1. Purple Hayes — again: If Eriah Hayes isn't the WCHA offensive player of the week come Tuesday something's very wrong with the league. Hayes had a hat trick of power-play goals and an assist on Saturday and finished the weekend and series sweep with seven points (4 goals, 3 assists). He's back to the national lead in power-play goals with 10 and has 16 in all. Matt Leitner, who assisted on all three goals, now has 20 power-play points (second in the country) and a team-leading 33 in all. The Mavericks were 3 for 6 on the power play. Jean-Paul LaFontaine had two assists.
2. Great start: Minnesota State grabbed a 3-0 lead in the first period after scoring three in the third period on Friday. Zach Lehrke got things started with a breakaway goal less than 4 minutes into the game. Bryce Gervais flipped the puck high in the air out of the defensive zone, and Lehrke caught it with his glove across the ice at the red line. He tossed the puck down, slipped between two defensemen and was free. A couple of nifty moves, and Lehrke slipped the puck between goalie Aaron Crandall's pads. Teddy Blueger and Hayes added to the lead with a pair of goals 1:49 apart in the final four minutes of the frame.
3. Killer instinct: The power play was great, and the penalty kill was very good. The Mavericks had to kill off more than normal and allowed one goal on seven penalties. Goalie Stephon Williams stopped 34 shots for the game, with 12 shots hitting him when Duluth had the man advantage. The Mavericks also blocked 14 shots. Although the Mavericks led 4-1, coach Mike Hastings said a turning point was a one-minute 5x3 kill before the third period was half over. "All of a sudden momentum is on their side," Hastings said. "Five on threes are so big either way. If you kill them your team elevates, and if the other team scores that team elevates."
Read The Free Press game story here.
Around the WCHA: Michigan Tech 6, Alaska Anchorage 1 ... North Dakota 5, Nebraska Omaha 2 ... Wisconsin 3, Bemidji State 2 ... St. Cloud State 4, Minnesota 3 ... Colorado College 6, Denver 5 (OT)
WCHA standings
1. St. Cloud State (31 points)
2. North Dakota (28)
3. Nebraska Omaha (26)
Minnesota (26)
5. Denver (25)
Minnesota State (25)
Wisconsin (25)
8. Colorado College (20)
9. Minnesota Duluth (19)
10. Michigan Tech (16)
11. Bemidji State (13)
12. Alaska Anchorage (10)
1 comment:
9th ranked in the country with a home series this weekend. Why is there not any buzz in this town about this hockey team? I get the feeling there will be another weekend with a lot of empty seats in Verizon. Is MSU doing anything to market their success besides an occasional print ad in the Free Press?
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