Mavericks Head to Chicago Showcase as NCDC Era Begins
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Eight seasons in, the Columbus Mavericks are about to play a game they've never played before.
The Mavericks' new Tier 2 team will play the first NCDC game in program history Thursday night. They face the Minnesota Blue Ox at the USPHL Chicago Showcase. The Mavericks' Premier team is in Chicago too, carrying a 1-0 record into a four-game showcase slate. Between them, the two teams will play seven games in three days at Summit Sports & Ice Complex.
A new chapter for the NCDC squad
For seven seasons, the Mavericks have competed at the Tier 3 Premier level of the USPHL. This year, the organization added a team in the NCDC, the league's Tier 2 division. The program's new top tier gets its first test against three teams from the North Division of the NCDC's Midwest Conference.
The NCDC Mavericks, who play in the conference's Great Lakes Division, open Thursday against the Blue Ox. They face the Northwest Express on Friday and close their showcase Saturday against the Hudson Havoc. All three games are at Summit Sports & Ice Complex North.
Showcases like this one matter for players. The USPHL bills the Chicago event as one of its premier early-season stops. It gives players a chance to compete against teams outside their regular schedule in front of junior, college and professional scouts. For a first-year NCDC roster, that exposure starts with the opening face-off.
Premier team already rolling
The Premier Mavericks got their season off to an emphatic start on Sept. 20. They blanked the Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones 9-0 at Queen City Sportsplex.
They'll look to build on that this week with four games at Summit Sports & Ice Complex South. Thursday's game is against the Northwest Express. Friday brings a doubleheader against the Dells Ducks and the Chicago Crush. The Premier team wraps up its showcase Saturday against the Fresh Coast Freeze.
Showcase Schedule
NCDC
Thursday, Oct. 1 — vs. Minnesota Blue Ox, 7:30 PM (Summit Sports & Ice Complex North)
Friday, Oct. 2 — vs. Northwest Express, 11:15 AM (Summit Sports & Ice Complex North)
Saturday, Oct. 3 — vs. Hudson Havoc, 1:30 PM (Summit Sports & Ice Complex North)
Premier
Thursday, Oct. 1 — vs. Northwest Express, 5:15 PM (Summit Sports & Ice Complex South)
Friday, Oct. 2 — vs. Dells Ducks, 7:15 AM (Summit Sports & Ice Complex South)
Friday, Oct. 2 — at Chicago Crush, 2:15 PM (Summit Sports & Ice Complex South)
Saturday, Oct. 3 — vs. Fresh Coast Freeze, 5:30 AM (Summit Sports & Ice Complex South)
How to watch
Every Mavericks showcase game will stream live on USPHL+ through Black Bear Sports. Full schedules for both teams are on the NCDC and Premier schedule pages.
Coming home
After Chicago, both teams return to Central Ohio to host the Red River Spartans the following weekend. The NCDC Mavericks will play their first-ever home games on Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 10. Both games are at OhioHealth Chiller North, 8144 Highfield Drive in Lewis Center. The Premier team will also face Red River that weekend, at OhioHealth Ice Haus on Friday and Chiller North on Saturday. Tickets are available at columbusmavericks.com/fan-zone/tickets.