Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...
1. Another NCAA disappointment: The Mavericks keep finding new ways to not win in the national tournament, this time jumping out to a 3-0 lead and somehow giving up six unanswered goals, including four power-play goals. That's just not the way this MSU team had done business this year. They had protected leads, killed penalties and won close games. The 11:08 mark of the first period seems like weeks ago. If the Mavericks did have a wart this season it was a penchant for taking some third-period penalties, and Connor Mackey's major for a hit to the head (called after video review) in a 3-3 game was a killer. "Tonight, I thought the one thing that turned the game was a penalty," coach Mike Hastings said, comparing the defeat to last year's 3-2 OT loss to Minnesota Duluth. "As a coach, I’ve got to manage that situation a little bit better."
2. Super start: The Mavericks' quick start was not a fluke. The first goal was a beauty, staring with Wyatt Aamodt's hard body check to jar the puck, Marc Michaelis picking it up to create a 2-on-1 with Parker Tuomie, Tuomie shooting and Charlie Gerard putting back the rebound. Thirty seconds later, Jake Jaremko found his way to the left post, forgotten by the Providence defense, and took a perfect cross-ice pass from Reggie Lutz for the 2-0 lead. Then Nick Rivera turned a turnover into the third goal, stuffing the puck through the goalie's legs. The Mavericks were forcing the issue, and the Friars didn't have an answer. Minnesota State appeared to take a 4-1 lead with 40 seconds left in the first period on another Gerard goal, but the play was ruled offside after review.
3. Looking forward (and backward): The game was the last as a Maverick for Max Coatta. He played 148 career games and scored 52 points. Coatta and just two other seniors, scratches Alec Vanko and Ryan Schwalbe, will graduate from the program. Not sure if others will depart early to pro hockey, but there's always a possibility, right? We may know more in the coming days and weeks. If everybody's back, Minnesota State will again be the WCHA favorite and should be back in the NCAA tournament. While Saturday's results was shocking and disappointing, it shouldn't dampen an otherwise great season with 32 wins, two WCHA championships and one of the best games the Verizon Center has ever seen. Not too much, anyway.
Read my game story here and my fan feature here.
Around the WCHA: Minnesota Duluth 2, Bowling Green 1, OT
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