This will be a big weekend at AMSOIL Arena as both the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) men’s and women’s hockey teams return home. The women host Bemidji State University while the men host Colorado College, and the doubleheaders are for a cause.

Friday night will be the UMD Student-Athlete Advisory Council’s (SAAC) annual Make-A-Wish night. This year’s honored guest will be an 11-year-old Duluth boy who’s about a year into his treatment for B-cell leukemia.

Then Saturday will be their second annual Sophie’s Squad game. It’s a fundraiser for athlete’s mental health that former Bulldog Gabbie Hughes helped start.

It’s really important to our program that, regardless of Gabbie graduating, that’s going to be something that we celebrate every year and recognize,” UMD women’s head coach Maura Crowell said. “Talking about mental health awareness and how to manage that in our program starts on day one.”

The women drop the puck against Bemidji at 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Puck drop for the men is set for 7:07 p.m. Friday and Saturday at AMSOIL Arena.