MASON CITY, Iowa – The record books will say that the North Iowa Bulls brought North American Hockey League action to downtown Mason City for the first time on September 24, the night of the Bulls’ 2021-22 home opener against the Aberdeen Wings.
However, Bulls fans will get a few chances at an unofficial sneak preview of this year’s squad before the curtain goes up late next month.
North Iowa will host three preseason games at the Mason City Multipurpose Arena, with the exhibition stretch coming over a four-day span from September 8 to 11. In that time, Bulls fans will get a chance to see one of the nation’s top prep hockey powerhouses, followed by the defending Robertson Cup runner-up just a couple of days later.
The Shattuck-St. Mary’s Sabres from Faribault, Minnesota will make the trip to the River City on Wednesday, September 8 as the perennial prep powerhouse opens its season against the Bulls. Eight Sabres players or alumni were chosen in the NHL Draft last month, the 19th straight year that the program has had at least one alumnus or current player selected. 10 Shattuck-St. Mary’s alumni are currently under contract with NHL teams. That game will get underway at 7 p.m.
The Bulls and Aberdeen Wings will get very familiar with each other this year, squaring off a dozen times during the regular season and potentially five more during the Central Division playoffs in the coming spring. The teams will get acquainted with each other for the first time on Friday, September 10 and Saturday, September 11 with a pair of preseason matchups. Friday’s game in Mason City is pegged for a 7:30 p.m. puck drop, while Saturday’s game is set for a 3 p.m. start.
All three games will be streamed live on HockeyTV and on Mixlr. Tickets for each game are just $5 for adults age 13 and older. Kids 12 years of age and under are free, but must have a valid ticket if sitting in their own seat. Kids under the age of 5 will be admitted free if sitting in a lap.
Single-game tickets for all North Iowa Bulls home games, preseason and regular season, will go on sale beginning on September 1. Season tickets for the 2021-22 campaign also remain on sale – several perks are available for season ticket holders, including a 10-percent discount on all purchases at Brutus’s Locker Room Sponsored by Christie Door Company, pregame Happy Hour specials at all Friday home games, the Bulls’ “No Ticket Left Behind” program that allows season ticket holders to exchange any unused season ticket for a single-game ticket, and more.
Fans can also keep up with the latest Bulls content online by following the team’s social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.