Mavericks slip to 10th

Minnesota State dropped a spot, from No. 9 to No. 10, in both national polls on Monday, following its series split at home against Ferris State. The Mavericks are 6-2-0, still one of the better records in college hockey and their own best October since joining the WCHA in 1999.

Minnesota Duluth was the unanimous No. 1 in the USCHO.com poll after its sweep of previous No. 1 North Dakota, which dropped to third. Denver is No. 2 and received one first-place vote in the USA Today/USA Hockey poll.

Bemidji State, which is also 6-2-0, is the only other WCHA team in the top 20, moving up to No. 18. Lake Superior State, this coming weekend's opponent for Minnesota State, is also receiving votes.

Bulldogs 4, Mavericks 3

Freddy's three thoughts of the game:

1. Stay in your seats: Minnesota State didn't give fans much to cheer about for 2 1/2 periods but then made a crazy comeback over the final 10 minutes to tie the game only to give up the game-winner with 1:01 to play. Alec Vanko, Michael Huntebrinker and Brad McClure scored MSU's goals to turn a 3-0 deficit into a 3-3 game. Huntebrinker's goal came with 3:18 remaining after coach Mike Hastings opted to pull goalie Cole Huggins for an extra attacker with about 4 minutes to go. Some call that the Dean Blais Rules, but it's become the Mike Hastings Rules. It worked and it looked like overtime was inevitable, maybe even 3-on-3 or a shootout, but the WCHA's preseason player of the year, Gerald Mayhew showed why he deserved those accolades as he got his team its first (non-shootout) win of the season.

2. Welcome to college hockey: Minnesota State's freshmen have been the talk of the WCHA over the first month of the season, but this weekend's tough, physical, grind-it-out series might have been an eye-opener to the rookies. It's not always going to be so easy. As a group, they didn't do much against Ferris State. Marc Michaelis did assist on Huntebrinker's goal and had two helpers in the series. Nicholas Rivera appeared to score a goal, but it was waved off as the Bulldogs wen to the other end and scored (the call on the ice stood upon review, giving Ferris, and not MSU, the 1-0 lead). Rivera, who had five shots on goal, is a tough kid, though, and seemed to fit in with the style of play.

3. Power outage: The Mavericks went 0 for 6 on the power play and were 1 for 8 on Friday night. After clicking at nearly 30 percent over their first five games, they are 1 for 20 in the last three games, two of which they didn't have defenseman Daniel Brickley available (upper body injury). Trailing 3-1 with 6 1/2 minutes left, the Mavericks had a 5-on-3 power play for 80 seconds, but they couldn't find a way to score. Goalie Justin Kapelmaster did make one point-blank save during that stretch. The Mavericks also missed the net plenty of times during the game. Of their 70 shot attempts, 21 missed the net. They finished with 31 on goal.

Read my game story here.

Around the WCHA: Bowling Green 4, Miami 1 ... Alaska 4, Lake Superior State 3 ... Michigan Tech 5, Northern Michigan 1 ... Bemidji State 4, Alaska Anchorage 0 ... St. Cloud State 5, Alabama Huntsville 2

Live coverage, MSU vs. Ferris State, Game 2

The live chat can be found below tonight's lines:

MINNESOTA STATE

20-Michaelis, 15-Franklin, 19-McClure
6-Tuomie, 17-Huntebrinker, 10-Knutson
23-Rivera, 16-Nelson, 12-Coatta
25-Stepan, 26-French, 27-Schwalbe

4-Lewis, 5-Foguth
11-Flanagan, 21-Vanko
14-Bigelbach, 18-Scheid

34-Huggins
39-Pawloski
29-Nelson

Scratches: Brickley, Cooper, Gerard, Hookenson, Madry

FERRIS STATE

9-McDonald, 8-Dorantes, 17-VanWormer
24-Maloney, 24-Pefley, 20-Mayhew
7-Killins, 18-Szajner, 16-Andrew
11-Lutz, 22-Tackett, 2-Fernandez

10-Lowney, 27-Tierney
5-Torantes, 3-Clarke
26-Rutkowski, 23-Kallen

35-Kapelmaster
1-Smith

Mavericks 4, Bulldogs 2

Freddy's three thoughts of the game:

1. Veterans come through: Two goals by Brad McClure. Another by Jordan Nelson. Hard-area play by C.J. Franklin. A rock-solid performance by Cole Huggins. The older players for Minnesota State came through in a tough game on Friday night. Nothing got out of hand like other games between the Mavericks and the Bulldogs, but it was a grind with a lot of stopping and starting and a lot of special teams play. McClure, who has been working closely with student-assistant and longtime NHLer Tim Jackman (see my game story below), scored a pair of beauties, tying the game in the first period and giving the Mavericks 4-1 lead in the second.

2. And a couple of youngsters: Freshman forward Ian Scheid scored what would end up being the game-winning goal, putting MSU up 3-1 midway through the second period on the power play. It was his third goal in as many games. He also had a good play out of the penalty box, racing into the defensive zone and diving to the ice to break up a slap shot from the point. He's off to a good start with six points in seven games. Another rookie, Michael Bigelbach, got the nod on D with Daniel Brickley out with injury. He didn't play a ton of minutes but did assist on McClure's second goal.

3. A little revenge: The Mavericks lost to the Bulldogs in the championship game of the WCHA tournament last March in Grand Rapids, Mich. They were held to just 14 shots on goal that game, and the 2-1 loss ended their season. On Friday, they got back to their goal-scoring ways after scoring just two in last Saturday's loss at Alaska, and even chased Final Five MVP Darren Smith from the game in the second period. Smith finished with 15 saves, and freshman Justin Kapelmaster got his first collegiate action after that, stopping all six shots he faced the rest of the way. It will be interesting to see which goalie starts on Saturday for the winless Bulldogs.

Read my game story here.

Around the WCHA: Michigan Tech 2, Northern Michigan 0 ... Miami 2, Bowling Green 1 (OT) ... Lake Superior State 3, Alaska 2 ... Bemidji State 2, Alaska Anchorage 1 (OT) ... St. Cloud State 5, Alabama Huntsville 1

Live coverage: MSU vs. Ferris State

The live chat can be found below tonight's lines:

MINNESOTA STATE

20-Michaelis, 15-Franklin, 19-McClure
6-Tuomie, 17-Huntebrinker, 10-Knutson
23-Rivera, 16-Nelson, 12-Coatta
25-Stepan, 26-French, 27-Schwalbe

4-Lewis, 5-Foguth
11-Flanagan, 21-Vanko
14-Bigelbach, 18-Scheid

34-Huggins
39-Pawloski
29-Nelson

Scratches: Brickley, Cooper, Gerard, Hookenson, Madry

FERRIS STATE

21-Mackin, 8-Dorantes, 17-VanWormer
15-Maloney, 24-Pefley, 20-Mayhew
9-McDonald, 12-Recktenwald, 16-Andrew
11-Lutz, 22-Tackett, 2-Fernandez

10-Lowney, 27-Tierney
5-Torantes, 3-Clarke
26-Rutkowski, 23-Kallen

1-Smith
35-Kapelmaster

Friday Morning Skate

The No. 9 Mavericks are back home following their split at Alaska to take on Ferris State in a WCHA series. In their last meeting, the Bulldogs defeated MSU 2-1 for the league playoff championship and got the WCHA's lone berth into the NCAA tournament.

Minnesota State will be without sophomore defenseman Daniel Brickley, its leading scorer. He represents a lot of points (10, with nine assists) and a lot of minutes on the ice. Those minutes, coach Mike Hastings said, "will be absorbed by the group, not by one individual."

Read more about what's ahead in The Free Press' College Hockey Gameday.

You can also read about senior forward Jordan Nelson and how he's become Mr. Reliable to both his Maverick family and his own family in North Dakota where his sister has been is battling leukemia for the last 10 months. On the ice, Nelson has been rock-solid so far this year. He and wingers Nicholas Rivera and Max Coatta were MSU's best line in Alaska, Hastings said, as the group accounted for three goals and eight points.

"He's playing like a senior," Hastings said of Nelson. "A lot of players come to you and ask for more. He wants it — but is able to take advantage of his more. He's getting more ice time, he's producing offensively, he's committed defensively. He's taking advantage of those opportunities. That's what you want your seniors to do."

As for Ferris State, it is 0-6-1 with a shootout win over Northern Michigan on Saturday. Several Bulldogs have been battling injuries, including the WCHA's preseason player of the year Gerald Mayhew, who has played in just three games.

"(Mayhew) and (last season's WCHA rookie of the year Corey) Mackin, they're hard," Hastings said. "They play hard; they play with an edge. There's no difference; they're the same team we played last time we played them."

Going around the WCHA ...

The Alaska teams are both on the road, with Alaska going to Lake Superior State and Alaska Anchorage going to Bemidji State. In an attempt to keep their hockey programs afloat amid big budget cuts, the Alaska universities proposed the cutting of other sports on Thursday and are requesting a waiver to be below the minimum number of sports requirement to be in the NCAA. If approved, that may save hockey at both institutions. They were

As for Bemidji State, which is sitting in first place in the WCHA, it's coming off its first two losses of the season, at No. 1 North Dakota. They're not "good losses" per se, coach Tom Serratore told the Bemidji Pioneer, but the team can learn from them.

Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech will play a home-and-home series this weekend, with the rivalry starting in Houghton.

In nonconfernece action, Bowling Green travels to Miami, and Alabama Huntsville is on the road again, going to St. Cloud State. The Falcons will try to overcome their surprising winless start to the season, while the Chargers are winless in their last six games since starting the season with two wins at Ferris State.

For more on the WCHA, read the USCHO weekly column here.

Brickley hurt, Rivera honored

It was a good-news, bad-news day for the Minnesota State men's hockey team.

The bad news was that sophomore defenseman Daniel Brickley will be out "for awhile," according to coach Mike Hastings, with an upper body injury. Brickley was hurt late in the third period of Saturday's 4-2 loss at Alaska. He got off to a great start to the season, scoring 10 points, which leads the Mavericks and the WCHA. His strong play this season, along with an excellent freshman season, has drawn much attention from pro scouts. They'll have to wait a few weeks, it seems, to get their eyes on him again.

The good news was that freshman forward Nicholas Rivera was named WCHA Rookie of the Week for his performance in last week's series split at Alaska. Rivera finished the series with four points, including two goals and an assist in Friday's 7-1 victory. Lake Superior State's Diego Cuglietta (offensive) and Collin Saccoman (defensive) were the other league players of the week. Hastings has had good things to say about Rivera from the start of the season. On Monday, Hastings said Rivera, senior Jordan Nelson and sophomore Max Coatta were the Mavericks' most consistent line all weekend against the Nanooks.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks remained in ninth place in both national polls, USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine.

Nanooks 4, Mavericks 2

Freddy's three thoughts from afar ...

1. Tough night: After starting the season 5-0-0 for the first time since 1998, Minnesota State wasn't able to match that season's six-win start, falling to Alaska. Not a lot appeared to go right for the Mavericks. C.J. Franklin was lost early in the second period for a contact-to-the-head major/game misconduct penalty. Daniel Brickley left the game late in the third period with an apparent injury. The Mavericks also went 0 for 6 on the power play while allowing two power-play goals to the Nanooks. Trailing 3-2, Minnesota State outshot Alaska 11-5 the rest of the way but con't get the equalizer.

2. Goalie change: Coach Mike Hastings opted to start Jason Pawloski in goal despite Cole Huggins' hot start. The moving wasn't surprising here as it seemed to be a good time to give Huggins a break and see what the sophomore could do. Pawloski put up good numbers last season before getting hurt. Didn't turn out too well, however, as Pawloski allowed three goals on 13 shots before being pulled midway through the second period. Speaking of goalies, Alaska's Jesse Jenks had a solid game, making 25 saves, including 11 in the third period when the Mavericks were making a strong push.

3. Top players: The Mavericks got goals from defensemen Sean Flanagan and Ian Scheid. For Scheid, a freshman, it was his second goal of the weekend. Freshman forward Nicholas Rivera had an assist for a four-point weekend. Another positive for the Mavericks was the return of senior forward Zach Stepan to the lineup. Stepan was cleared to play last week but was a scratch on Friday. On Saturday, he played on a line with Josh French and Ryan Schwalbe and finished the game plus-1.

Mavericks 7, Nanooks 1

Freddy's three thoughts from afar ...

1. Freshmen jell quickly: Nicholas Rivera scored two goals and assisted on another, Marc Michaelis had two goals and Ian Scheid scored another in the road victory to keep MSU undefeated through five games. Those are all first-year players. Each week and game, it seems, a different freshman emerges for this team. This night it was Rivera. Michaelis has been so good so far and already has eight points for the season. First career goals for Rivera and Scheid — and for sophomore defenseman Alec Vanko, who didn't get much playing time as a rookie.

2. Brick by Brick: Daniel Brickley continued to impress. He finished the game with three assists and now has 10 points on the season. Already, he's just one point shy of last season's total. Lots of scouts watched him play last weekend against St. Cloud State. The good news for the Mavericks is they have him this season. The question will continue to be: How much longer after that? In Mankato, of course, there are lots of comparisons to the development of Casey Nelson. But with MSU playing in Fairbanks this weekend, one wonders if you can compare him to another former great WCHA defenseman, Colton Parayko.

3. High scoring: With seven goals in the game, the Mavericks already have 24 goals for the season, an average of 4.8 per. It's early, of course, but that production has to be pleasing to coach Mike Hastings, especially considering the goals are being spread all around. No one player has more than three. Last year, it took MSU 12 games to get to 24 goals and they averaged 2.56 for the season. They finished 3 for 9 on the power play on Friday, upping their percentage to 30 percent (9 for 30) for the season.

Read more here.

Friday morning skate

The ninth-ranked Mavericks are in Alaska, set to start a two-game, WCHA series against the Nanooks and hoping to keep their unblemished record intact. It's amazing what a difference a season makes. A year ago, MSU was 0-4 and heading out on the road with a lot of questions. Now, it's 4-0 and going on the road feeling pretty good. Every season has to be treated differently, coach Mike Hastings says.

Don't expect too many changes to Minnesota State's lineup compared to last week. If anything, Zach Stepan could see some action. Hastings said the senior forward has been cleared to play, but the coach, on Wednesday, made no guarantees about what his Friday-night line chart would look like.

More on the series on my College Hockey Gameday preview.

ICYMI earlier in the week: my College Hockey Notebook and my Tuesday column on the importance of nonconference wins in the WCHA.

As for the Nanooks, they're hoping to bounce back from a pair of losses in their own tournament last weekend. It was the first time Alaska went winless in the Goal Rush. Sophomore forward Chad Staley is optimistic, however, and sees a team that has good depth and a balanced attack.

Going around the WCHA ...

Bemidji State at North Dakota: The undefeated Beavers face their toughest task of the season as they go to Grand Forks to take the No. 1 Fighting Hawks. Bemidji State, now ranked No. 18, always seems to play UND tough. Star goalie Michael Bitzer stunned them two years ago in his first collegiate start. Indeed, the Fighting Hawks are aware of the pest the Beavers can be.

Bowling Green vs./at Ohio State: The Falcons face an in-state foe when they take on the No. 19 Buckeyes in a home-and-home series. Surprisingly winless, Bowling Green has a number of issues and areas in need of improvement, including goaltending and team intensity.

Northern Michigan at Ferris State: The Wildcats go below the bridge to take on the Bulldogs in a WCHA series. Each team is 0-2 in league play. Northern Michigan is 1-3, but there might be bigger concerns in Big Rapids where Ferris State is 0-5 to start the season.

Michigan Tech at Michigan: The Huskies step out of conference play for a series below the bridge (is that how the Michigan folks say it?) against the Wolverines. They can help themselves out (and their league-mates) big-time with a win or two against the nation's 11th-ranked team.

Lake Superior State at Alabama Huntsville: The Chargers are finally hope after an up-and-down road swing, one that started with a pair of wins at Ferris State but continued with three losses and a tie/3-on-3 loss. They will face a Lakers team that scored 13 goals during its opening weekend.

Tuomie gets WCHA honor

Minnesota State freshman forward Parker Tuomie was named WCHA Rookie of the Week for his efforts in last weekend's sweep of St. Cloud State. Tuomie had a three-point weekend and 10 shots on goal in the sweep over St. Cloud State.

He had an assist on Friday and scored his first two collegiate goals on Saturday during a four-goal outburst in the second period.

I made comments over the weekend suggesting Clint Lewis (2-2--4, +6) might get Defensive Player of the Week honors, but he was competing against Bemidji State goalie Michael Bitzer (two road shutouts at Northern Michigan) and Lake Superior State's Owen Headrick (1-5--6, +2 in two home wins over Michigan State). Bitzer and Headrick shared the award.

Michigan Tech's Reid Sturos got the Offensive Player of the Week award for netting the WCHA's first-ever 3-on-3 overtime goal to break a tie against Alabama Huntsville on Saturday. The goal does not count for his stats, but it was historic in the league's eyes. He had one regulation goal in the Huskies' Friday-night win.

Number 9 ... Number 9

Now 4-0-0 to start the season, Minnesota State is ranked ninth in both national polls released on Monday. The Mavericks moved up from No. 14 in the USCHO top 20 rankings and from the Others Receiving Votes category in the USA Today/USA Hockey top 15.

North Dakota was the unanimous No. 1 in both polls.

St. Cloud State, whom MSU swept over the weekend, dropped to 14th in both polls. The Huskies had been seventh and fifth, respectively.

The only other ranked WCHA team is 4-0-0 Bemidji State, which entered the USCHO poll at No. 18. Bowling Green received two votes. Bemidji State and Lake Superior State (2-0-0) received votes in the USA Today poll.

Mavericks 6, Huskies 4

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. Are you not entertained? Ten goals. Five in the first period. Five in the second. If you like offensive hockey, if you like goal scoring, this was the game for you. The Mavericks got off to a good start for the fourth game in a row, but finally got some real push-back when St. Cloud State erased MSU's 2-0 lead and took a 3-2 lead into the first intermission. "I thought it was starting to become a little bit of pond hockey," Mavericks coach Mike Hastings said. After the two teams traded goals to start the second, MSU scored three unanswered goals to take command of the game again. “It was good to see us react they way we did after getting punched in the nose,” Hastings said. "We needed to see how we’d react to that because it hadn’t happened yet (this season."

2. Your defensive player of the week is ... It's got to be Clint Lewis. The junior scored the game's first two goals and was +3 (as was his defensive partner Carter Foguth, who played an outstanding game). Lewis had two assists and was +3 on Friday. Four points, +6 ... what a weekend. His first goal was a blast from the blue line 20 seconds into the game. His second came 4:21 later on a shot from the left point. The puck deflected off a defenseman (at first Max Coatta was credited with the goal) and into the net. Daniel Brickley also had an assist and in the game and now has a team-high seven points.

3. Freshman fits in: Parker Tuomie was named the WCHA's preseason rookie of the year in the coaches' poll, and he showed why against the Huskies. Tuomie scored two of MSU's four second-period goals — his first two collegiate goals — to tie the game and then give his team the 6-4 lead. "It was good to see him doing what he’d like to be doing," Hastings said. "He cashed in a couple of goals and we needed them. ... I think I’ve go tto do a better job of just leaving him alone a little bit, let him grow and allow him to just go play because he’s a very talented player and sometimes you got to give those guys a lot of room. … Hopefuly that will help him continue to play like he did tonight."

Deep thought: It was fitting that MSU swept St. Cloud State, the team it's played more than any other, on the night that the school and the city honored Don Brose with the naming of the hockey training facility after him.

Read my game story here.

Around the WCHA: Michigan Tech 1, Alabama Huntsville 1, OT (Tech gets extra point in 3x3 play) ... Bemidji State 2, Northern Michigan 0 ... Michigan 2, Ferris State 1 ... Lake Superior State 7, Michigan State 3 ... Western Michigan 8, Bowling Green 2 ... Alaska Anchorage 1, Canisius 0 ... Omaha at Alaska (late)

Mavericks-Huskies, Game 2 live coverage

The Mavericks and the Huskies will wrap up their nonconference series at 7:07 p.m. at the Verizon Center. Minnesota State will go for the series sweep, while St. Cloud State looks for a season-opening split. Follow the action and join the conversation below tonight's lines.

MINNESOTA STATE
20-Michaelis ... 15-Franklin ... 19-McClure
6-Tuomie ... 17-Huntebrinker ... 10-Knutson
23-Rivera ... 16-J. Nelson ... 12-Coatta
27-Schwalbe ... 26-French ... 13-Madry

4-Lewis ... 5-Foguth
8-Brickley ... 18-Scheid
11-Flanagan ... 21-Vanko

34-Huggins
39-Pawloski
29-A. Nelson

Scratches: Cooper, Gerard, Stepan, Hookenson, Bigelbach

ST. CLOUD STATE
19-Eyssimont ... 18-Peterson ... 21-Wahlin
23-Jackson ... 11-R. Poehling   ... 14-Newell
3-J. Poehling ... 42-Winiecki ... 10-Papa
4-Storm ... 6-Tedesco ... 17-Benson

22-Schuldt ... 20-Borgen
5-Widman ... 12-Ahcan
16-Lizotte   ... 27-Cholowski

33-Driscoll
1-Smith

Brose Center dedicated

MSU's first hockey coach Don Brose speaks during Saturday's dedication of the Don Brose Training Center at the Verizon Center in Mankato.

The year-old upgrades to the hockey facility at the Verizon Center were officially dedicated as the Don Brose Training Center on Saturday afternoon in honor of Minnesota State's first hockey coach.

"Very humbling," Brose said. "So appreciative."

In a brief ceremony prior to the Mavericks' series finale against St. Cloud State, MSU athletic director Kevin Buisman, Mankato city manager Pat Hentges and Mavericks coach Mike Hastings spoke before bringing Brose to the podium.

"Truly, this is the house that Brosey built," said Buisman, referring to Brose's efforts in helping get passed the original referendum that raised funds for the building of the civic center in the 1990s.

"It took us awhile to get that name up here, but it's very fitting," Hentges said.

"I don't know if there's a greater sign of respect," Hastings said.

Mavericks 4, Huskies 1

Freddy's three thoughts of the game

1. Streak snapped: Minnesota State is 3-0 for the first time since 2008, thanks to its first win over St. Cloud State since 2011. There have been good games between the two teams over that time, including their last meeting in St. Paul last January at the North Star College Cup, but it was still a seven-game losing streak for the Mavericks against one of their in-state rivals. On Friday, the Mavericks controlled play for half the game as they built a 3-0 lead on goals from Michael Huntebrinker, C.J. Franklin and Brad McClure. Cole Huggins was rock solid and, at times, outstanding, in goal for the third game in a row. The defense was tremendous, too, blocking 19 shots, eight in the final period.

2. All even: A week ago, the Mavericks and Michigan Tech barely got to play even strength, with 34 power plays being award in the series. With new standards for penalties in place, more calls were expected this weekend. That wasn't the case in Mankato, however, as MSU and St. Cloud State had three power plays between them. The Huskies were 0 for 2, and the Mavericks were 1-1, scoring just 12 seconds into their man advantage. Minnesota State didn't score a 5-on-5 goal against Tech, but they got three against St. Cloud State, one from Michael Huntebrinker, one from Brad McClure and a key insurance goal in the third period from Max Coatta. "We had a couple guys make some plays," coach Mike Hastings said.

3. Back on defense: Junior defenseman Clint Lewis had two assists in the game and was +3. He's the kind of veteran defenseman the Mavericks needed going into this year so they didn't have to rely so much on Carter Foguth and Daniel Brickley. Lewis played in just six games during his first year at MSU before suffering a "freak injury" to his elbow and missing the rest of the season. "It's awesome," he said. "It's never been more fun. Last year I was out most of the year, so it's been fun to play, and it's nice to do it for the guys, not just myself." Said Hastings: "I think he’s playing with poise, he’s a big body back there, he defends real well. I’m really happy for the young man because he’s a phenomenal kid. And to see him start to have some success is really important for him to see because of the work he put in."

Read my game story here.

Around the WCHA: Michigan Tech 7, Alabama Huntsville 3 ... Bemidji State 2, Northern Michigan 0 ... Bowling Green 4, Western Michigan 4 (WMU wins in 3x3 OT) ... Lake Superior State 6, Michigan State 1 ... Omaha 3, Alaska Anchorage 1 ... Canisius at Alaska (late)

Live coverage: MSU vs. St. Cloud State

It's Game 1 between the No. 14 Mavericks and the No. 7 Huskies in a nonconference series between in-state rivals at the Verizon Center. Minnesota State is looking to snap a seven-game losing streak to St. Cloud State, one that dates back to early in the 2011-12 season. The puck drops at 7:07 p.m. Live updates can be found below tonight's lines:

MINNESOTA STATE
20-Michaelis ... 15-Franklin ... 19-McClure
6-Tuomie ... 17-Huntebrinker ... 10-Knutson
23-Rivera ... 16-J. Nelson ... 12-Coatta
7-Cooper ... 26-French ... 27-Schwalbe

4-Lewis ... 5-Foguth
8-Brickley ... 18-Scheid
11-Flanagan ... 21-Vanko

34-Huggins
39-Pawloski
29-A. Nelson

Scratches: Gerard, Stepan, Madry, Hookenson, Bigelbach

ST. CLOUD STATE
19-Eyssimont   ...   18-Peterson   ...   17-Benson
23-Jackson   ...   42-Winiecki   ...   14-Newell
3-J. Poehling   ...   11-R. Peohling   ...   10-Papa
4-Storm   ...   6-Tedesco   ...   21-Wahlin

22-Schuldt   ...   20-Borgen
5-Widman   ...   16-Lizotte
7-Nevalainen   ...   27-Cholowski

1-Smith
33-Driscoll

Friday morning skate

Minnesota State will host St. Cloud State today and Saturday in a matchup of in-state nonconference rivals. They're the Nos. 14 and 7 teams in the latest rankings, and the Huskies have a seven-game winning streak against the Mavericks dating back to 2011 when they were both in the WCHA.

The Mavericks got off to a good start last weekend, thanks to the play of some veterans who flew under the radar a bit in previous seasons. For senior center Michael Huntebrinker, each year has been another step up the rung — and up the line chart, it seems. He'll need to be an impact player all season, for MSU to keep having success.

For a series preview, please see The Free Press' College Hockey Gameday section.

It will be interesting to see the the flow of the two games, especially with the new penalty standards put in place. We saw that last weekend in the Michigan Tech series. Will it continue? It's something both the St. Cloud Times' Mick Hatten and I took a look at this week. Hatten, who does an outstanding job covering Husky hockey, also has a feature worth reading on St. Cloud State junior and oft-injured forward Ryan Papa.

Earlier this week, I also opined on the Mavericks' dedication to blocking shots and how that brings them closer as a team on the ice.

Should be a good series.

Going around the WCHA ... 

• Michigan Tech (0-4, 0-2 in WCHA) will try to snap its four-game losing streak to start the season when it hosts Alabama Huntsville in a league series. Huntsville (2-2, 2-0) might be road-weary. The Chargers are in the U.P. this week following a trip to Connecticut and, before that, a trip to Ferris State in lower Michigan.

• Bemidji State (2-0, 2-0) goes to Northern Michigan (1-1) for a conference series where it will try to improve on its good start. The Beavers were encouraged by the offensive contribution from their young defensemen last week. Bemidji State was College Hockey News' Team of the Week after their sweep of league-favorite Bowling Green. The Wildcats, meanwhile, will try to get its league season started on a good note.

• Alaska (1-1) is hosting its annual Brice Alaska Goal Rush with Alaska Anchorage (0-2), as well as Omaha and Canisius. Led by senior goalie Davis Jones, the Nanooks enter the weekeind having lost just once in the event's eight-year history. The Seawolves, meanwhile, are hoping to bounce back after being "punched in the face" by Minnesota and Alaska last weekend.

• Bowling Green (0-2) will step out of league play and take on Western Michigan in a home-and-home series that starts tonight in Ohio. The Falcons seek to recover from their sluggish start but also, like Minnesota State against St. Cloud State, improve the WCHA's record in nonconference play, which is a dismal 1-9 through the first two weeks of the season.

• Lake Superior State is finally starting its season, playing a nonconference series at home against Michigan State.

• Ferris State (0-4, 0-2) will host nonconference foe Michigan in a single game on Saturday.

More coverage on the WCHA from USCHO can be found here and here (picks).

Nelson makes the club, Carter cut

The Buffalo Sabres finalized their opening-day roster on Tuesday, and former Minnesota State defenseman and last season's WCHA defensive player of the year Casey Nelson made the team. Nelson signed with the Sabres shortly after the Mavericks' season ended in March and immediately made his NHL debut, impressing many of the team's followers. The Sabres will open the season on Thursday at home against Montreal.

Another former Mavericks player, forward Tyler Pitlick, made the opening-day roster for the Edmonton Oilers. He has played in 27 career games in the NHL, none last season, having battled several injuries since signing after his freshman season at MSU.

Meanwhile, an older former Mavericks, Ryan Carter, was released by the Wild earlier this week, and his career may be over, according to the Star Tribune, as he contemplates shoulder surgery. Carter is 33. He has played in 473 regular-season games over nine seasons, including 113 with his hometown Wild. Carter actually played in parts of 10 seasons. His first NHL experience came in the 2007 playoffs when he won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks.

With the start of the NHL season this week, it will be interesting to see what happens with the former Mavericks. How will David Backes fit in with the Boston Bruins (just fine, it appears)? And who might be the next MSU alum to skate in the major leagues?

Huggins honored; Mavs move up

Minnesota State goalie Cole Huggins was named the WCHA's defensive player of the week for his performance in the Mavericks' sweep over Michigan Tech over the weekend. Huggins stopped 45 of 46 shots in the 3-1 and 4-0 victories. The shutout was the school-record 11th of his career. His 40 career victories rank sixth in MSU history. Surprisingly, this was just the third time Huggins received a weekly award from the conference.

The Mavericks nominated sophomore defenseman Daniel Brickley for offensive player of the week and freshman forward Marc Michaelis for rookie of the week, but they were passed over for Northern Michigan's Robbie Payne and Bemidji State's Zach Whitecloud.

Meanwhile the Mavericks moved up five spots to No. 14 in the latest USCHO rankings. They are the highest WCHA team in the poll. Bowling Green dropped from 14 to 20 after getting swept by Bemidji State. Michigan Tech, now 0-4, dropped out of the rankings and is receiving votes along with Bemidji State and Ferris State.

Minnesota State's upcoming opponent, St. Cloud State, is ranked seventh. North Dakota is No. 1.

For a little more on MSU's weekend against Tech, go here.

Mavericks 4, Huskies 0

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. Old King Cole: I wrote a lot of words about senior goalie Cole Huggins last week, but here are some more because you can't ignore the fact that he scored his 11th career shutout on Saturday, blanking Tech on 25 shots. He got a lot of help, with players possessing pucks, blocking shots — you know, the stuff teammates have done now for 3+ years to help him put compile those numbers — but it was an impressive feat against the team the Mavericks shared the conference title with a season ago and one that returned some pretty hefty goal scorers. Huggins, who made some bigger, more timely saves in Friday's 3-1 win, finished the weekend with 45 saves on 46 shots. Guess who's going to be WCHA Defensive Player of the Week?

2. Or will it be this guy? Sophomore defenseman Daniel Brickley had a three-point night (1 goal, 2 assists) and upped his weekend total to six points already to lead the Mavericks. He had 11 points in all last year, so yes, it sure looks he's on a Casey Nelson-like trajectory. He's controlling the power play up top and also logging a ton of ice time. "He managed his minutes real well," coach Mike Hasting said. "Last night, I thought he got a little fatigued because he did play a significant amount. But it was great to see him come back and do it back to back." MSU's entire defensive corps was solid on Saturday. Senior Sean Flanagan, junior Clint Lewis and freshman Ian Scheid showed that the Mavericks appear to have some depth on the blue line.

3. Top of the chart: The Mavericks top two forward lines were solid all weekend. C.J. Franklin had another goal and assist on Saturday for an almost-quiet four-point weekend. Fellow junior Zeb Knutson notched his third goal of the weekend to open the scoring on a pretty pass from Michael Huntebrinker. Looks like there's some very good chemistry between this two players. Freshman forward Marc Michaelis had three points, including his first college goal. "When you come to a new team, you have to give your best everyday to stay in the lineup, to stay with those guys," said Michaelis, who skated with Franklin and McClure on the No. 1 line and on the power play. "It's awesome to play with them, but you have to keep working."

Deep thought: Lots of penalties again, 21 minors in all (although six came on a couple of scrums late in the game). I'm sure both of these teams and others around the country experiencing similar officiating with new standards in play, will be spending the week working on keeping sticks on the ice and hands to themselves. The Mavericks finished 3 for 10 on the power play. Tech was 0 for 5.

Read my game story here.

Around the WCHA: Bemidji State 4, Bowling Green 1 ... UConn 4, Alabama Huntsville 0 ... Wisconsin 6, Northern Michigan 5 ... Alaska at Alaska Anchorage (NC), late

MSU vs. Michigan Tech — Game 2 live coverage

It's Hockey Night in Mankato, and the Mavericks will go for the series sweep at home against the Huskies. The puck drops at 7:07 p.m. at the Verizon Center. Live updates can be found below tonight's lines.

MINNESOTA STATE

20-Michaelis   ...   15-Franklin   ...   19-McClure

6-Tuomie   ...   17-Huntebrinker   ...   10-Knutson

23-Rivera   ...   16-J. Nelson   ...   12-Coatta

7-Cooper   ...   26-French   ...   27-Schwalbe

4-Lewis   ...   5-Foguth

8-Brickley   ...   18-Scheid

11-Flanagan   ...   21-Vanko

34-Huggins

39-Pawloski

29-A. Nelson

Scratches: Gerard, Stepan, Madry, Hookenson, Bigelbach

MICHIGAN TECH

28-Baltus   ...   15-Lucchini   ...   11-L'Esperance

10-Jackson   ...   25-Neville   ...   7-Sturos

27-Heinonen   ...   8-Steman   ...   13-Beretta

16-Blacklock   ...   20-Smith   ...   6-Leibinger

2-Watson   ...   4-Birks

22-Hanna   ...   3-Roy

12-Auk   ...   5-Reinke

31-Kero
35-Wintjes

Mavericks 3, Huskies 1

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. A good start: The Mavericks are 1-0 for the first time since 2012 and won the season-opening game like a team more veteran than it really is. Five freshman forwards were in the lineup (Jordan Nelson joined fellow senior Zach Stepan on the shelf), along with one rookie defenseman, and they survived a special teams battle to win the game. All four of the game's goals were scored in a penalty-plagued first period, and MSU held off a good push by the Huskies over the second and third periods. "I think you could see as the game wore on (Tech) had a bit more push," coach Mike Hastings said. " I think you could tell it was their third game. … But I thought we had some guys show some fortitude there."

2. It's their team now: Much has been made about the turnover in personnel on this MSU team, and it was (and will continue to be) interesting to see who some of the go-to players end up being. On Friday, junior forward Zeb Knutson scored two goals, and sophomore Defenseman Daniel Brickley had a three-point game (one goal, two assists). Also, senior goalie Cole Huggins made 20 saves, including stops on two breakaways early in the second period that could have turned the tide. "With having five freshmen up front, we need some of the old guard to assert themselves, and I thought they did," Hastings said.

3. A new standard: I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the penalties – nine minors in the first period alone, 18 in the game. The crackdown definitely has begun on obstruction and interference. Hooking, or at least having a stick up, appeared to be a big point of emphasis on Friday. This is happening all over the country, and that should be a good thing, at least over the long haul. The game never got ugly, just kind of annoying with so many whistles and what seemed to be a few ticky-tack calls either way. But the hope is this results in a better game, with skill and skating getting rewarded at both ends of the ice. Stay tuned.

Deep thought: A season-opening crowd of 3,331? Friday was a strange, busy night in Mankato. An outdoor concert by Nelly at Riverfront Park. An on-campus concert by T-Pain for MSU's homecoming. Mankato West High School homecoming. Frankly, I'm surprised by the conflicts involving MSU within itself (hockey opener vs. T-Pain) and involving MSU and the city (hockey opener vs. Nelly). I'd guess there will be a much fuller arena on Saturday.

Read my game story here.

Around the WCHA: UConn 6, Alabama Huntsville 0 ... Western Michigan 2, Ferris State 1 ... Bemidji State 2, Bowling Green 1 ... Northern Michigan 3, Wisconsin 2 ... Minnesota 6, Alaska Anchorage 0

Minnesota State vs. Michigan Tech, Game 1 live blog

The Mavericks and the Huskies, last year's WCHA co-champions, are set to kick off the season at Mankato's Verizon Center. Live updates can be found below tonight's lines.

MINNESOTA STATE

20-Michaelis   ...   15-Franklin   ...   19-McClure

6-Tuomie   ...   17-Huntebrinker   ...   10-Knutson

23-Rivera   ...   26-French   ...   12-Coatta

7-Cooper   ...   27-Schwalbe   ...   9-Gerard

4-Lewis   ...   5-Foguth

8-Brickley   ...   18-Scheid

11-Flanagan   ...   21-Vanko

34-Huggins

39-Pawloski

29-A. Nelson

Scratches: Stepan, J. Nelson, Madry, Hookenson, Bigelbach

MICHIGAN TECH

27-Heinonen   ...   8-Steman   ...   9-Gillies

28-Baltus   ...   15-Lucchini   ...   11-L'Esperance

10-Jackson   ...   25-Neville   ...   7-Sturos

16-Blacklock   ...   20-Smith   ...   13-Beretta

2-Watson   ...   6-Leibinger

22-Hanna   ...   3-Roy

12-Auk   ...   5-Reinke

35-Wintjes

31-Kero

Friday morning skate

The skate is back! It's time to kick off another season of college hockey in Mankato!

Minnesota State will host Michigan Tech in a matchup of last season's MacNaughton Cup winners. Going 2-0 won't give MSU the cup, coach Mike Hastings said, nor will going 0-2 end the season. Still the Mavericks want to get off to a good start to the year, while the Huskies, who are already 0-2, would like to get on track.

Minnesota State senior goaltender Cole Huggins (pictured) will be asked to carry "the ball out of the gate," and is ready for the responsibility, knowing, with his team's turnover in personnel, that he and Jason Pawloski could see a few more shots per game this season.

Huggins is one of several returning goalies in the WCHA. In fact, nine of the league's 10 teams return their primary starter in goal, if not a second regular in net. The only team that enters the season with questions in goal is Michigan Tech — although the Huskies do return plenty of talent both up front and on defense.

For more on the series, check out The Freep's college hockey gameday preview.

A couple of other things to know about the weekend:

• The WCHA's new rules of play will be in effect. If tied games can't be decided in a regular 5-minute overtime, a 5-minute 3-on-3 overtime will take place. If that doesn't decide things, the game will go to a shootout. Regulation/first-OT winners will receive 3 points for the WCHA standings. If the game goes beyond that, it will officially be a tie in the eyes of the NCAA, but, for the the league standings, the winner will get 2 points and the loser will get 1.

• It's homecoming at Minnesota State, and the school is inducting its athletic hall of fame members. The group includes David Backes, now of the Boston Bruins. Backes will be the first men's hockey player from the Mavericks' Division I era to go into the hall.

• Saturday is Hockey Night in Mankato with several activities, including live music and food vendors, taking place outside the Verizon Center between 4:30 p.m. and game time.

Going around the WCHA, several teams are in action this weekend:

• Ferris State is playing home-and-home against Western Michigan of the NCHC. The Bulldogs lost the opener in Big Rapids on Thursday night 5-3, making them 0-3 already. The rematch is tonight in Kalamazoo.

• Alabama Huntsville (2-0 after its stunning sweep at Ferris State) is on the road again playing two games at Connecticut of Hockey East.

• Bemidji State will see its first action of the season, hosting short-handed Bowling Green in a WCHA series.

• There will be three games involving the Alaska schools in Anchorage with the Seawolves hosting Minnesota of the Big Ten tonight and playing rival Alaska in a nonconference game on Saturday. The Nanooks will then play the Gophers on Sunday. Gophers coach Don Lucia, by the way, inked a two-year contract extension on Friday.

• Northern Michigan will meet Wisconsin halfway and play a two-game series against the Big Ten school in Green Bay, Wis. The games will be the first regular-season ones for the Badgers' new coaching staff.

• Looking for more previews? Here is USCHO's WCHA outlook, and here is College Hockey News' preview. CHN also looks at the high bar that's been raised at Bowling Green. Also check out USCHO's weekly predictions.

Finally ... practice!

My column in today's Free Press takes a look at the oddity of the college hockey schedule, one in which many teams play games (exhibitions and real ones, conference games even) before they go through an official regular-season practice. Check out the column here.

The Mavericks on Monday began preparing for their first real and WCHA games of the season, which will take place Friday and Saturday when Michigan Tech comes to Mankato. The games in Houghton last January were some of the most entertaining league games of the season (although I still remember the 27 inches of lake-effect snow that fell upon the UP that weekend), and the two teams went on to share the MacNaughton Cup as regular-season conference champs.

Meanwhile, USCHO has put out its WCHA preview and team-by-team capsules for the season.

Season begins ... and how!

College hockey wasted no time turning heads.

The season began on Saturday, and already there have been some stunning events.

Let's start in Big Rapids, Mich., where Alabama Huntsville pulled off the shocking road sweep of No. 20 Ferris State and now sits on top of the WCHA standings. The Chargers won 2-1 and 4-3 thanks to two goals by Max McHugh (one each game) and 67 saves (37 and 30) by Matt Larose. 

In Duluth, Michigan Tech (Minnesota State's opponent next week) was swept by No. 6 Minnesota Duluth, falling 6-0 and 4-3. Saturday's game was a rough one for the Huskies, whose goaltenders allowed six goals on 27 shots. On Sunday, Tech was up 2-0 and 3-1 before the Bulldogs mounted their comeback. UMD scored twice in the third period, including Alex Iafallo's game-winner with 15 seconds left in regulation.

In Bowling Green, Ohio, on Saturday, Bowling Green won an exhibition game over Windsor 3-2 but suffered a big loss for next weekend's opener at Bemidji State when a post-game fracas resulted in three disqualification penalties for fighting, meaning those players — All-WCHA defenseman Mark Friedman, Mitch McLain and Jakob Reichert — won't be eligible for the first game of that series. 

The DQs added insult to injury for BG. On Friday the Falcons lost their top returning scorer, junior Brandon Hawkins, who apparently has left the program. Hawkins had 28 points last season and was voted in the coaches preseason poll as an All-WCHA forward. Tough blow for this season's league favorites.

Besides Minnesota State's victory over Regina on Saturday, Alaska Anchorage (Simon Fraser), Northern Michigan (Victoria) and Alaska (Simon Fraser) also won exhibitions, and Lake Superior State tied Laurentian 3-3 on Sunday in a game that went to 3-on-3 play and a shootout (won by Laurentian). And if you're doing any comparing, St. Cloud State on Sunday played Regina and won 6-2 (shots were 30-17).

Mavericks 5, Cougars 3

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. Strong start: It may have been just an exhibition game, but Saturday night was all right for the Mavericks. Recall that they lost their exhibition last year and proceeded to start the regular season with four losses in a row. On Saturday, after surrendering an early Regina goal, MSU scored four goals in a row — three in the first period and one 22 seconds into the second. Brad McClure scored twice, which might also be a good sign, as noted in my game story (link below). "Everyone was pretty hyped up in the first period," McClure said. "It was definitely something to build on."

2. Welcome to college hockey: Exhibition games are a great opportunity to watch the newcomers, and MSU's rookies made an impact in the game. Marc Michaelis, who was listed as the first-line left wing, playing with McClure and C.J. Franklin, had a goal and an assist and four shots on goal. Defenseman Ian Scheid made a wise pass to set up MSU's first goal, and third-line left wing Nicholas Rivera set up the second. Parker Tuomie and two shots on net and was the left wing on the second line, and Josh French, who hit a post, was the fourth-line center. Charlie Gerard had three shots on goal. He was listed as an extra forward. Michael Bigelbach and Edwin Hookenson were the fourth defensive pairing on the chart.

3. Home and health: Coach Mike Hastings was pleased about two things after the game: 1. That no players were hurt in the game and 2. That they won at home. There was a decent student turnout for the game. Official attendance was listed at 2,015, and, for once, that seemed low. Teams can dress as many players as they want for exhibitions and just one player, senior Zach Stepan, did not dress. He is out with a lower-body injury and is week to week, Hastings said. Each of MSU's three goalies played a period, and each allowed a goal as they combined for 17 saves. The Mavericks had 41 shots on goal.

Deep thought: The game had a female referee as Krissy Morrison worked the game. It wasn't a super-busy night for her and Jordan Lee. They called 10 minor penalties in all (four on MSU).

And one more thing: The Minnesota State women's team won 2-1 on Saturday at the Verizon Center to complete a sweep over RIT to start the season. Mankato East graduate Savannah Quandt, a senior, scored the game-winner, the first GWG of her career. The Mavericks are 2-0. They won three games last season.

Read my game story here.

Read my MSU men's hockey preview story here.

Around the WCHA: Minnesota Duluth 6, Michigan Tech 0 ... Alabama Huntsville 2, Ferris State 1 ... Bowling Green 3, Windsor 2 (exhibition) 

MSU vs. Regina (exhibition)

The Mavericks kick off the season with an exhibition game against the University of Regina. Follow along or join the conversation below tonight's lines.

20-Michaelis  15-Franklin  19-McClure
6-Tuomie  17-Huntebrinker  10-Knutson
23-Rivera  16-Nelson  12-Coatta
7-Cooper  26-French  27-Schwalbe
9-Gerard  13-Madry

8-Brickley  18-Scheid
4-Lewis  5-Foguth
11-Flanagan  21 Vanko
14-Bigelbach  24-Hookenson

34-Huggins
39-Pawloski
29-Nelson

Scratches: Stepan

Recruits coming in

Tonight (Saturday) will be the first time people get to see Minnesota State's freshmen in action as the Mavericks will play their exhibition game against Regina. But we're already looking ahead to the distant future, too, as the Mavericks are getting commitments from recruits.

On Friday, some big news was made in northern Minnesota as Hermantown senior forward Ryan Sandelin committed to the Mavericks. If that name sounds familiar, well, it should. Sandelin is the son of Minnesota Duluth coach Scott Sandelin.

Excited to say that I've committed to play college hockey at Minnesota State Mankato! Thanks to everyone who's helped me along the way #Mavs

— Ryan Sandelin (@RSandelin11) October 1, 2016

Sandelin helped Hermantown win a Class A state championship last season. He had 60 points in 30 games (27 goals), including 11 (4 goals) in the state tournament.

According to the Duluth News-Tribune, Sandelin is the third player from that state title team to commit to a Division I program. Cole Koepke and Dylan Samberg are planning to play for Sandelin's dad at UMD. Sandelin attend Sioux City's USHL camp this fall but is back home for his senior high school season.

Last month, the Mavericks also got a commitment from Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) defensemen Connor Mackey. A Tower Lakes, Ill., native, he is in his second season with Green Bay and played in 29 games last season.

Look for more on MSU's recruits in the future.