Hockey | 10/20/2026 1:39:00 PM
Crookston, Minn. - University of Minnesota Crookston Hockey is heading down to Brookings, South Dakota for their first two games against the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits this weekend. The two teams will meet again in January, but it will be in Crookston the second time around. The Golden Eagles enter the weekend at 4-0-0, outscoring their opponents 26-9. The Jackrabbits come in with a record of 3-0-1, outscoring their opponents 29-10. The Jackrabbits have played two WCCHA teams through their first four games, North Dakota State University and the University of Jamestown.
The Golden Eagles and Jackrabbits have played each other four times in program history, all four of which were played during the 2025-26 season. The Golden Eagles have the advantage through those four games, holding a 3-1-0 record. The Golden Eagles have scored 16 total goals, good for a four per game average, and won both of the games that were played in Crookston. Of those four matchups, the highlighted game for this week is the incredible comeback, overtime win that the Golden Eagles had back on January 23rd of this year. The Jackrabbits had taken a 5-4 lead midway through the third period, but the Golden Eagles knotted things up with just 43 seconds remaining in the game before Anthony Foster (Sr., F, Warroad, Minn.) ripped home the game winning goal in overtime.
The Golden Eagle Player to Watch for this weekend's series against the Jackrabbits is Braden Van de Kraats (Jr., F, Medicine Hat, Alberta) fresh off of a three point weekend in Fargo. Van de Kraats, who is in his second season in the Maroon and Gold, had five points in four games against the Jackrabbits last year, all of which were goals. His biggest game against South Dakota State University came in the 5-1 win back in January. In that game, Van de Kraats scored his first career hat trick, scoring the teams first, second, and fourth goal of the game. Van de Kraats currently has three goals and two assists for five points through the team's first four games this season.
These two teams will enter this weekend's games, the fifth and sixth matchups between the two programs, with a combined one overtime loss on the season. Last season when the two teams met in Brookings, the Golden Eagles took game one by a score of 2-1 and the Jackrabbits won game two by a score of 5-3. The Golden Eagles won both games that were played in Crookston. Puck drop for Friday's game, which will be played at the Larson Ice Center in Brookings, South Dakota, is set for 7:30 p.m. while Saturday's game will see a 10:30 a.m. puck drop.
