2008-09 schedule released

Remember last season, when the Mavericks played nine of their first 10 games on the road? That's not going to happen this year. MSU's schedule was released on Tuesday.

The Mavericks will play six of their first 10 games in Mankato, including their first two series -- Oct. 10-11 vs. Bemidji State and Oct. 17-18 vs. North Dakota. After that, MSU will play Minnesota in a home-and-home series, although the Mavericks' home game will be played at Xcel Energy Center as part of a WCHA doubleheader (St. Cloud and Duluth will play the early game on Nov. 1).

The Gophers will play in Mankato on Jan. 30.

MSU will not play Duluth or Michigan Tech at home and will not travel to Denver or Wisconsin. The Mavericks will also host Nebraska-Omaha and play nonconference road games at Bowling Green, Princeton and Omaha.

Here is the schedule with home games in bold:

Oct. 10, Bemidji State
Oct. 11, Bemidji State
Oct. 17, North Dakota
Oct. 18, North Dakota
Oct. 31, Minnesota
Nov. 1, Minnesota (at Xcel Energy Center
Nov. 7 , Alaska-Anchorage
Nov. 8, Alaska-Anchorage
Nov. 14, Colorado College
Nov. 15, Colorado College
Nov. 21, Michigan Tech
Nov. 22, Michigan Tech
Nov. 28, Bowling Green
Nov. 29, Bowling Green
Dec. 5, St. Cloud State
Dec. 6, St. Cloud State
Dec. 12, Denver
Dec. 13, Denver
Dec. 29, Princeton
Dec. 30, Yale
Jan. 3, Nebraska-Omaha
Jan. 9, Colorado College
Jan. 10, Colorado College
Jan. 16, Alaska-Anchorage
Jan. 17, Alaska-Anchorage
Jan. 23, Minnesota Duluth
Jan. 24, Minnesota Duluth
Jan. 30, Minnesota
Jan. 31, Minnesota
Feb. 13, North Dakota
Feb. 14, North Dakota
Feb. 24, Nebraska-Omaha
Feb. 27, Wisconsin
Feb. 28, Wisconsin
March 6, St. Cloud State
March 7, St. Cloud State

NAHL selects Litchfield, Anderson

Two more Mankato West players were drafted by junior teams on Wednedsay, as Ricky Litchfield and Ryan Anderson were taken in the North American Hockey League draft. Litchfield, Minnesota high school's top scorer during the regular season, was taken by Michigan's Marquette Rangers. Anderson, meanwhile, will get a chance to play for former Minnesota State captain Ryan McKelvie, who is an associate coach with Washington's Wenatchee Wild, an NAHL expansion team. Litchfield and Anderson join Scarlets teammate and MSU recruit Corey Leivermann, who was taken in the USHL draft last week. For more, see the story in Thursday's Free Press.

McKelvie lands coaching gig

Former MSU forward Ryan McKelvie has been hired as associate head coach of an expansion team in the North American Hockey League in Wenatchee, Wash. The junior-hockey league also has teams in Owatonna and Albert Lea. McKelive, a three-year assistant captain for the Mavericks, spent the last two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Bemidji State.

Fargo selects Leivermann

Mankato West High School forward and Minnesota State recruit Corey Leivermann was drafted by the Fargo Force in the United States Hockey League (Junior A) entry draft on Wednesday. Fargo, a USHL expansion team coached and managed by former North Dakota coach Dean Blais, took Leivermann in the eighth round with the 70th overall pick. Another MSU rercuit, forward Eli Zuck of Shattuck-St. Mary's, was taken by the Tri-City Storm in the second round, No. 14 overall.

Here is some more information on how the USHL draft works and what it means to selected players.

Backes fight

Last week, David Backes, who is playing for Team USA in the world championships, told me that fighting and hard hits are discouraged in international play. That didn't stop him on Sunday in the Americans' loss to Finland. Backes was suspended for Monday's final qualifying game against Norway. The U.S. will face Finland again Wednesday in the quarterfinals. Here's the fight:

Carter re-ups with Ducks

We had this in The Free Press this week but not on the blog. Ex-Maverick Ryan Carter inked a new, three-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks, the team announced this week. In one report, Ducks general manager Brian Burke said: “Ryan Carter is the most improved player in the entire organization in the last 12 months. What Ryan brings is some youth and enthusiasm, but also some hockey sense and tenacity to go with skill.” The same report said Carter's deal is worth $1.875 million.