Mavericks 6, Huskies 2

Freddy's three thoughts of the game:

1. End of the streak: The close-but-no-cigar streak of seven WCHA games (0-5-2) has ended, and in big-time breakout fashion. The Mavericks scored six goals, and five players had two-point games in the victory, the team's first in conference play since Dec. 4 against Minnesota. Michael Dorr scored two goals, while Rylan Galiardi (1G, 1A), Andrew Sackrison (1G, 1A), Kurt Davis (2A), Eriah Hayes (2A) and Adam Mueller (2A) were also in on the action. Chase Grant and Joe Schiller (short-handed) had the other MSU goals. It was the first time the Mavericks scored six since an 8-3 win at UMass-Lowell on Nov. 26. Minnesota State outshot St. Cloud 37-31. Phil Cook stopped 29 shots, including a flurry of great saves in the final minute of the second period.

2. Getting to 4: That headline has nothing to do with the Packers' strategy against the Vikings. It's the number of goals the Mavericks needed. When Dorr and Grant scored 42 seconds apart to make it 3-0 at 1:20 of the second period, it was hard not to think of the Denver game two weeks ago in which the Mavs led 3-0 only to lose 4-3 in overtime. Schiller's goal at 10:58 of the second period was huge. "The key was No. 4," Jutting said. "We talked about that a lot. When you have a team down 3-nothing, they're down but not out." Four goals was enough, but St. Cloud still made things interesting with two goals in the first 3:43 of the third period to make it 4-2. The Mavericks finally breathed a little easier at 13:17 when Sackrison made it 5-2. Dorr finished things off with an empty-netter with 1:38 to go.

3. Killers and blockers: The referees never stopped blowing the whistle in the game, calling 21 penalties on the two teams, including 12 on MSU. The Mavericks killed off 9 of 10 penalty kills and got Schiller's shorty. Add Rylan Galiardi's 5x3 power-play goal in the first period, and the Mavs were +1 on special teams. Cook saved 14 of 15 shots with his team killing, but the defense ahead of him made big stops, too. For the game, the Mavericks were credited with 20 blocked shots. Michael Dorr and Andrew Sackrison likely have the bruises to prove it, too.

They're starting to turn the lights out here at the National Hockey Center. See you in Mankato!

Read the box score here.