Saturday, January 5, 2019

Mavericks 4, Huskies 2

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. Back on track: Mike Hastings will return to Mankato in the next couple of days with a silver medal from the World Junior Championships (the U.S. lost 3-2 in the gold-medal game on Saturday night). While he was away, the Mavericks got derailed a bit at first, going 0-3-1, but they got back on the tracks with the sweep of Michigan Tech. Hastings will come home to a first-place team that's still undefeated at home (11-0-0) and one that might have some improved pieces, if the play of Walker Duehr (seven points in the last six games) and Jake Jaremko this weekend continues.

2. Save of the game: Dryden McKay appears to have taken on the mantle of the No. 1 goalie right now, getting his fourth straight start. He made 21 saves on Saturday, including two on breakaways (Tech scored on the rebound of the second one). But there was none bigger than the glove saves he made on Seamus Donohue with 37.6 seconds to go in the game. Tech had an extra attacker on the ice to try to tie the game, and Donohue was open in the right circle for a one-timer. "He’s very calm, composed and keeps us in games," associate head coach Todd Knott said. "He gives us a chance to win. Very confident in him right now."

3. Power up: After going 1 for 23 on the power play in their previous five games, the Mavericks scored twice with the man advantage on Saturday. Charlie Gerard's game-winner in chronicled in the game story linked below. Duehr also got some net-front presence and put back a rebound on a first-period PPG, a goal that came 38 seconds after Jaremko's game-opening score. "It was nice to burst the bubble with the power play," Knott said.

Read my game story here.

Around the WCHA: Alabama Huntsville 4, Ferris State 3 (OT) ... Lake Superior State at Alaska Anchorage (late) ... Northern Michigan at Alaska (late)

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