Friday Morning Skate

The Mavericks are back home for the first time in what seems like forever and will host Alabama Huntsville in a WCHA series.

This week, I take a look at the Mavericks' — and one of the WCHA's top two — leading scorer, Zeb Knutson, who is having his best season as a senior. But it's his play in the defensive zone, coach Mike Hastings said, that has led directly to his success in the offensive end.

Read more about the weekend in my College Hockey Gameday and other nuggets in my College Hockey Notebook (such as a new player on the practice rink), including a look at the MSU women's team. Also, here's a look at the series from the perspective of UAHhockey.com.

In cased you missed it, my Tuesday column encourages folks to come out and see a team that has spent a lot of time — and had a lot of success — on the road so far this season.

The WCHA website this week features MSU freshman Jake Jaremko, who sure looks like the real deal through one semester of college play.

Going around the WCHA ...

Alaska Anchorage at Bemidji State: The Beavers are on a bit of a frustrating run, going winless in their last five games, including three ties in which they missed out on the extra point. Perhaps the one-win Seawolves can cure what ails them. Anchorage is trying to crack an eight-game winless streak, although it did get the extra point in all three of its ties.

Lake Superior State at Michigan Tech: Minnesota State's opponent from last week will try to bounce back against the third-place Huskies. Tech, unbeaten in seven of its last nine games, is finding some chemistry, particularly in the line of Jake Jackson, Alex Smith and Brent Baltus.

Ferris State at Northern Michigan: With wins in three of its last four games and five of its last six, Ferris State has gotten itself back in the WCHA race. Up next is a trip to Marquette, where Northern Michigan will try to hold off the charging Bulldogs. The Wildcats have one win in their last seven games, although they feel good about the two ties at Bemidji last week, in which they got the extra points.