Wisconsin 3, Minnesota State 2

Freddy's three thoughts of the game:

1. The streak within the streak: The Mavericks have been playing good hockey since Thanksgiving and played another close game against a top-10 team in Wisconsin on Friday. They lost 3-2 despite outshooting the ninth-ranked Badgers 39-30. That put MSU at 8-4-1 over their last 13 games. However, they are now 0-4-1 in their last five WCHA games. Three of the losses were by one goal and the two-goal loss included an empty-netter. "I can't fault the kids' effort," coach Troy Jutting said. For the fifth game in a row, the Mavericks scored the game's first goal. They are now 5-4-3 when scoring first.

2. Blame the coach? Whenever MSU takes on Wisconsin lately, we're reminded that it was Mavs coach Troy Jutting who convinced Badgers defenseman Jake Gardiner to switch from forward to D. The junior and first-round draft pick was the best player on the ice on Friday. He scored a power-play goal and, more importantly, showed off his elite skating skills when, after serving up "a pizza" for an MSU 2-on-0 rush, hustled back to break up the play. Wisconsin had just tied the game at 1-all and a goal would have given the momentum right back to the Mavericks.

3. Statistically speaking: Mike Louwerse had a hand in both of MSU's goals, assisting on Andrew Sackrison's power-play goal in the final minute of the first period (Rylan Galiardi also assisted on the play) and ripping a shot from the high slot to make it 3-2 with 5:03 to play in the game (Adam Mueller and Tyler Elbrecht assisted). For Louwerse, it was his fourth goal and fourth assist of the season. That's not enough, he admitted, especially for a team that needs more consistent goal scoring right now. "It's not what I expect of myself or what the team expects of me," he said.

Read the box score here.