Mavericks 6, Chargers 1

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. Third-period explosion: The Mavericks scored five goals in the final 20 minutes after holding on to a 1-0 lead for most of the first two periods to get the win. "I thought we made some plays, got to the net, got some pucks to the net," coach Mike Hastings said. "I thought we were playing a bit perimeter (in the first two periods), possessed the puck but didn’t quite get rewarded. And I thought in the third period we did. I thought we had some guys finish a little bit." Julian Napravnik, Connor Mackey, Ian Scheid, Parker Tuomie and Chris Van Os Shaw scored in the final frame, all on pretty nice plays.

2. Freshman connection: Chris Van Os-Shaw, playing in his 10th game since joining the Mavericks, scored his first career goal in the game. He looked as comfortable as ever throughout the game, and you could almost see the goal coming. But he showed some poise, too, choosing not to shoot on an open look but instead pass across to Napravnik for the goal that gave MSU a 2-0 lead. "The goalie had a good angle on me," Van Os-Shaw said. "I saw Julian going to the net and got the goalie moving east and west. It was a good finish by (Napravnik)." Said Hastings: "Van Os-Shaw has had a history of being a goal scorer, and those guys have a tendency to value that piece more than any other. And at the collegiate level and levels that you move on to above that, you’ve got to have a well-rounded game. Some of the things we’ve talked about with him is having some value away from the puck a little bit. I thought it was a big-time play by him to Julian."

3. Three-D: The Mavericks got three goals from defenseman on Friday, starting with Edwin Hookenson's first-period goal. Mackey blasted in the third goal of the game, and Scheid put MSU up 4-0, looking like a forward as he weaved around a couple of Chargers defenders before tucking the puck around the goaltender. Another D-man, Jack McNeely, assisted on two goals. In all, the Mavericks' defensemen had seven points in the game.

Read my game story here.

Around the WCHA: Lake Superior State 6, Ferris State 3 ... Bowling Green 3, Northern Michigan 2 (OT)