Falcons 4, Mavericks 1

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. Don't go back to Splitsville: Well, they did it again. The Mavericks and Falcons split yet another WCHA series. As it's been well-chronicled now, the WCHA's top two teams currently have never swept each other in league play. They've played four games against each other this season with Minnesota State winning the opener of both series and Bowling Green returning the favor in the closer. The Mavericks certainly would have liked to get that first sweep over the Falcons in their home rink. An announced crowd of 4,256 got taken out of the game early by some excellent defensive play by Bowling Green that kept MSU from making the pretty plays they made on Friday.

2. Penalties plague Mavericks: Sure, there were some questionable calls, but Minnesota State put itself in too many tough spots on Saturday. The result was three 5-on-3 power plays goals for the Falcons. One came with 19 seconds left in the second period and another came 54 seconds into the third. Backbreakers. Add to that an interference penalty by Daniel Brickley that wiped out an MSU power play and 5-minute major by the star defenseman with about 7 minutes to play, and any chance for a comeback was crippled. Ironically, coach Mike Hastings said he scratched Nick Rivera because of his two penalties on Friday. That message didn't register with the rest of the team on Saturday. MSU's eight penalties all came in the game's final 21 minutes.

3. Jaremko breaks out: Freshman center Jake Jaremko scored the Mavericks' lone goal, a power-play tally in the final minute of the first period. That gave him four points for the weekend after his one-goal, two-assist game on Friday. He now has three goals and nine assist for 12 points. "Jake Jaremko has taken some big steps; he really has," Hastings said. "I like the direction that he's moving. He's playing with pace and playing with poise. He's making plays. He's making the players around him better."

Read my game story here.

Around the WCHA: Michigan State 3, Ferris State 1 ... Alabama Huntsville 5, Lake Superior State 3 ... Michigan Tech at Alaska Anchorage (late) ... Northern Michigan at Alaska (late)