Minnesota State Mankato canceled Saturday night's men's hockey game vs. Princeton in Mankato after the school said several Mankato players came down with the flu.

"We do not have enough healthy student-athletes to field a team tonight," MSU Mankato athletic director Kevin Buisman said in a prepared statement. "After consulting with several stakeholders, including the NCAA, Verizon Wireless Center and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, and discussing our options, it was decided to cancel the game."

Buisman said the game would be declared a "no contest" and ticketholders would be reimbursed at a later date. Under NCAA guidelines, a game is considered "no contest" rather than a forfeit when a team is unable to show up because of weather or illness.

The Minnesota Department of Health this week declared the flu widespread in the state, and reported 185 flu-related hospitalizations as of Dec. 6.

The Mavericks are 13-4-0 and ranked third in the nation, according to USCHO.com. They defeated Princeton 5-0 on Friday night.