 Now, tomorrow night, the Bemidji State men's hockey team kicks off with the first-ever Hockey Day Minnesota game on the outdoor rink. Now, things are still on as planned to play outdoor here against Michigan Tech, and they're looking forward to embracing the moment. It's an awesome event for all Minnesota guys, everyone in general really, but especially the Minnesota guys, you know, it's special. You grew up watching it, so having an opportunity to play it is pretty cool. The game will certainly be played a little differently, with freezing cold temperatures and less than perfect ice. I think the biggest thing is just you've got to simplify your game, just because the ice conditions aren't going to be great, so, which you're going to be able to accomplish indoors, you're not going to be able to accomplish outdoors. Pucks are going to be bouncing. I think the hitting might come down a little bit once again at first experience is that first hit, and it's cold out and it's not going to feel good. Unlike the women's game on Saturday, the men's game will be played for conference points, so the team has to manage the game like a regular Friday night showdown. We're playing just like any regular, regular season game. I mean, it's not about keeping everybody happy, making sure everybody gets ice time. We've got to worry about winning a hockey game. Tech's got to worry about winning a hockey game. You've got to take it in as much as you can, but ultimately you've got to focus on the task at hand. There's still three points up in the air on Friday night, and you know, we need those points right now, so you've definitely got to enjoy the moment, take it all in, but don't lose sight of your goal, and you know, buckle down and win that game. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.