North Dakota 3, MSU 0

The Minnesota State men’s hockey team suffered back-to-back losses for the first time since mid-December and closed out its regular season with a 3-0 WCHA loss to No. 14 North Dakota on Saturday night.

The Mavericks were shut out for the third time this season, as UND’s Brad Eidsness stopped all 29 shots.

Minnesota State goaltender Austin Lee made 27 saves, allowing two goals.

North Dakota scored once each period, as Mark MacMillan opened the scoring with a breakaway goal at 11:01 of the first period. In the second, Nick Mattson scored a power-play goal at 6:32. 

Brock Nelson closed out the game with an empty-net goal with 1:29 to play. It was Nelson’s 23rd goal of the season.

North Dakota’s sweep of the Mavericks marked the first time MSU has lost two games in a row since Dec. 16-17 when Colorado College won twice in Mankato. However, Minnesota State closed out the season on a four-game winless streak, going 0-3-1.

The Mavericks (12-22-1, 8-18-2 in WCHA) will now travel to Minnesota Duluth for the conference playoffs. They will begin a best-of-three first-round playoff series on Friday. Minnesota State finished 11th in the WCHA; Duluth is second. MSU went 0-3-1 against the Bulldogs this season.