La Crescent vs. Southwest Christian/Richfield

4:15 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 9

After folding its varsity hockey program in the 2015-2016 season, Richfield formed a co-op with Southwest Christian, in Chaska, for the following season and played a schedule with mostly junior varsity games.

This year the Stars begin their first varsity season, and former Apple Valley and Gophers standout Erik Westrum guides the program as it plays its inaugural opener Saturday at home against La Crescent.

The Lancers lost a talented senior core that led La Crescent to a 15-win season last winter. Alex Boudreau (14 goals, 13 assists) returns to lead the Lancers (0-3), who will be four games into their schedule after facing West Salem, Wis., on Tuesday.