1. Un-Dryden-like: Who would have thought Minnesota State goaltender Dryden McKay was going to give up four goals, including one from the blue line, and get the hook a little more than halfway through a WCHA semifinal game? Hard to blame him on the first two goals, and he made a highlight save in the closing seconds of the first period to keep it 1-0 at the first break, but it was hardly a Richter-esque performance from one of the best goalies in college hockey this season.
2. Out of sorts: The Mavericks didn't have a shot on goal for nearly 13 minutes in the first period and had 26 shots blocked. Northern Michigan was all over them, and MSU began to struggle completing passes and getting to second chances around the net. It's a bit of what happened a week earlier against Ferris State, in the first game of sweep that definitely didn't satisfy them. Reggie Lutz scored the Mavericks' lone goal on a power play in the third period.
3. What's next? The Mavericks are a lock for the NCAA tournament, but it will be interesting to see where they're seeded and where they'll go? Will the loss keep them from a No. 1 seed? They're still No, 1 in the Pairwise, but that's not being used to determine the field this year. Meanwhile, Northern Michigan at 11-16-1 is a win away from stealing the WCHA's auto-bid and spoiling someone's at-large chance, perhaps one of the two teams playing tonight, Bemidji State and Lake Superior State.
For more coverage, read my gamer on College Hockey News.
No comments:
Post a Comment