KC Mavericks hockey arrives: Team opens on the road Friday, with home opener Saturday

The Kansas City Mavericks play a season-opening road game Friday night against the Iowa Heartlanders, then turn around and play host to the Heartlanders Saturday evening in their ECHL home opener.

Both hockey games begin about 7 p.m., with the home opener set for 7:05 p.m. Saturday at Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence.

This season marks the Mavericks’ second under head coach/GM Tad O’Had and 13th as a franchise. They were 31-31 last season and enter their 2021-22 campaign looking to return to the Kelly Cup playoffs.

Preseason recap

The Mavs beat the Heartlanders 3-2 in a preseason game last Friday in Independence. Forward Jesse Mychan scored KC’s first goal of the night. A native of Saskatoon, Canada, he was with the Allen Americans last season, scoring 15 goals with nine assists in 24 games.

Shawn Weller and Tommy Muck scored the other two goals for KC.

Home and home

The Mavericks kick off the ECHL season Friday against the Heartlanders in Coralville, Iowa, before returning home for Saturday’s home opener against the same Iowa club.

New faces

Reid Perepeluk (age 21, right wing), Greg Moro (26, defenseman) and Andrew Shortridge (26, goalie) were assigned to the Mavericks this week.

Tickets and towels

The first 3,500 fans through the door for Saturday’s home opener at Cable Dahmer Arena will receive a rally towel courtesy of @Cabledahmerkc. The team hopes to “orange out” the arena Saturday night.

Tickets to all Mavericks home games can be purchased through Ticketmaster.