NC State faces Oregon in Pink the Rink matchup

RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State follows its weekend series against Navy with a Friday night home game against Oregon. 

The Ducks travel from Eugene, Ore., to face the Icepack before heading to Chapel Hill for a back-to-back against North Carolina. Oregon is 11-10 on the season and shares just one common opponent with NC State because of its West Coast location. Alabama played at Oregon last weekend, with the teams splitting the series. 

Freshman defenseman Kyler Sun said the Icepack must be prepared for a different look than it is used to. 

“They’re a good team, a different team than we’re used to,” Sun said. “They should be good competition for us and seem to be playing the same way we are so far this season.”

Sun said NC State is focused on finishing the regular season strong as it prepares for the playoffs, aiming to return to the level of play it showed earlier in the year against Liberty and Kentucky. 

“We’re still learning as the season goes on. Nothing stays the same for the entire year, ” Sun said. “We’re getting new guys – getting to see [Jack Ray] score was fun – and we’re just trying to get back to where we were at the beginning.”

Sun has personal connections to both the University of Oregon, where his last-year roommate plays, and Pink the Rink. He said the themed nights like Pink the Rink, along with the others the Icepack has hosted this season,  are important for fans and community engagement. 

“It’s important to have, especially when we’re promoting it in our local community. We don't get many options or many opportunities to do that,” Sun said. “I have a personal relationship to it since my mom had cancer, but it’s always fun to be a part of these big games.”

NC State will wear pink jerseys for Pink the Rink, with puck drop at 8 p.m. A dollar for each ticket purchased, as well as the proceeds from Chuck-a-Puck, will be donated to the Pretty in Pink Foundation.