Mavericks 1, Beavers 1

JULIAN NAPRAVNIK. FILTHY 😈 pic.twitter.com/ynJhChqnEb

— Minnesota State Hockey (@MavHockey) December 20, 2020

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. Different pace: Saturday's game wasn't quite as fast-paced as Friday's 5-4 game, which was no real surprise. The game's two goals came 18 seconds apart in the first period. Bemidji State struck first on a redirect by Lukas Sillinger, and MSU's Reggie Lutz answered right back, getting an assist from — you guessed it — Jake Jaremko. Sure, it was Dec. 19, but with only four games under their belts going in, you could tell the teams just weren't used to playing back-to-backs due to the crazy COVID schedule. That will change in the second half of the year. After some more nonconference games against conference foes were added, MSU won't have a weekend off from Jan. 2-3 through the end of the regular season.

2. New faces in new places: Minnesota State changed up its lineup a bit, including in goal where Ryan Edquist made is MSU debut, stopped 16 shots and kept his net clean during the shootout. Edquist, a Lakeville native, is a grad-transfer from Boston College where he played in 21 games over four years. The Mavericks had two other transfers in the lineup, including Todd Burgess (RPI), who has played in every game so far this season, and Sam Morton, who made his MSU debut. Morton, a junior from Colorado, played a season and a half at Union before retuning to junior hockey for the second half of last season.

3. New OT format: The NCAA this offseason approved 3-on-3 overtime to be immediately played after regulation. For several conferences, including the WCHA, there was a 5-on-5 OT followed by their own 3-on-3, then a shootout, for an extra point in the standings. Now, it's right to 3-on-3, just like the NHL and other professional levels. MSU and BSU were scoreless after the 5-minute OT, and since it was an nonconference game, there was no need to go to a shootout. However, the coaches must have agreed to play a shootout, and the Mavericks won in, thanks to a nasty Julian Napravnik goal and a perfect performance from Edquist

The Mavericks are now off until Jan. 2-3 when they go to Northern Michigan.

Mavericks 5, Beavers 4

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. Hockey's back in Mankato: On Dec. 18, Minnesota State was back playing a game in its own building  for the first time since March 7. There were no fans in the stands, just several dozen cardboard cutouts of MSU faithful. Crowd noise that sounded like a muzzle of bees droned over the ice, hardly replicating the real thing, which surely would have been fun given how close things got when Bemidji State made it a one-goal game with under 5 minutes to play. But this is the reality for now. Hopefully the vaccine along with, in the meantime, some smart, safe behavior — especially over the holidays — will eventually lead to getting some people back in the building.

2. Waiting for his turn: A lot of new players had to sit tight last season, knowing their chance to get a lot of game action might not come until their second year of college hockey because of MSU's senior-laden squad. Cade Borchardt played in just 10 games as a freshman and had no points. But on Friday, he proved that patience pays off. The forward from Burnsville had two goals and two assists. That included a goal and an assist on the power play. He also had to do some late penalty killing to help preserve the win. Julian Napravnik finished with two goals and an assist, and Ryan Sandelin had goal.

3. Different sport, different scoring: Bemidji State's Ethan Somoza scored two goals late in the second period to tie the game at 3-all. His second goal was a breakaway. The first, he didn't put in himself. He fired a hard shot off goalie Dryden McKay's left shoulder, and the puck went to MSU's Jared Spooner near the right post. Spooner couldn't clean up the rebound, though, and the puck bobbled off his stick and went in to the net. In hockey, Somoza gets the credit. In soccer, it would have gone down as an own goal. McKay gave up four goals for the first time since allowing five in a 7-2 loss to St. Cloud State last Dec. 28 at the Mariucci Classic.

Around the WCHA: Michigan Tech 4, Northern Michigan 3 (OT) ... Bowling Green 4, Quinnipiac 1

Friday Morning Skate

It's Friday morning, and Minnesota State (at least at this point) is playing tonight. The No. 5 Mavericks are also at home for the first time (crazy, that it's Dec. 18), hosting in-state conference rival Bemidji State (1-2) in a nonconference series. The games were postponed from Thanksgiving weekend due to COVID-19. 

The two teams' schedules have been similar so far. They played each other on Nov. 22 in Bemidji with MSU winning 5-0. Then each split a series against Michigan Tech. 

Minnesota State has some new leadership this year after the departure of so many seniors, and senior defenseman Riese Zmolek is leading the way, taking on a bigger role, writes The Free Press' Kevin Dudley. Kevin also takes a closer look at this weekend's series in the story.

In Bemidji, Austin Monteith writes about the series and takes a look at the Beavers' Sillinger brothers. You can find that story on The Rink Live, along with Jason Feldman's feature on a couple of unfamiliar faces finding their way into MSU's lineup. Earlier, Feldy focused on how the Mavs have handled the season's crazy schedule. 

The schedule has indeed been in flux, with games not in the traditional Friday-Saturday set. Tonight in the WCHA, Northern Michigan plays at Michigan Tech (the series goes to Marquette tomorrow), and Bowling Green starts a nonconference series with Quinnipiac. On Wednesday night, Northern Michigan defeated visiting Ferris State 5-4.

Bowling Green has been able to play the most games so far, thanks to having some non-WCHA teams close by. The Falcons are 6-1-0. Lake Superior State is 4-0-2, playing mostly league teams, although both Lake State and BG have played Adrian, a Division III opponent.

Enjoy this weekend, if you're able to watch, as MSU will be off for Christmas and play next at Northern Michigan on Jan. 2-3.

Keeping up with the Skedashians

It seems like the college hockey schedule is going to be rather fluid for the entire season. 

Minnesota State tried to fill in an open weekend with a series against D3 Milwaukee School of Engineering, but those games, scheduled for Saturday and today, were axed last week due to a COVID situation with the MSOE team.

The Mavericks announced a tweak to their schedule to start their conference schedule, as the series at Northern Michigan was pushed back one day, to Jan. 2-3, with times still TBA.

On Friday, Alaska announced that it was opting out of the season (for both hockey and basketball), which eliminated a Feb. 19-20 home weekend for MSU. 

The Fairbanks program joined Anchorage's in scrapping this season due to COVID concerns. UAA's decision effectively ended the program, as the school had announced that it would be dropping hockey in 2021 (although there is a save-the-program campaign underway), while UAF's decision means it might be quite sometime before the Nanooks and Mavericks play again as MSU, six other WCHA teams and St. Thomas are moving into the new CCHA next season.

As for this year, the WCHA is now and eight-team league. The conference announced that any adjustments to the schedule "are to be determined."

Minnesota State is slated to play Bemidji State in a nonconference series in Mankato on Friday and Saturday. After that, the Mavericks, who are 2-1-0 currently have a 14-game league schedule that includes one series against each team. 

There are now open weekends on Jan. 29-30 and Feb. 19-20. I'll be curious to see if MSU tries to add any more games (if there's anyone outside the WCHA it could even play) or if it keeps them vacant to allow for any other postponements.

Monday night Mavericks

 Freddy's three thoughts ...

1. Goalie split: Minnesota State lost and won at Michigan Tech, playing on Sunday and Monday. The Mavericks outshot the Huskies 81-43 in the series but had trouble solving goaltender Blake Pietila throughout. Pietila made 43 saves in Game 1 and won 3-1. He didn't allow a goal until Dallas Gerads' extra-attacker goal with 1:16 remaining. On Monday, Pietila made 35 saves, but the Mavericks (2-1-0) got two pucks by him in the second period, enough for Dryden McKay to earn a 19-save shutout victory. It was McKay's second shutout of the young season and the 16th of his college career.

2. New faces: Todd Burgess and Cade Borchardt each scored his first goal in an MSU uniform on Monday. Burgess is a graduate transfer from RPI. He has played on the Mavericks' most-productive line thus far with Jake Jaremko and Reggie Lutz. The Ottawa Senators draft pick, who has three points in three games, now has 23 collegiate goals. Borchardt, meanwhile, played in just 10 games as a rookie last season but has played in all three this year, earning a spot vacated by the departure of four graduated seniors.

3. Up next: Minnesota State announced on Monday that it has found an opponent for next weekend and will host Milwaukee School of Engineering, a Division III team, on Saturday and Sunday. A few WCHA teams have played D-III opponents thus far to fill some dates in this unusual schedule. MSU really has no one to play outside of its league, with its closest foes from the Big Ten and NCHC currently not playing out-of-conference competition. St. Thomas, which will be D-I and in the CCHA with the Mavericks next season, won't begin play until January at the earliest.

Starts and stops

When the coronavirus shut down everything on or around March 12, a strong case could be made that no sports team was more disappointed or distraught than the Minnesota State men's hockey team. 

Looking to get to its first Frozen Four and possibly win a national championship, it was as good and deep and balanced a team as the Mavericks have ever had — at least at the Division I level. Seven seniors. Three All-Americans. One of the best goaltenders in college hockey. A burning desire to right some wrongs from previous postseasons.

As heartbreaking as last season's ending was, this season's start has been more frustrating, as COVID-19 continues to impact our lives. 

After causing a month-plus delay to the start the season, the disease hasn't allowed for a smooth beginning, doing the same thing to hockey that it's done in college football and other sports.

The Mavericks opened the season with an impressive 5-0 victory at Bemidji State on Nov. 22 and had to postpone the next day's rematch due to positive COVID test results. The following week's home series against the Beavers was also postponed, and this weekend's series at Michigan Tech was pushed back a couple of days — to today and tomorrow. (Yes, the Mavericks are playing today!)

Tech (0-1-1) also hasn't played since Nov. 22.

As good as it will be to get MSU's season started again, there's already another glitch in the schedule, as next weekend's home games against Northern Michigan have been canceled due to a COVID situation at NMU. The following weekend, Minnesota State and Bemidji State are slated to play their rescheduled series in Mankato. The dates were free for MSU because Alaska Anchorage opted not to play this season (effectively putting the final nail in the coffin of the Seawolves' program).

The Mavericks and other WCHA teams appear to be doing their best to get the season going amid a tough and trying situation, but they're getting little traction out of the gate. MSU and BSU have each played just the one game, and Tech has played twice. Lake Superior State (3-0-2), Bowling Green (3-1-0) and Alabama Huntsville (0-2-1) have played a handful of games, although some of those were against a Division III team. Alaska, Ferris State and Northern Michigan have yet to play.

They're not alone. Several programs in the east have yet to get started while others, including Ivy League and some other ECAC teams, have canceled their seasons altogether.

So far, the Big Ten (with Arizona State as part of its schedule) seems to have be off to a good start, but that conference does not have a schedule beyond the end of December. The NCHC is trying out a bubble, with all of its teams beginning play in Omaha over a three-week stretch that started this past week. And then there's Long Island University, which, unbelievably, started a program from scratch during a pandemic and has played twice.

Nobody knows the right or wrong way to do this. Any outbreak or even a single positive test can throw any scheduling system out of whack. The hope is that everything is being done wisely and safely and that there are no short- or long-term health problems for anyone involved. (Remember: there are more than just players involved here; there are coaches and staff members and officials and media and more.)

Although Sundays (because of NFL games) and Monday afternoons are not ideal from a fan standpoint (no fans in the stands, of course, but some have paid for FloHockey or want to listen to the radio broadcast), the season is back on for Minnesota State. 

As a media member, I've learned to loathe the "one game at a time" cliché over the years, but it's never been a more appropriate term than it is right now.

A couple more days

Minnesota State's restart to the season will take a couple more days, as this weekend's games at Michigan Tech have been moved to a Sunday-Monday series.

The Mavericks and the Huskies will play at 5:07 p.m. Sunday and 4:07 p.m. Monday.

Minnesota State hasn't played since a 5-0 victory at Bemidji State on Nov. 22. 

Update: On Friday, it was announced that MSU's Dec. 11-12 nonconference series against Northern Michigan has been canceled due to a COVID situation involving NMU, so, as of now, the Mavericks are scheduled to play their first home games Dec. 18-19 against Bemidji State.

Bemidji State series rescheduled

Minnesota State's series against Bemidji State, which was postponed due to positive COVID-19 tests on the MSU team, has been rescheduled for Dec. 18-19 in Mankato.

The series was originally scheduled for Nov. 27-28 but postponed, along with a Nov. 23 game in Bemidji. The Mavericks and Beavers played on Nov. 22, a game MSU won 5-0. Neither team has played since.

These games are all nonconference games. Minnesota State is scheduled to play a nonconference series this coming weekend at Michigan Tech and then host Northern Michigan for a pair of non-league games Dec. 11-12. The Dec. 18-19 weekend was open on MSU's schedule after Alaska Anchorage opted out of this season due to COVID, essentially ending its program.

Minnesota State and Bemidji State will play in conjunction with a previously scheduled WCHA women's series between the two schools. Those games will take place in Mankato on Dec. 17-18.

A win ... and then a pause

Minnesota State had an impressive season-opening win on Sunday, defeating rival Bemidji State 5-0 at Bemidji's Sandford Center.

And then the Mavericks immediately went into a holding pattern.

Monday's series finale was postponed due to positive COVID-19 tests among MSU personnel. According to Minnesota State's release, there were no positive test results prior to Sunday's game.

Another blow came on Tuesday, as Minnesota State announced that this weekend's games against the Beavers in Mankato have been postponed due to positive test results. According to the press release:

The positive results were detected during team testing, which is being conducted three times per week. Following contract tracing, it was determined that players, coaches and support staff members deemed close contacts would need to be quarantined or isolated in accordance with health protocols. Quarantine concludes with a phased return to activity and cardiac protocols that vary based on the severity of symptoms.

"It's an unfortunate turn of events, as I know how excited our coaches and players were to get back on the ice.  The team looked very impressive in that season-opening game against Bemidji State," MSU athletic director Kevin Buisman said. "It's important, however, that we maintain safety as our top priority. The health and personal welfare of our student-athletes and coaches will always come first. We will implement appropriate medical protocols during this pause in activity and look forward to the opportunity to return to competition after carefully and thoughtfully following that guidance."

Fri — er (checks notes) — Sunday morning skate

It's Sunday, Nov. 22. The first day of the college hockey season? Well, for Minnesota State it is. 

With COVID, we should just be happy that there's a season starting at all and cross our fingers that it will continue and last.

The fifth-ranked Mavericks are opening the season with a nonconference series at No. 16 Bemidji State, playing at 5 p.m. today and 3 p.m. on Monday. The two teams will play again in Mankato next weekend. They're scheduled to play a home-and-home series Feb. 25-27 for conference points to close out the regular season.

"Exciting time," ninth-year MSU coach Mike Hastings said during his Wednesday press conference. "We've been waiting since March to get back to having a date to play, if we were going to play, when we were to be playing, who we were going to be playing. ..."

Hastings said COVID restrictions made for a much different offseason and preseason, from communications to practices and workouts. He added that, until recently, the team had to be split into separate locker rooms on opposite sides of the rink.

"That locker room's a special place," he said. "What you miss the most in the locker room is the bonding. We're already starting to see some progress now that they're all in the locker room."

He said the team has played four intrasquad scrimmages during the run up to opening day and is ready to play a real opponent.

With the graduation of seven lineup staples and the early departure of another, Minnesota State's going to look so much different this season and be young in some areas. Still, it it has plenty of experience in its lineup, most notably junior All-American goaltender Dryden McKay, the WCHA preseason player of the year..

"One of the best things about Dryden McKay is his mental makeup," Hastings said. "He's a calm young man. ... Excited about where he's at and what he can continue to accomplish. He's going to be busier this year than he was a year ago. ... But I think Dryden's prepared."

The senior class includes five players who have played in more than 100 games. The group includes forwards Jake Jaremko (30 goals, 74 points, 101 career games), Reggie Lutz (27 goals, 67 points, 113 career games), Jared Spooner (20 goals, 65 points in 112 career games), Dallas Gerads (27 goals 60 points in 97 career games) and Walker Duehr (15 goals, 34 points in 74 career games); as well as defensemen Riese Zmolek (6 goals, 27 points in 111 career games) and Jack McNeely (5 goals 29 points in 103 career games).

"They're our foundation; they're our rock," Hastings said of the senior class. "As a group, not as a single player. ... I look forward as the glue that keeps us together when things get hot."

"The majority of guys that we're talking about have played an awful lot of minutes," Hastings said. "I think we're going to have to be team that beats you with our depth."

As experienced as MSU, Lutz is the only returning player who reached double digits in goals, and its top two returning point producers were freshmen last season — Lucas Sowder (6-25—31) and Nathan Smith (9-18—27). Sowder was the WCHA rookie of the year last year, and Smith, a third-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets is one of two draft choices on MSU's roster (the other is grad-transfer Todd Burgess who had been at RPI).

"Both of them had outstanding summers," Hastings said of Sowder and Smith, both Florida natives. "I like where they're at right now. They've showed me they're not satisfied. They've come in with a hunger. They're trying to be our best players every day, and if they continue to do that, I think they'll have great sophomore seasons."

As of Wednesday, Hastings and MSU had not yet announced the Mavericks' captains.

Here are some stories you might be interested in as we set forth on the 2020-21 season:

The Mankato Free Press put out its Mavericks season preview today.

The Rink Live's Rochester guy, Jason Feldman, looks at a couple of MSU players — both senior defensemen — from his neck of the woods, Rochester's Zmolek and Lakeville's McNeely.

In Bemidji, there's been a last-minute change on the coaching staff, but head man Tom Serratore has brought in a familiar, very experienced face to his staff. The Rink Live has a preview of the MSU-BSU series and rivalry.

FloHockey has a story on this week's goaltending matchup between McKay and the Beavers' Zach Driscoll, as well as an MSU preview.

On Saturday, Michigan Tech and Lake Superior State skated to a 0-0 tie, and Alabama Huntsville fell to Robert Morris 5-2. Both of those series will continue today. Also Saturday, Bowling Green beat D-III Adrian 5-0.

MSU to start season with no fans

Minnesota State announced on Monday that its hockey teams will start the season without fans in the stands due to the rising rates of COVID-19 in the state, region and Mankato community. The policy is currently in effect through the end of the calendar year when it will be reevaluated.

This will effect men's series against Bemidji State (Nov. 27-28) and Northern Michigan (Dec. 11-12), both nonconference sets. Games will be available to watch with a FloHockey subscription, as well as on Charter-Spectrum channel 826, and to listen to on KTOE 1420 AM.

For the women's team, it will effect this weekend'sgames against Minnesota Duluth (Nov. 20-21) and a series against Bemidji State (Dec. 17-18).

Minnesota State announced it is working on other initiatives to allow fans to be part of the game-day experience, including cardboard cutouts to purchase and a virtual Chuck-a-Puck contest.

The Mavericks men's team will open the season at Bemidji State, although the series was pushed back a couple of days and will take place Sunday at 5 p.m. and Monday at 3 p.m. Bemidji State will not have fans in the stands for those games.

With McKay, MSU still considered WCHA's best

Dryden McKay

Gone are Marc Michaelis, Parker Tuomie and Charlie Gerard. Nick Rivera and Josh French. Ian Scheid and Edwin Hookenson. Connor Mackey, too.

Yet, this week, the Minnesota State men's hockey team was overwhelmingly picked to finish first in the WCHA by the league's coaches and media who cover the conference (Puckato excluded ... geez, I wonder if they have my other email address?).

The Mavericks were the unanimous pick of the media and received six first-place votes from the coaches (coaches could not vote for their own teams).

With all of those losses, why MSU? Why not Bemidji State (second in both polls) or Bowling Green (third in both)? Is it just deference to the team that's won three straight MacNaughton Cups and five (four outright) in the last six years? 

Perhaps.

Akito Hirose

Or it might be because of one particular player who is returning, junior goaltender Dryden McKay. McKay was tabbed as the media's preseason player of the year and shared that honor in the coaches' vote. McKay, who was an All-American, a top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and a top five finalist for the Mike Richter Award last season, was 30-4-2 with a .942 save percentage and a 1.31 goals-against average.

In two seasons, he's got 54 wins, a .934 save percentage and a 1.53 GAA, so it's easy to see why so many people have faith in him. 

"He deserves being recognized as somebody who could be player of the year," coach Mike Hastings said in Tuesday's Mankato Free Press. "The competition he has within himself to play at an elite level is what separates him."

McKay, who was named to the all-preseason team in both polls, shared the player of the year honor with Bowling Green senior forward Brandon Kruse. 

The coaches also tabbed Mavericks sophomore forward Lucas Sowder to their all-preseason team and named MSU freshman defenseman Akito Hirose as preseason rookie of the year.

WCHA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Minnesota State (6 first-place votes) 86 points
2. Bemidji State (1) 79
3. Bowling Green (3) 78
4. Michigan Tech 64
5. Northern Michigan 63
6. Lake Superior State 49
7. Alaska 40
8. Ferris State 35
9. Alaska Anchorage 28
10. Alabama Huntsville 18

Player of the Year: Brandon Kruse, F, Bowling Green; Dryden McKay, G, Minnesota State

Rookie of the Year: Akito Hirose, D, Minnesota State

All-Preseason Team: Forwards—Griffin Loughran, Northern Michigan; Brandon Kruse, Bowling Green; Connor Ford, Bowling Green; Lucas Sowder, Minnesota State. Defensemen—Elias Rosen, Bemidji State; Chris Jandric, Alaska. Goaltender Dryden McKay, Minnesota State.

WCHA Preseason Media Poll
1. Minnesota State (10 first-place votes) 100 points
2. Bemidji State 89
3. Bowling Green 76
4. Northern Michigan 68

5. Michigan Tech 67
6. Lake Superior State 44
7. Alaska 40
8. Ferris State 33
9. Alaska Anchorage 21
10. Alabama Huntsville 12

Player of the Year: Dryden McKay, G, Minnesota State

Rookie of the Year: Carson Bantle, F, Michigan Tech

All-Preseason Team: Forwards—Griffin Loughran, Northern Michigan; Connor Ford, Bowling Green; Owen Sillinger. Bemidji State. Defensemen—Elias Rosen, Bemidji State; Jake Willets, Ferris State. Goaltender Dryden McKay, Minnesota State.

To see other vote-getters, click on the links in the second paragraph of this post.

MSU, WCHA release '20-21 schedule

Minnesota State won the MacNaughton Cup at Bemidji State last season and is scheduled to
close out the 2020-21 season at Bemidji this year. The Mavericks will also open the season there.

It's hard to forget how COVID-19 shut down the 2019-20 season in the middle of the WCHA tournament. And while the pandemic has also forced the 2020-21 season to be delayed, the conference is going forward with a season and announced a modified schedule on Wednesday, along with the WCHA.

Minnesota State will play a 26-game schedule with 13 home games. That includes an 18-game conference schedule following an eight-game conference schedule against conference opponents. 

The Mavericks will open the season Nov. 20-21 at Bemidji State and then host the Beavers a week later on Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 27-28. Those will both be nonconference series. The in-state rivals also play each other home-and-home to close out the conference schedule, Feb. 25 in Mankato and Feb. 27 at Bemidji.

Other nonconference series are Dec. 4-5 at Michigan Tech and Dec. 11-12 at home against Northern Michigan.

The WCHA schedule begins Dec. 18-19 with MSU's final trip to Alaska Anchorage. The Mavericks will be moving into the new CCHA next season, and Anchorage, unfortunately, will be dropping hockey after the '20-21 season. They'll go to Northern Michigan on Jan. 1-2, host Michigan Tech on Jan. 8-9 and go back to the UP to play Lake Superior State Jan. 15-16.

The Mavericks will host Ferris State and Bowling Green on Jan. 22-23 and Feb. 5-6, respectively, with a bye week in between, and then they'll take what could be their last-ever trip to Alabama Huntsville Feb. 11-12. After hosting Alaska Feb. 19-20, they'll close out the season with that series against Bemidji State. The Mavericks won its third straight MacNaughton Cup as WCHA regular-season champions at Bemidji on the final day of the regular season last year.

The WCHA postseason tournament will be held the weekends of March 12-13 and March 19-20, with the tournament format being determined in the coming weeks.

As for MSU home games, the university says it and the Mayo Clinic Health System Event System "will collaborate on a plan to follow Minnesota Department of Health and state and local guidelines (to determine) capacity and attendance limitations throughout the season. Information regarding those procedures and potential ticket availability will be announced no later than one week prior to the first home event."

Mavericks No. 4 in preseason poll

The first U.S. College Hockey Online rankings are out, and Minnesota State is No. 4, with one first-place vote. The Mavericks were third when the season came to an abrupt end due to COVID-19 last spring but lost seven key players to graduation and another to an early NHL signing. The cupboard's certainly not bare, with junior goaltender Dryden McKay and five players with at least 24 points last season.

North Dakota is No. 1, followed by Boston College and Minnesota Duluth. Bemidji State is the only other WCHA teams in the top 20, coming in at No. 16. Bowling Green, Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech received votes. Here is the poll:

St. Thomas joining CCHA

When the seven teams leaving the WCHA after this season (if there is a season) announced they would be called the CCHA, resuscitating the Central Collegiate Hockey Association brand, I thought the group erred, missing out on a chance to do something bold, fresh and exciting.

However, I added, what the league does under its new banner will prove whether or not it is indeed bold, fresh and exciting.

Show, don't tell ... to quote one of my old writing instructors.

The CCHA appeared to make quite the bold move when it hired Don Lucia as commissioner. And it didn't take long for Lucia to do something bold himself when he and the conference brought in St. Thomas as an eighth team.

On Wednesday, the new CCHA made the announcement that the Tommies will join the league right away, beginning play in the CCHA's inaugural season, 2021-22.

The St. Paul school, which earlier this month got the OK to make the jump directly from Division III to DI in all sports (after getting booted out of the MIAC last summer), will give the new CCHA eight teams. And the geography couldn't be better, giving the league a Twin Cities presence and a third Minnesota school (the state will have six DI programs next season) to balance things out.

Here's how the league will look:

Minnesota State
Bemidji State
St. Thomas
Michigan Tech
Northern Michigan
Lake Superior State
Ferris State
Bowling Green

The NCAA approved St. Thomas' move to DI a couple of weeks ago, and the school announced it was going to the Summit League for all sports but football and hockey. Football was joining the non-scholarship Pioneer League, and women's hockey got an immediate invite to the WCHA to join Minnesota State, Minnesota, Minnesota Duluth, St. Cloud State, Bemidji State, Wisconsin and Ohio State as that conference's eighth team.

At the time St. Thomas said it was exploring its men's hockey options. Clearly the university and the CCHA were moving quickly to do something bold, fresh and exciting together.

There are a lot of things to work out, such as where St. Thomas will play in the long-term. It's current arena, which it shares with St. Thomas Academy, is too small for DI, although it is a fine DIII facility.

Lucia also talked in the press conference about a league schedule and whether the CCHA would play 24, 26 or 28 league games; that has yet to be decided. A 28-game slate means the teams can play each other four times, home and home. But it leaves just six nonconference games available.

As a person who covered Minnesota State for 20 years and is a graduate of St. Thomas (Class of '94!) and just loves the sport of college hockey, I'm excited about what's to come. I think St. Thomas will do everything it can to be as competitive as it can be and as quickly as possible.

Lucia named CCHA commissioner

Don Lucia was 59 years old when he stepped down as Minnesota's men's hockey coach, a young age for someone whose been successful in that profession.

After a year as an athletics administrator at the U and another year away from the game, the 61-year-old Lucia is back in the college hockey business. On Wednesday he was hired as the first commissioner of the new CCHA.

Lucia, who was introduced in a Zoom press conference broadcast live on YouTube, said taking the job was "a way to give back to the game" that's been so good to him over his career.

Lucia was the Gophers' coach for 19 years, winning national championships in 2002 and 2003. Prior to that he coached at Colorado College and Alaska Fairbanks. He played college hockey at Notre Dame.

Now, his task is to make a new conference successful. The CCHA, which will begin play in the 2021-22 season, will have seven teams, at least at this point — Minnesota State, Bemidji State, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan and Lake Superior State. 

Lucia was asked about an eighth team — St. Thomas could be a possibility if the NCAA grants the Division III school a waiver to move up to DI — and said that the group is fine currently at seven. Only if a program is a good fit competitively and geographically would another school be considered.

“You need a leader," Minnesota State coach Mike Hastings told The Rink Live. "You need somebody that understands the multitude of levels that you have to have a handle on in a one-sport conference. I think we’re moving in a really good direction with Don.”

Hastings was an assistant coach under Lucia at Minnesota for one year. Northern Michigan coach Grant Potulny was also a Lucia assistant and former player.

Lucia officially begins his duties on July 1. He said his tasks in the year prior to play include compiling a conference staff, coming up with a scheduling model, figuring out referees and the CCHA brand.

Lucia, who splits time between Minnesota and Alaska, hinted that the CCHA might not have a home office — something we've learned during this time of COVID that many can do without — and that he plans on attending games every weekend during the season.

CCHA commish coming

The CCHA and its seven members who will begin play in the new conference in 2021 announced on Tuesday that its first commissioner will be named on Wednesday afternoon.

The unveiling will take place at 2 p.m. and can be seen on YouTube.

Last month, Todd Milewski of the Wisconsin State Journal and USCHO reported that the finalists for the job are former Minnesota coach Don Lucia, Minnesota State athletic director Kevin Buisman and Minnesota associate AD Tom McGinnis.

Reading the tea leaves, it seems like Lucia is the favorite, and luring a smart hockey man out of retirement to lead the conference seems like a good get. Buisman is an interesting candidate, too, being part of the old and new WCHA from an ADs perspective and knowing pretty directly what's worked and what's hasn't post-realignment. McGinnis has been the administrator for hockey, among other sports, at the U, where he's been since 2011.

In somewhat-related news, the CCHA Twitter page was taken out of dry dock and relaunched.

The new CCHA will consist of seven teams (at least at this time): Minnesota State, Bemidji State, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan and Lake Superior State.

Another grad in goal

For the third time in four years, Minnesota State will have a graduate transfer at the goaltending position.

New England Hockey Journal recently reported that Boston College's Ryan Edquist, a Lakeville, Minn., native, will be joining the Mavericks next season. Edquist played just 21 games for the Eagles — one last year and three the season prior — backing up NHL prospects.

He'll likely be in a backup role again at MSU, playing behind Richter Award finalist Dryden McKay, who will be a junior. But the Mavericks have been on the lookout for a goaltender to bolster the group since Jaxson Stauber opted to leave the school and return to junior hockey last November of his freshman season. Stauber, who played just one game for Minnesota State, will be attending Providence.

Two seasons ago, the Mavericks brought in Mathias Israelsson as a grad transfer from Northern Michigan. He competed for the No. 1 job, which McKay eventually won. A year earlier, Connor LaCouvee joined MSU as a Boston University graduate and had an outstanding season, leading the team back to the NCAA tournament.

Edquist backstopped an outstanding Lakeville North team in 2014-15 that included MSU defenseman Jack McNeely as well as St. Cloud State's Poehling brothers that went 31-0 and won the Class AA state championship. He played one season for the USHL's Madison Capitols before going to BC.

After Stauber's departure, Jacob Berger was McKay's primary backup last season. He played in two games, starting one. The Mavericks also brought in Evan Foss, a straight-out-of-high-school MSU student on a tryout and ending up rostering him for the remainder of the season.

The schedule is out

Here's hoping that the college hockey season starts and goes on as normal. No guarantees, at this point. Nonetheless, Minnesota State (and the WCHA) released its 2020-21 schedule on Wednesday. Here's how it looks (with a few editorial comments):

Home series in bold

Oct. 10-11 — Icebreaker tourney at Duluth, Providence, UMD/Minnesota ... Fun way to start the season. I'll be a lot of Mankato folks will make the trip to Duluth — if they're able.

Oct. 16-17 — St. Cloud State ... Too bad this isn't a home and home, considering the heavy road swing to start the year for the Mavericks.

Oct. 23-24 — Alaska ... The WCHA schedule begins in Fairbanks. Better in October than February, though.

Oct. 30-31 — Minnesota Duluth ... Gotta wait until Halloween weekend, but kicking off the home schedule against UMD is good. Mythical 2020 national championship on the line?

Nov. 6-7 — Northern Michigan ... The first home conference series is a good one with the Wildcats in town.

Nov. 13-14 — Bemidji State ... The Beavers should be one of the league favorites next year. By the time MSU rolls into town in mid-November we'll know for sure.

Nov. 20-21 — Lake Superior State ... Lakers could be sneaky good next season. They don't lose much.

Nov. 27-28 — Alaska Anchorage ... Will this be MSU's last trip ever to Alaska?

Dec. 4-5 — Bowling Green ... Enjoy the only meeting of the season between MSU and BG. The Falcons should be a league favorite next year.

Dec. 11-12 — Michigan Tech ... And now they can breathe after 10 straight weeks of play. What a grind of a first-half schedule.

Jan. 1-2 — Alaska ... The first repeat customer of the season (unless they end up playing UMD in the Icebreaker)

Jan 8-9 — Alabama Huntsville ... Another last hurrah before the conference change up?

Jan 22-23 — Ferris State ... Could this be the Hockey Day Minnesota opponent? Will it be played outside? Or will the weekend before, currently an idle on the schedule, be Hockey Day? Stay tuned.

Jan. 29-30 — Michigan Tech ... When we last left the Mavericks they were preparing to play the Huskies in the WCHA semifinals.

Feb. 5-6 — Lake Superior State ... I never made the trip to the Soo. Tough trip in February.

Feb. 19-20 — Ferris State ... Good thing there's an off weekend between two long treks to Michigan. 

Feb. 26-27 — Bemidji State ... Here's betting this series decides the MacNaughton — again.

The 'State of Hockey' story

This is from today's Star-Tribune and made this "genius" think about
his story regarding this phrase everyone in Minnesota knows so well.

Prior to coming to Mankato in 2000, I was the editor of Let’s Play Hockey for five years. In the late 1990s I had created a column in LPH called “State of Hockey." It was part of a full-page feature on Minnesota high school hockey that ran weekly.

I liked the play on words — "state" referring to both Minnesota and the condition of the sport — and I created a simple, little logo with an outline of Minnesota and those words across the map. 

Around the same time, the Wild was gearing up for its inaugural season and putting together promotional materials for season tickets, etc. Let's Play Hockey's then-owner/publisher Doug Johnson got a call from a Wild official asking if it would be all right for the team to use “State of Hockey” for some of those materials. 

Doug came to me and asked if I'd consider giving the Wild permission to use it. Although it was my creation, I told him it was his call, as he was the owner of the paper. 

Although I don’t know if any official deal was actually struck between the Wild and LPH (certainly, nothing extra came my way), the publisher gave the Wild his blessing to go-ahead to use the phrase as it wished.

The Wild did and, well, you know the rest.

Maybe it was an inevitable idea. Someone else surely would have come up with it, right? Maybe someone at the Wild had thought of it themselves, only to call LPH after doing their due diligence and jumping through the proper legal hoops. I don't know. 

But little did I realize that "State of Hockey" would become the Wild’s theme and motto and catch-phrase, that they would have a fight song/anthem composed around the concept, that it would be co-opted by seemingly every hockey entity in Minnesota and appear on T-shirts and sweatshirts and hats, or that it would still be going strong 20 years later.

Oh, well. My loss. So it goes.

Rink Live podcast

I had a great time talking to my friends Mick Hatten and Jess Myers for a Rink Live video podcast about my 20 seasons covering Minnesota State hockey for The Free Press.

Give it a watch it here.

So long, Free Press

Freddy's three thoughts ...

1. How to boil down the last 20 years? My final column appeared in The Free Press this morning. Please give it a read here. After 20 hockey seasons and nearly 20 full calendar years, I've accepted a new job. I'll be a communications manager for Specialty Soya & Grains Alliance. It will be a new challenge — one that I'm excited about — but it will be weird not to be covering sports, especially hockey, which I've done for the last 25 years (that includes five years at Let's Play Hockey prior to starting at The Free Press).

2. I'm not going anywhere: Mankato has become home to the Frederick family, so the good news is: I'm not leaving town. So, if it works out, I hope to continue to do some freelance writing and other things in the college hockey universe once — if? — the hockey season starts up again in the fall. And I'll try to be active on Twitter as well as this blog (the web address has changed, FYI, so adjust your bookmarks accordingly) when I can. And if I'm not in the press box, I'm looking forward to watching some games in the stands. I'll finally find out what it's like to have a beer during an Minnesota State hockey game at the civic center!

3. Thank you, everyone: There are so many people to thank — from editors and writers and co-workers to coaches and players and staffs to sports information/communications folks and other beat writers and other media members— that it would be impossible to name them all without unintentionally forgetting a few. But it's impossible to do this job without the support and cooperation of good people, and I've had that. Let me add a thank you to my family for putting up with a sports writer's crazy schedule over the last couple of years and another to all of the readers who followed Minnesota State hockey and other Mankato-area sports over the last two decades. I hope I was able to "capture the spirt of the thing" for you!

Mavericks get grad transfer from RPI

Todd Burgess, an Ottawa Senators draft pick who scored 14 goals as a senior at RPI last season, is transferring to Minnesota State for his final year of college hockey. As a graduate transfer, Burgess will be eligible to play immediately.

Excited to announce my commitment to Minnesota state, Mankato to play hockey and obtain my masters degree next year. To my teammates, coaches, family, fans, and people I met along the way at RPI, thank you for the… https://t.co/6qXhMbIuUT

— Todd Burgess (@burgess_todd) April 16, 2020

Read more about Burgess in The Free Press' article from Friday.

Burgess will be one of what is expected to be at least seven newcomers on next season’s Minnesota State team.

Forwards Brendan Furry, Ondrej Pavel and Connor Gregga and defensemen Akito Hirose and Jake Livingstone already have signed with the Mavericks. Furry spent last season practicing with MSU but was ineligible to play due to signing a previous letter of intent with Niagara before re-opening his recruitment.

The Mavericks also have commitments from forwards Tanner Edwards and Sam Morton. Morton spent a season and a half at Union before returning to junior hockey. Due to transfer rules, he likely will not be eligible until 2021-22. Don't be surprised if MSU brings in another goaltender, too, to solidify the backup situation behind Dryden McKay.

Mavericks 4, Seawolves 2

Freddy's three thoughts of the game

1. Sunday Funday: Alaska Anchorage, specifically goaltender Kris Carlson, did its best to try to upset MSU and force a Game 3, but the Mavericks prevailed and will get Sunday off. "It will be nice to get the extra day of rest," said Jake Jaremko, who scored the game-winning goal. "It was a hard series; they were a physical team." Minnesota State will have to wait until Sunday to find out who it plays. It will be either Michigan Tech, which swept Northern Michigan at Marquette, or Lake Superior State, which defeated Bemidji State on Saturday to force a Sunday game in Bemidji.

2. River rises: Jaremko centered the Mavericks' best line in the game, playing between Reggie Lutz and Charlie Gerard. Jaremko had the GWG, finishing off a play with the two linemates. Lutz had a goal and an assist, and Gerard assisted on two scores. If the trio sticks together, you can call them the River Line. Jaremko and Lutz are from Elk River, and Gerard is from Rocky River, Ohio. Gerard's two assists put him at 30 points for the season and 70 for his career.

3. Up to No. 2: Marc Michaelis had one assist on Saturday, putting a laser pass on the tape of Nathan Smith for the Mavericks' second goal. That gave him five points for the series and also put him at 162 points for his career, tying him with Matt Leitner for second place on MSU's D1 era scoring list. He's now two points shy of first place. For the season, he's now at 44 points, a career high, on 20 goals and 24 assists.

Read my game story here.



Around the WCHA: Lake Superior State 5, Bemidji State 3 (series tied 1-1) ... Michigan Tech 4, Northern Michigan 3, 3OT (Tech wins 2-0) ... Bowling Green at Alaska, late (BG leads 1-0)

Deep thought: The Gustavus Adolphus women's team won the MIAC playoff title on Saturday and advanced to the NCAA tournament. Read Kevin Dudley's coverage of the game.

Mavericks 8, Seawolves 1

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. Depth becomes them: Eight players had goals and seven players had multiple-point games as the Mavericks won Game 1 of the best-of-three WCHA playoff series between the WCHA's 1 and 8 seeds. Coach Mike Hastings mixed things up a bit from last week, moving Parker Tuomie back to the top line with Marc Michaelis and freshman Nathan Smith back to center. Tuomie (1G, 1A) helped his line finish with a 10-point game, playing with Michaelis (1G, 3A) and freshman Lucas Sowder (4A). As for Smith (1G, 1A), who centered Dallas Gerads (1G) and Julian Napravnik (2A), Hastings said, "Nathan Smith is a good hockey player. Doesn’t matter where we seem to put him, he’s productive. I like the maturation of his game."

2. Milestone night: The Mavericks hit a few milestones on Friday night. They won their 30th game for the third time in their history and the second time in two years (they won 32 games last year). Dryden McKay won his 29th game in goal, tying the mark set by Steve Carroll during the 1980 national-championship season. And Ian Scheid (1G, 1A) broke the program's Division I era record for points by a defenseman, reaching 97 points. That total also puts him third all-time for MSU D-men. (Read more about Scheid in my game story).

3. Milestone in sight: As for Michaelis, his four points put him at 161 for his career, just three points from tying the program's D-I era scoring record of 164 held by Aaron Fox, who played from 1996-2000). Michaelis, who reached a career-high for points in a season with 43 (despite missing seven games with an injury) is one point behind Matt Leitner, who had 162 points for the Mavericks from 2001-15.

Around the WCHA: Bemidji State 2, Lake Superior State 0 ... Michigan Tech 4, Northern Michigan 1 ... Bowling Green 4, Alaska 2

Minnesota State vs. Alaska Anchorage, Game 1

The Mavericks and Seawolves will play in the first game of a best-of-three, first-round WCHA series at 7:07 p.m. at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center.

Here are tonight's lines:

MINNESOTA STATE
6-Tuomie, 20-Michaelis, 21-Sowder
16-Lutz, 5-Jaremko, 9-Gerard
22-Gerads, 8-Smith, 15-Napravnik
23-Rivera, 26-French, 17-Duehr

2-Mackey, 3-McNeely
25-Zmolek, 18-Scheid
7-Aamodt, 24-Hookenson
4-Carroll

29-McKay
31-Berger

Scratches: Borchardt, Bukes, Malinowski, McMahan, Sandelin, Spooner, Van Os-Shaw

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
10-Schachle, 13-Frye, 12-Nazzarett
16-Court, 9-Wicks, 24-Brown
28-St. Onge, 14-Nash, 15-Lantz
29-DeGraaf, 25-Mitchell, 17-Masson
20-Renwick

7-Nicholas, 23-Sinclair
18-Hiekkavirta, 22-Buono
27-Trinkberger, 8-Pears

30-Carlson
1-Perrone

Friday Morning Skate

It's playoff time, and the Mavericks are hoping to begin a long run, starting with the WCHA tournament. Third-ranked MSU hosts Alaska Anchorage this weekend in the 1-8 matchup. This is Minnesota State's third straight season as the No. 1 seed, and the Seawolves' first time in the postseason since 2014.

Minnesota State's depth has been a strength all season, and it's showing now with some unlikely players coming through at important times. One player who fits that bill is junior forward Walker Duehr, who has 12 points in 2020, including a team-high eight points in February.

For more on the series and start of MSU's Sauer Trophy defense, check out the College Hockey Gameday preview.

In case you missed it from earlier in the week, I opine on the Mavericks' third straight MacNaughton Cup and how MSU's dominance in the WCHA should be appreciated.

As for the Seawolves, they're making their first postseason appearance since 2014 when they went to that first WCHA Final Five in Grand Rapids, Mich. (I liked Grand Rapids as a host city for that, by the way. It was too bad it didn't catch on.)

Here are the WCHA's other first-round matchups:

7-Lake Superior State at 2-Bemidji State: The Lakers have lost twice in their last 11 games and are 7-3-3 in their last 13, finding ways to get points in WCHA play. They'll go to Bemidji where the Beavers have been red-hot, losing just twice (albeit once last Saturday to MSU).

6-Michigan Tech at 3-Northern Michigan: The U.P. rivals square off for the second week in a row, and why do I have a feeling this is the series most likely to go three games? Tech won the season series 3-1, but last week was a split. NMU has won 2 of 3 but that came after a five-game skid. Someone to watch for this weekend is WCHA scoring champion Griffin Loughran, who was involved a play last weekend that caused a bit of buzz on social media:

As @wilson_marvin brought up earlier...what exactly is @GriffinLoughran doing here? Is he upset he didn't get the call on his dive so he checks the Ref for missing the "call?" I don't think I've ever seen anything like this before. @mtuhky @NMUHockey @WCHA_MHockey @ChasingMacPod pic.twitter.com/wQWDAFxDFG

— Tim Braun (@TBraunTHG) March 2, 2020

5-Bowling Green at 4-Alaska: The Nanooks are hosting a playoff series after going 6-5-1 with two extra-point wins in its last 12 games. The Falcons enter the weekend on an eight-game unbeaten streak, so these teams certainly could be playing on Sunday, too. Bowling Green has made some interesting travel plans. Knowing they could be playing on Sunday, if they win the series, they'll likely fly to Minneapolis from Fairbanks on Tuesday for the next round, which, if things go as expected, likely will be in Mankato or maybe Bemidji.

In other hockey action:

• The Gustavus Adolphus women's team will play Augsburg at 2 p.m. Saturday in the MIAC championship game at the Don Roberts Ice Rink in St. Peter.

• Mankato East/Loyola went 0-2 at the state tournament, running into some pretty good teams, but the future of the Cougars remains bright.

• The WCHA women's Final Faceoff takes place this weekend in Minneapolis. The league also announced its individual award winners with Wisconsin's Abby Roque winning Player of the Year.

Mavericks 4, Beavers 1

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. No place like home: I, for one, am glad that there will be no travel the next three weeks. I'm sure the Mavericks are, too, as they secured home ice throughout the WCHA tournament with Saturday's victory. MSU will host eighth-seeded Alaska Anchorage in the best-of-three first round on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (if necessary), while Bemidji State will get Lake Superior State. If the Mavericks and Beavers meet again (and they sure could, considering the only each has lost to in 2020 has been the other), it will be in Mankato, not Bemidji. As the announcer said before the game, "This is a big one." And it was. The league playoffs are not completely set yet but will be later tonight.

2. Keys to the game: I joked with Mike Hastings recently about the keys to the game, and how they're almost always: 1. Good start, 2. Good goaltender, 3. Special teams. Well, the first two definitely were keys to Saturday's win, as the Mavericks scored first on a nice play by Nick Rivera from Walker Duehr, and got a great bounce-back performance from Dryden McKay, who made 38 saves after a tough Friday. "Dryden McKay was outstanding tonight," Hastings said. "To win a championship on the road, your goaltender’s going to have to be that, and tonight he was." As for special teams, there just wasn't much of that all weekend. Just one penalty Friday, and each team went 0 for 2 on the power play on Saturday. Good PKs.

3. Vets club: Juniors and seniors win you games, and Nick Rivera, Riese Zmolek, Josh French and Connor Mackey had the goals on Saturday. French, Hastings, said played one of his finest weekends of hockey. On Saturday he was plus-1 with three shots on goal and three blocks and scored an empty-net goal from just above the blue paint at his own end of the rink, backhanding the puck high into the air and giving the term "Bemidji flip" a bit of a new meaning. Senior Edwin Hookenson blocked four shots, two or three of them on a third-period PK after he had lost his stick. Marc Michaelis had a huge faceoff win on Zmolek's goal with 24.5 seconds left in the second period.

Around the WCHA: Bowling Green 4, Alabama Huntsville 1 ... Lake Superior State 4, Ferris State 2 ... Northern Michigan 3, Michigan Tech 2 ... Alaska Anchorage at Alaska (late)

Beavers 3, Mavericks 1

Freddy’s three thoughts of the game …

1. Playoff hockey: There was no doubt something was on the line this weekend during Friday’s game, as Minnesota State and Bemidji State both played a tight game with only a handful of Grade A scoring chances between them. “Both teams played really good,” Bemidji State coach Tom Serratore said. “It was one of those games. This was playoff hockey. It’s been playoff hockey for four or five weeks.” The Beavers broke a scoreless tie with a bad-angle goal at 2:35 of the first period and ran with that bounce, scoring again at the 4:00 mark and adding an empty-net goal after Josh French made it 2-1 with 8:12 remaining.

2. Got to be aggressive: Both teams did play well defensively, but the Beavers seemed to be more disruptive of MSU’s game than the Mavericks were of theirs. Coach Mike Hastings talked about trying to be more assertive and making a better push, especially in the third period. The Beavers outshot the Mavericks 34-26, including 15-7 in the second period. It will be interesting to see if MSU is able to do that. In four games against each other this season, each team has won twice (including MSU’s nonconference victory at the Mariucci Classic) with Bemidji State outscoring Minnesota State 9-8 (with two empty-netters).

3. What’s ahead: Minnesota State already won a share of the MacNaughton Cup last weekend, but would like to have it outright, and Bemidji State really wants a piece of it. More importantly, each team wants home ice for the duration of the WCHA playoffs, and that will be determined by who wins Saturday’s regular-season finale. Minnesota State will get it with just one point, but Bemidji State needs to win to take the top spot. If both teams advance through the first two rounds of the tournament and face each other for the Sauer Trophy, Saturday’s game will determine where that game is played.

Around the WCHA: Lake Superior State 5, Ferris State 0 … Michigan Tech 8, Northern Michigan 4 … Bowling Green 4, Alabama Huntsville 3 (OT) … Alaska Anchorage at Alaska (late)

Minnesota State at Bemidji State, pregame blog

Minnesota State can clinch the MacNaughton Cup with one point tonight. Standing in the way is Bemidji State, which must sweep the Mavericks to earn a share of the championship and get the top seed for the league playoffs.

Here are tonight's lines:

MINNESOTA STATE21-Sowder, 20-Michaelis, 9-Gerard
16-Lutz, 5-Jaremko, 8-Smith
6-Tuomie, 26-French, 15-Napravnik
23-Rivera, 22-Gerads, 17-Duehr
14-Sandelin

2-Mackey, 3-McNeely
25-Zmolek, 18-Scheid
4-Carroll, 24-Hookenson

29-McKay
31-Berger

Scratches: Aamodt, Borchardt, Bukes, Malinowski, McMahan, Spooner, Van Os-Shaw

---

BEMIDJI STATE19-Brady, 21-Harris, 16-Miller
9-Somoza, 27-Kirkup, 11-Combs
14-Ierullo, 12-Sillinger, 25-Adams
13-Jones, 23-Sjodahl, 26-Cardelli
15-Jubenvill

3-Muck, 22-Vold
2-Zmolek, 28-Rosen
7-Looft, 18-Johnson

33-Driscoll
29-Johnson
35-Carr

Friday Morning Skate

It's senior weekend for the Mavericks, who host Alabama Huntsville in their final regular-season series of the weekend. Minnesota State's senior class has made a major impact on the program — Marc Michaelis (who, it appears, will be be back in the lineup after missing seven games with a lower-body injury), Parker Tuomie, Nick Rivera, Josh French, Charlie Gerard, Ian Scheid and Edwin Hookenson — being part of 109 wins and counting.

Minnesota State can clinch a third straight WCHA championship this weekend, but with a five-point lead over Bemidji State, would need help from Alaska Anchorage, BSU's opponent this weekend. Also, the Mavericks would need to take care of business against the Chargers, who have earned WCHA points in each of the last four weekends.

Read about the UAH matchup and more in today's College Hockey Gameday.

Going around the rest of the WCHA ...

Bemidji State at Alaska Anchorage: The Beavers are setting up a showdown with MSU for the MacNaughton Cup next weekend with the way they've been playing. Like the Mavericks, they're 10-1-1 so far in 2020. While MSU is No. 2 in the Pairwise Rankings and has been one of the top teams there most of the season, BSU has risen 22 spots to No. 12 with their recent play. As for the Seawolves, they're still in position to make the WCHA tournament for the first time since 2014, which would be a nice finish considering all the program's been through recently.

Ferris State at Bowling Green: It's been a tough season for the Bulldogs, who have won just once in their last 14 games but could still make the WCHA playoffs with a late-season turnaround. The Falcons, meanwhile, are trying to get back into the top four and host a first-round series. They're currently in sixth but have taken nine points in their last four games after dropping four in a row.

Northern Michigan at Lake Superior State: Like Bowling Green, Northern Michigan has lost four in a row to MSU and BSU. The Wildcats are trying to right the ship but also hold firm to a home-ice spot in the standings. "We will be at home," coach Grant Potulny said this week. The Wildcats and the Lakers are also playing for a trophy, the Cappo Cup, which goes to the series winner each year. Lake State has gotten at least two points in each of its last six league series.

This week marked the announcement of the name of the new conference with Minnesota State, Bemidji State, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan and Lake Superior State, which will be the CCHA. A lot has been written about it, including commentary from College Hockey News. The Anchorage Daily News looked at things from the Alaska perspective and those teams' hopes of keeping the WCHA going after the breakup.

Friday Morning Skate

The Minnesota State men are idle this weekend, but locally, three teams are playing in important series: the MSU women and the Gustavus Adolphus women and men.

For the Mavericks women, who are coming off their shocking upset of Wisconsin, the WCHA this week did a feature on assistant coach, alum and mom Shari Dickerman.

Going around the WCHA ...

Bemidji State at Northern Michigan: Should be a playoff-like atmosphere in Marquette where the league's second- and third-place teams will be squaring off this weekend. Both teams are ranked in the top 20, too, with Bemidji at No. 16 and Northern at No. 19.

Michigan Tech at Ferris State: Firth-place Tech has split its last three series and still has hopes of getting home ice as it goes on its final full road trip of the regular season. Ferris' last win came in a split against the Huskies on Jan. 24-25. The Bulldogs are three points out of playoff position.

Bowling Green at Alaska: The Falcons broke a four-game losing streak with a sweep over Anchorage last weekend and will try to go on a late-season run to get into the top four of the conference. The Nanooks, who have scored league points in all but one of their last eight games — thanks, in part, to the play of sophomore Gustavs Grigals — hold that fourth-place spot currently.

Alabama Huntsville at Lake Superior State: The Chargers and Lakers will play in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, on Friday and across the border Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, on Saturday. Saturday's game will be the first NCAA Division I men's game played in Canada since January 7, 2012, when North Dakota and Clarkson played in Winnipeg. Four of Lake State's last six games have gone to overtime.

Alaska Anchorage at Arizona State: The Seawolves are stepping out of conference play and going to the desert to play the No. 10 Sun Devils. UAA is on a seven-game winless streak with four overtime games in that stretch.

Mavericks 1, Wildcats 0

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. Record night: You can read more about Dryden McKay in my gamer, but he's worth mentioning here, too. A dozen shutouts in less than two seasons and eight in one year are pretty impressive, no matter how good a team is defensively in front of him. McKay was tested. He came up with a nice toe save early in the game, took a hard shot off the noggin in the second period and held off a good push by the WCHA's third-place team late in the game, including the final 2 minutes with an extra attacker. 

2. Spoonman: Jared Spooner scored the only goal of the game, his third of the weekend. The goal was announced for Walker Duehr (who also had an excellent weekend) and wasn't changed until the third period. Spooner went hard to the net, as he so often does, and tipped in Duehr's shot. Dallas Gerads had the other assist. That trio ended up with eight points in the series — four goals and four assists. Duehr had three assists. "I liked the way our whole team played," coach Mike Hastings said.

3. Break time: The Mavericks will be off next week, a deserved respite after a tough stretch. Minnesota State has played seven straight weekends since their last break (a week in which everyone traveled for the holidays), going 11-2-1. MSU has an 11-point lead atop the WCHA standings over idle Bemidji State, which, along with third-place NMU (18 points back), has two games in hand. Northern Michigan hosts Bemidji State next weekend while the Mavericks are off. "First of all, get some rest," Hastings said about the bye. "We’ve got some guys that are on the mend, and they’re close to being ready to get back into it. Not quite there." That could mean the countdown is on for Marc Michaelis' return.

Read more in my game story here.

Around the WCHA: Michigan Tech 4, Lake Superior State 3 (OT) ... Bowling Green 4, Alaska Anchorage 1 ... Alaska 3, Alabama Huntsville 0

Mavericks 7, Wildcats 3

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. And the rout is on: That didn't feel like a blowout, at least not until the third period. As I wrote in my gamer, the Mavericks got some timely goals over the course of the game to keep the 4,400-plus crowd engaged throughout the night. Jared Spooner and Charlie Gerard had momentum-keeping goals, scoring less than 30 seconds after NMU goals. Reggie Lutz scored the game's first goal at 2:01 of the first period for a good, early start, too. "And we’ve struggled with that recently here (at home), so I think it was important," coach Mike Hastings said.

2. Feeling boxed in: My Free Press colleague Robb Murray works the penalty box from time to time, and he certainly wasn't lonely on Friday, as the teams combined for 14 penalties. The Mavericks put the Wildcats on the power play seven times and killed off six of them. They evened that out, though, by getting a short-handed goal from Nick Rivera. Dallas Gerads was whistled for three penalties in the first period alone, so he and Robb are getting to be close, personal friends. Gerads also had one of MSU's two power-play goals in the third period.

3. Here's to their health: Jake Jaremko returned after six games out with an upper-body injury and was effective throughout the game. He didn't register a point, but his line with Reggie Lutz and Gerard accounted for two goals. Lutz had a goal and an assist and 10 shots on goal. "Jake's been doing a lot of work off ice," Hastings said, crediting athletic trainer Matt Schmidt and strength coach Tom Inkrott for getting him ready. "He played significant minutes tonight. He played very well, handled it well. I think Reggie Lutz likes having him back."


Read more in my game story here.

Around the WCHA: Bowling Green 5, Alaska Anchorage 4 (OT) ... Lake Superior State 7, Michigan Tech 3 ... Alaska 6, Alabama Huntsville 6 (OT, Alaska gets 3x3 win)

Minnesota State vs. Northern Michigan

The Mavericks and Wildcats will square off at 7:07 p.m. at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center. Jake Jaremko is back in the lineup for the Mavericks after missing six games, and Josh French and Julian Napravnik are also back. Marc Michaelis (lower-body injury) remains out.

Follow along with the action Twitter @puckato

Here are tonight's lines:

MINNESOTA STATE
16-Lutz, 5-Jaremko, 9-Gerard
6-Tuomie, 8-Smith, 15-Napravnik
22-Gerads, 11-Spooner, 17-Duehr
23-Rivera, 26-French, 14-Sandelin
19-Van Os-Shaw

2-Mackey, 3-McNeely
25-Zmolek, 18-Scheid
4-Carroll, 24-Hookenson

29-McKay
31-Berger
1-Foss

Scratches: Aamodt, Borchardt, Bukes, Malinowski, McMahan, Michaelis, Sowder

NORTHERN MICHIGAN
16-Loughran, 18-Nardi, 11-Ghantous
23-Slattery, 26-Readman, 14-de Mey
21-Schultz, 13-Voltin, 9-Craighead
27-Roeder, 29-Loven 15-Schroer
20-Klee

4-Van Unen, 25-Beaulieu
10-Newhouse, 24-Sorenson
28-Vescio, 6-Yaremko

1-Kent
30-Hawthorne

Friday Morning Skate

No. 3 Minnesota State and No. 15 Northern Michigan meet this weekend in what should be a good battle between top-three WCHA teams. They split a series in December with the Wildcats breaking the Mavericks' 10-game winning streak.

For Minnesota State since then, it's been about getting back to its identity, which coaches and players agree, is defense.

Of course, everyone is wondering about the Mavericks' health. According to coach Mike Hastings, Jake Jaremko, Julian Napravnik and Josh French have been cleared to play this weekend. Marc Michaelis has been skating with the team, but it doesn't seem likely that he'll go tonight. Read more about that and the series in the College Hockey Gameday preview.

As for Northern Michigan, which has two games in hand on the conference's top five teams, it knows it's got a tough test this weekend, and coach Grant Potulny agrees that MSU's defense is its forte. "You don't get any freebies," he told The Mining Journal. The Wildcats come to Mankato with three of the WCHA's four players of the month for January.

• The games are televised locally on Charter 826 and 191 and are streamed on FloHockey.

• They're on the radio on KTOE, 1420 AM.

Going around the rest of the WCHA ...

Alaska Anchorage at Bowling Green: The Seawolves, coming off their one-point weekend against MSU, go on the road to face the struggling Falcons, who have lost four in a row and eight of their last 10. The Falcons could get a boost by their "Bleacher Creatures," the student section that was recently recognized by the NCAA for its rowdiness.

Lake Superior State at Michigan Tech: It's Winter Carnival weekend in Houghton, and Tech ought to be fired up for it, especially after last week's split at Alabama Huntsville. The Lakers, who have struggled much of the year, can do a lot to secure a playoff spot with a successful weekend.

Alaska at Alabama Huntsville: The Nanooks, who currently hold a home-ice spot for the WCHA playoffs, will try to avoid a Tech-like slip against the Chargers, who have just two wins this season.

In other hockey news, Minnesota State hosts Wisconsin in a WCHA women's series this weekend. Last night the two coaches, John Harrington and Mark Johnson, along with four other 1980 Olympians, talked about the "Miracle on Ice" at a 40th anniversary event in Mankato that raised funds for the MSU program.

Mavericks 7, Seawolves 1

Freddy's three thoughts (from afar) ...
1. Confidence booster: Chris Van Os Shaw entered the game with just one goal, playing in 11 of MSU's 28 games. The one-time UAA commit joined Minnesota State as a touted goal scorer. The hope is that's still in his future. For now, though, it seems he's still trying to find his game. A multi-point game should give him some good feelings. Perhaps he'll be more of a contributor down the stretch.

2. Bouncing back: No real surprise Mavericks played well coming off their fourth loss of the season last Saturday at home against Bemidji State. It was a nice rebound for goalie Dryden McKay, too. After a couple of uncharacteristic misses against the Beavers, he was sharp when he had to be against the Seawolves. He made a point-blank save early in a scoreless game, and the Mavericks went the other way and got the game's first goal.

3. Look familiar? The win was the 10th in a row for MSU against Anchorage. The Mavericks also defeated the Seawolves 7-1 during the series opener of their set in Mankato back in November. The next night was a little tighter before Minnesota State got some late goals and won 3-0. I'd expect tomorrow to be a bit closer, too, especially as Anchorage tries its best to maintain a playoff spot in the WCHA standings.

Around the WCHA: Bemidji State 4, Bowling Green 1 ... Northern Michigan 5, Ferris State 2 ... Michigan Tech 4, Alabama Huntsville 1

Friday Morning Skate

Minnesota State is in Anchorage today to begin a series against Alaska Anchorage. The Mavericks are still without Marc Michaelis and Jake Jaremko, who are out with injuries. It's a "next man up" mentality for a deep team, coach Mike Hastings said in this week's College Hockey Gameday.

Among the players back in Mankato with the injured centers is Evan Foss, the Mavericks' new third-string goaltender. When the school year began, Foss was out of hockey. But he's now having a blast with the opportunity to practice with the country's third-ranked team.

Foss' filled a roster spot left when freshman Jaxson Stauber returned to junior hockey in November. Stauber is now committed to play at Providence.

Meanwhile, the Seawolves, who are in eighth place in the WCHA standings with a two-point lead, are still trying to maintain playoff position. They have missed out the last five years.

Going around the WCHA ...

Bowling Green at Bemidji State: The Beavers are back at home after their split in Mankato and take on the Falcons, who are trying to forge ahead after a week off following their two losses at home to MSU. The Bemidji Pioneer takes a look at BSU's two Swedish players, a senior and a freshman.

Ferris State at Northern Michigan: The Bulldogs broke a nine-game losing streak with a win at Michigan Tech last week and will try get another one or two in the UP this weekend against the Wildcats, who have lost just once in their last nine games and are now in third place in the WCHA.

Michigan Tech at Alabama Huntsville: The Huskies have won once in their last six games but have a chance to move up to fourth place in the standings with a pair of road wins this weekend. The Chargers still have just one victory this season.