Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...
1. First place: Minnesota State is back in first place in the WCHA with an impressive performance at home over Ferris State. After moving two points ahead of idle Northern Michigan, they'll need five points over their next three games to clinch the MacNaughton Cup and have home ice throughout the conference playoffs. The win also improved the Mavericks' winning streak to eight games, their longest since rattling off eight in a row in the second half of the 2013-14 season. That streak was broken by a tie and ended up as a 13 game unbeaten streak that ended in the NCAA tournament.
2. Second period: The Mavericks dominated the middle period of Friday's game, outshooting the Bulldogs 22-8 and scoring five times to turn a 1-0 lead into a 6-1 rout. "We started staying on pucks and getting pucks deep," said freshman Jake Jaremko, who scored two goals in the frame. "We did a way better job of that in the second period as opposed to the first. When we do that, we can be a successful team." MSU scored twice in the first 2:03 of the period (sandwiched around Ferris State's lone goal) and twice in the final 1:49 of the frame.
3. Three stars: The Mavericks' big-time players sure came through, including three who could be league award winners in a couple weeks. Player of the Year candidate C.J. Suess scored a big-time goal that put MSU up 2-0 just 45 seconds into the second period. "He’s not getting a lot of points; the points that he is getting are very important ones," coach Mike Hastings said. "When he scores, they’re big goals. He’s doing a lot of things real well right now." Defensive Player of Year candidate Daniel Brickley had a goal and an assist and was plus-2. And certain Rookie of the Year Jaremko finished with three points.
Read my game story here.
Around the WCHA: Arizona State 2, Michigan Tech 1 (OT) ... Bemidji State 2, Alaska 1 ... Bowling Green at Alaska Anchorage (late)
Bemidji State clinched home ice for the first round of the league playoffs.
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