizzou club hockey has stepped up to the challenge of preserving it. The team is set to host Kansas for Friday’s home opener, making 2016-17 the third straight season that the teams have played one another.
“We really value the relationship we have with Kansas,” team captain Brendan Wilson said. “We’re glad to be able to put on games against them each year and keep the rivalry going.”
Since Kansas renewed its club hockey program in 2014, Mizzou has compiled a record of 8-1 against the Jayhawks in head-to-head matchups. Five of the victories came in last year’s season sweep of the Jayhawks, during which Mizzou outscored Kansas 43-14.
“We want to win and get points out of every game, but there’s definitely the extra fire and motivation when we play Kansas,” Wilson said. “They have a building program, so the rivalry is going to intensify as the years go along.”
Both sides joined forces to re-establish a neutral ice game at the Silverstein Eye Centers Arena in Independence, Missouri coined as the “Border Showdown.” The single-game matinee was established by Mizzou’s former coach John Lamond and took place before Kansas’ program was cancelled in 2012.
Mizzou won last season’s Border Showdown 5-2 in front of a crowd of more than 3,000 fans. Alternate captain Cory Cannon thinks the matchup is valuable for both teams and their fan bases.
“The game is huge exposure, not only for our program but also for hockey in mid-Missouri and Kansas City,” Cannon said. “It is also a game that we look forward to from the start of the season and an experience that kids don’t forget.”
Prior to tonight’s series, Mizzou opened the season with a stretch of eight road games, compiling a 4-4 record. Part of this scheduling occurred because of summer damages to the team’s home venue, as Washington Park Ice Arena in Jefferson City has flooded twice since early August.
The floods not only pushed back the team’s tryout process but also moved last week’s originally scheduled home opener against McKendree University to Alton, Illinois. Between four road trips, the team has already traveled over 1,300 miles.
Mizzou was also unable to hold a full-team practice in Jefferson City until the first week of October. This forced the team to organize practices in Wentzville once a week, but attendance was generally low because of extended travel and school commitments.
“As a player, it’s just something you adjust to, but from an organizational standpoint, it’s been kind of a headache,” Cannon said. “The conditions are still not at 100 percent, but we are excited to play in front of our fans and get back on the ice in Jefferson City again.”
Cannon and Wilson, both St. Louis natives, think mid-Missouri’s strong St. Louis Blues fan base encourages locals to support the game of hockey, allowing Mizzou to cater a low-cost and travel-friendly product on the ice.
“It’s kind of hard to understand why Columbia doesn’t have a rink, but at the same time, we get a lot of income and support from our fans in Jefferson City,” Wilson said. “We want to represent our school in the best way possible, and we really appreciate any support we can get.”
Mizzou plays in the eight-team Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Organization. In order to qualify for its first taste of MACHA playoffs since 2012, Mizzou will have to finish the season with at least the sixth-most points in league play.
“We had a lot of turnover from last year, but we also have a lot of veteran leaders,” said Cannon, one of 11 returning players from last year’s roster. “This is one of the more passionate, hard-working and driven teams that I’ve been a part of here, and I think we can make the playoffs this year.”
Friday’s home opener starts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday’s series finale with Kansas is scheduled at 4:30 p.m. Children and Mizzou students with an ID can attend for $5, and adult admission is $8.
**Contact information:**
To learn more about Mizzou club hockey, visit the team’s [Twitter](https://twitter.com/mizzouhockey) page or [website]( https://mizzouhockey.wordpress.com). The team can also be contacted via email at mizzouicehockey@gmail.com
_Edited by Peter Baugh | pbaugh@themaneater.com_
