(Albuquerque, NM) Tuesday, October 5, 2021 – The New Mexico Ice Wolves® today announced team captains and alternate captains for the 2021-2022 season. Forward Dillan Bentley and defenseman Brandon Holt were named team captains while defenseman Mitch Becker and forward Nikolai Dulak were named alternate captains. In North America Hockey League (NAHL) junior hockey team captains will alternate throughout the season affording players an opportunity to teach and learn leadership roles on the team.
Bentley joined the NM Ice Wolves for a single game in the inaugural 2019-2020 season. In Bentley’s first full season with the team in 2020-2021 he tallied 10 goals and 13 assists in 54 games. His 23 points were sixth among NM Ice Wolves players. Through four games this season, Bentley has racked up four points on two goals and two assists. Brandon Holt is in his third year with the NM Ice Wolves after playing in 50 games in the team’s inaugural season and 53 games in the 2020-2021 season. During the inaugural 2019-2020 season Holt totaled 14 points on two goals and 12 assists. Last season the defensemen had six goals and 16 assists giving him 22 points on the season. Just before the start of the 2021-2022 season, Holt announced his commitment to the University of Maine (Hockey East Conference, NCAA D1) to continue his hockey career. Holt has played in all four of the NM Ice Wolves games this season helping the team to a franchise best ever start at 3-1.
Defenseman Mitch Becker joined the NM Ice Wolves in the team’s inaugural season. During that season Becker dished out six assists in 37 games as a rookie in the NAHL. In 2020-2021 Becker scored two goals and had ten assists for a total of 12 points on the season. Through four games this season, Becker has one point on an assist and looks to continue his success. Nikolai Dulak is a second year forward from Mahtomedi, Minnesota. In his first season with the NM Ice Wolves he played in 53 games. Through those 53 games he scored 12 goals and had 22 assists combining for 34 total points. His stellar 2020-2021 season earned him NAHL South Division All Rookie Team honors. He was also named to the All-NAHL Second Team to complete his successful rookie year. Playing in three games to this point this season, Dulak has two goals and two points.
The NM Ice Wolves look to continue their success as South Division games begin this Friday, October 8, 2021 against the Lone Star Brahmas in North Richland Hills, Texas. After two weekend games against the Brahmas, the NM Ice Wolves return home for their home opener when the team hosts South Division rival Corpus Christi IceRays on October 15, 2021 at 7:30pm MT at Outpost Ice Arenas in Albuquerque, NM. This will begin the team’s five weekend, eleven game home stand . Single game tickets, season tickets, and VIP Suite opportunities are all available at tickets.nmicewolves.com. Single game ticket pricing below.
Single Game Ticket Pricing:
-First Row Reserved Bleacher Seating – $10
-Reserved Bleacher Seating – $12.50
-Reserved Premium Chairback Seating – $25
There are also limited opportunities still available for full-season or partial-season tickets at the team’s ticket website or by contacting the team at tickets@nmicewolves.com. Season ticket holders receive a guaranteed reserved seat for all 28 NM Ice Wolves home games in the regular season, priority access to playoff tickets and priority renewal. Season tickets start at $280 for reserved front row bleacher seats, $350 for all other reserved bleacher seats and $700 for reserved stadium chairback seats. Season tickets can be contracted for using a payment plan that is available when finalizing at the website. For accessible and companion seating please contact tickets@nmicewolves.com.
The team has two hospitality suites that are available with catering on a single or multi-game basis. Anyone interested in reserving a suite for a group or special event can contact tickets@nmicewolves.com for more information.
Below is the New Mexico Ice Wolves 2021-2022 home schedule with all times in Mountain Time Zone. All home games will be played at the Outpost Ice Arenas in Albuquerque, NM:
2021 Games
Friday, October 15 vs. Corpus Christi IceRays at 7:30pm
Saturday, October 16 vs. Corpus Christi IceRays at 6:30pm
Friday, October 22 vs. Odessa Jackalopes at 7:30pm
Saturday, October 23 vs. Odessa Jackalopes at 6:30pm
Friday, October 29 vs. Wichita Falls Warriors at 7:30pm
Saturday, October 30 vs. Wichita Falls Warriors at 6:30pm
Friday, November 5 vs. Corpus Christi IceRays at 7:30pm
Saturday, November 6 vs. Corpus Christi IceRays at 6:30pm
Sunday, November 7 vs. Amarillo Wranglers at 4pm
Friday, November 12 vs. Wichita Falls Warriors at 7:30pm
Saturday, November 13 vs. Wichita Falls Warriors at 6:30pm
Friday, December 3 vs. Lone Star Brahmas at 7:30pm
Saturday, December 4 vs. Lone Star Brahmas at 6:30pm
Friday, December 17 vs. El Paso Rhinos at 7:30pm
Saturday, December 18 vs. El Paso Rhinos at 6:30pm
2022 Games
Friday, January 21 vs. Shreveport Mudbugs at 7:30pm
Saturday, January 22 vs. Shreveport Mudbugs at 6:30pm
Friday, January 28 vs. El Paso Rhinos at 7:30pm
Saturday, January 29 vs. El Paso Rhinos at 6:30pm
Friday, February 11 vs. Amarillo Wranglers at 7:30pm
Saturday, February 12 vs. Amarillo Wranglers at 6:30pm
Sunday, February 13 vs. Amarillo Wranglers at 2pm
Friday, March 18 vs. Shreveport Mudbugs at 7:30pm
Saturday, March 19 vs. Shreveport Mudbugs at 6:30pm
Friday, April 8 vs. Lone Star Brahmas at 7:30pm
Saturday, April 9 vs. Lone Star Brahmas at 6:30pm
Friday, April 15 vs. Odessa Jackalopes at 7:30pm
Saturday, April 16 vs. Odessa Jackalopes at 6:30pm
The NM Ice Wolves began their 2021-2022 season on the road against the Kenai River Brown Bears on Wednesday, September 15 as part of the 18th annual NAHL Showcase held in Blaine, MN. The Ice Wolves defeated Kenai River 5-0 on their way to a 3-1 record at the end of the showcase. All 29 NAHL teams played between three and four regular-season games at the Showcase which is one of hockey’s most prominent and popular events of the entire season and has become known as the Greatest Show on Ice. All NM Ice Wolves games for the 2021-2022 season will be available to watch on HockeyTV with a monthly or annual subscription.
The NM Ice Wolves wrapped their 2020-2021 season in mid-May at home after playing most of its games, both home and away, on the road this season in Texas and Louisiana due to strict public health guidelines in New Mexico that prohibited competition and travel for much of the year. The 2020-2021 season also marked two historic firsts for the organization with forward Cole Hanson becoming the first ever NM Ice Wolves player to be named to the All-NAHL 1st Team and the league’s All-South Division Team. Nikolai Dulak was honored to be named to the NAHL South Division All-Rookie team and All-NAHL Rookie Second team. Spencer Rudrud, Jack Bayless, Brandon Holt and Owen Parker were all named to and participated in the NAHL Top Prospects tournament in June as part of the league’s Robertson Cup championship week in Blaine, MN. Dulak, Holt and Parker all return to the NM Ice Wolves this season.
Stay connected to the NM Ice Wolves and all of the latest team news by following them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as well as the at the team’s website, www.nmicewolves.com and the New Mexico Ice Wolves App®. Other events, including public skating schedules, at the team’s home arena can be found at www.outposticearena.com or by following the Outpost Ice Arenas on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
After the team and league ended the 2019-2020 season early, as all major sports leagues did due to COVID-19, with no playoffs the NM Ice Wolves were honored by the entire North American Hockey League as the NAHL Organization of the Year and the NAHL’s South Division Organization of the Year. Alex Dominique became the first ever NM Ice Wolves’ player named to the NAHL All-South Division Rookie Team and the team’s jersey was voted best in the league in a virtual playoff voted on by fans league wide in the first ever NAHL Tournament of Jerseys.
The NAHL, the only USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier II Junior league boasting 29 teams, with the addition of El Paso, TX and Anchorage, AK in the 2021-22 season, from across the United States, prides itself on the social maturity and skill development of student-athletes ages 16-20 with aspirations of advancing to collegiate and/or professional hockey. During the 2020-21 season, the NAHL set a new single-season record with 395 NCAA commitments, with over 74% of those (293) being NCAA Division I commitments, also a new single-season record. Additionally, 32% of all Division I freshman played hockey in the NAHL. Over the course of the last six seasons, 1,500+ NAHL players have made NCAA commitments and 32 have been drafted into the NHL. In addition, nine players that played in the NAHL during the 2020-21 season were listed in the NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings for the 2021 NHL Draft. For more information, visit www.nahl.com.