Freddy's three thoughts (from afar) ...
1. A win on the road: Sometimes a season goes on and you don't realize a stat or a trend until it smacks you in the face. That's what happened the weekend when I figured out that the Mavericks hadn't won a WCHA road game since Nov. 7. Sure, there were those two wins against Minnesota (go figure), one in Minneapolis and one in St. Paul, but none against WCHA opponents. There was only one loss, however and seven — 7! — ties, including the two stalemate at Alabama Huntsville two weeks ago. The Mavericks ended that slump on Friday night with a fairly one-sided, taking-care-of-business victory at Alaska Anchorage.
2. Top players get it done: The Mavericks got goals from Bryce Gervais, Dylan Margonari and C.J. Franklin, and Cole Huggins had a 15-save shutout (his ninth career blanking, which ranks second in school history). Their best players were their best players, and if those top guys can keep playing at a high level, the late-season/postseason could be bright. Gervais, as Alaska Dispatch News' intrepid hockey writer Doyle Woody pointed out, has six goals in his last five games against Anchorage and seven in his last seven. "So, he likes him some Seawolves," Woody tweeted. (Read his gamer here.) Gervais has 13 goals now, and Franklin has 14.
3. Safe at home: The victory clinched a home-ice spot in the WCHA playoffs for the Mavericks. It never really seemed like there were be a doubt that would happen, but with the way the league has been scrunched together, it sure seemed open to strange occurrences. Of course, MSU is shooting for first place and the right to keep the MacNaughton Cup in one of those new trophy cases in the upgraded hockey facility at the Verizon Wireless Center. The Mavericks actually entered Friday's game in a three-way tie with Michigan Tech and Bowling Green, who also won on Friday but remained two points up after beating the Seawolves.
Read more here.
Around the WCHA: Michigan Tech 6, Alaska 5 ... Bowling Green 4, Ferris State 3 ... Lake Superior State 3, Northern Michigan 1 ... Alabama Huntsville 1, Bemidji State 1 (OT)
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