Third place going into bye week

After Minnesota lost to Wisconsin in the outdoor game in Chicago on Sunday, Minnesota State remained in third place in the WCHA standings. The Mavericks will have another idle weekend coming up before closing out the regular season at Colorado College and at home against North Dakota.

I'm not a huge fan of the schedule makers who have MSU getting two bye weeks in a span of a month and would love to see the league have three or four weeks of a real race down the stretch with all 12 teams playing against each other.

The Mavericks used their first bye week (Feb. 1-2) wisely, coach Mike Hastings said, and it came at a good time following a long stretch of games with a lot of travel. After the break, the Mavericks won four in a row. This one? We'll have to see how the team responds.

"We've got to move on and be smart about our week off," Hastings said after Saturday night's win over Michigan Tech. "I'd tell you two weeks ago I didn't know if we really wanted to have another week off, but we'll take it. We've got to stay focused. We did a really good job of managing our time last time we had a bye week, and we've got to do that again this next week."

As for the standings, the Mavericks are one point behind Nebraska Omaha and two behind first-place St. Cloud State. They lead Minnesota and North Dakota by a point and Wisconsin by two. St. Cloud, Minnesota, North Dakota and Denver (four points behind MSU) all have two games in hand.

Scoreboard watching this weekend? Series to watch include Minnesota Duluth at Minnesota, St. Cloud State at Colorado College, Denver at North Dakota. Where do you think MSU will end up at the end of the weekend? What about the end of the season?

For more on MSU's sweep over Michigan Tech last weekend, read my Monday notebook/review here.

Mavericks 6, Huskies 1

Pat Christman/The Free Press

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. The significance of 20: The word special was thrown around a few times after tonight's game, and why not? When a college hockey team hits the 20-victory threshold that's a good place to stop, even if it's just for a moment, and reflect on a darn-good season. The Mavericks have reached 20 wins just two other times since joining the WCHA. They won 21 games in 1999-2000, their first year in the league, and 20 in 2002-03, the only year they made the national tournament. But this year marked the first time MSU won No. 20 in the regular season — and there are still four games to play before playoffs.

2. The usual and unusual: Matt Leitner and Eriah Hayes made an impact — of course! — combining for two goals and an assist. But the Mavericks got production from all over the lineup on Saturday. Dylan Margonari scored MSU's first goal for the third time in four games and also had an assist. Zach Lehrke had a key short-handed goal along with an assist, and Brett Knowles was praised for his all-around play, including a goal and a beautiful saucer pass to set up Lehrke. Lehrke's minutes increased with Eli Zuck left with a lower-body injury (coach Mike Hastings said he'd know more about Zuck on Monday).

3. More fun from Stephon: Sure, his head was bobbing to the tunes during every timeout, but goalie Stephon Williams was into the game. His play quelled Michigan Tech's early push, and his late-first-period save on David Johnstone might be a season highlight. Williams fell backwards and got the back on his glove on the shot to turn it aside. Williams also got a little luck when Blake Pietila hit the post on a penalty shot early in the second period. "As goalies would say, the net's got to end somewhere," Hastings said. Both plays kept the game 1-0. Williams finished the game with 37 saves.

Deep thought: Much better crowd on Saturday, as 4,300+ was announced. That's more like it for a team doing what the Mavericks are doing right now. As I've said before, the VWC can be a pretty rockin' joint when it hits the 4K mark. But sustaining that number — getting the average back there — is going to be the challenge going forward.

Read my Free Press game story here. Be sure to check out Pat Christman's photo gallery.

Around the WCHA: Minnesota Duluth 1, Bemidji State 1 (OT) ... Nebraska Omaha 6, Alaska Anchorage 5 (OT)

WCHA standings (updated through Sunday)
1. St. Cloud State (31 points)
2. Nebraska Omaha (30)
3. Minnesota State (29)
4. Minnesota (28)
    North Dakota (28)
6. Wisconsin (27)
7. Denver (25)
8. Colorado College (20)
    Minnesota Duluth (20)
10. Bemidji State (16)
      Michigan Tech (16)
12. Alaska Anchorage (10)

MSU vs. Michigan Tech — Game 2 live blog

Lines are posted below the live chat ...




MINNESOTA STATE
21-Grant   18-Leitner   22-McInnis
26-Margonari   23-Blueger   25-Hayes
24-Knowles   12-LaFonatine   8-Gaede
9-Geravis   29-Zuck   19-Lehrke

16-Elbrecht   17-Mosey
7-Palmquist   4-Buchanan
2-Nelson   28-Jutzi

35-Williams
30-Cook
31-Karambelas

Scratches: Burkemper, Herndon, Knoll, Stern, Thauwald

MICHIGAN TECH

19-B.Pietila   10-Kero   13-A.Pietila
15-D.Johnstone   7-Khaira   23-Petan
12-Furne   8-J.Johnstone   28-Gordic
18-Eick   9-Rix   22-Gould

16-Seigo   34-Sweeney
21-Brown   25-Nielsen
3-Stebner   29-Hyland

31-Copley
30-Phillips


Referees: Craig Welker, Matt Ulwelling. Linesmen: Nick Bradshaw, Sam Shikowsky

Mavericks 4, Huskies 2

Pat Christman/The Free Press

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. Johnny be good: Last Friday at Minnesota Duluth a soft play that led to an eventual goal got Johnny McInnis benched for a good portion of the game. He played the next night, but he got his mojo back on Friday against Michigan Tech. McInnis had a goal and an assist in the win, and his goal was his fifth game-winner of the season. The goal came exactly three minutes after the Huskies tied the game 2-2 on a power-play shot that handcuffed Stephon Williams. I'm sure he'd like to have that one back. "We controlled the momentum," McInnis said. "I think we do a good job of that."

2. How about Hayes? Running out of things to say about Eriah Hayes on the blog, but he was brilliant again on Friday. His goal that gave the Mavericks a 2-1 lead just 67 seconds into the second period was a thing of beauty. After getting stuffed on a pretty good wrap-around try at the left post, Hayes chased down his own rebound, skated to the high slot and fired a low, hard, laser through traffic for his 17th goal of the season. He appeared to get his 18th with 10 seconds left in the second but the officials immediately ruled that he deflected the puck with a high stick. It was close.

3. Finishing strong: Matt Leitner's goal early in the third period gave Minnesota State a two-goal cushion, and the Mavericks seemed to be able to play its game from there. "I'm glad you saw it that way," Hastings said with a laugh when asked about it afterward. Maybe it was a little more contentious for the coach. But they're a very good third-period team. They outshot Tech 16-7 in the final frame, killing off one early penalty in the process.

Deep thought: Where was everybody? Tonight's crowd was announced as a modest 3,591. Surprising considering the big late-season crowds MSU has gotten in the past when it's been in contention — no matter who the opponent was. To the no-shows and the stay-at-homes: This is the team you've wanted to see. New coach. Winning games. Stud players. Positioned for home ice and the NCAAs (now eighth in the Pairwise) with now five games left in the regular season. What's the problem?

Read The Free Press game story here.

Around the WCHA: Minnesota 3, Wisconsin 2 ... Bemidji State 4, Minnesota Duluth 2 ... Nebraska Omaha 3, Alaska Anchorage 0

WCHA standings
1. St. Cloud State (31 points)
2. Minnesota (28)
    North Dakota (28)
    Nebraska Omaha (28)
5. Minnesota State (27)
6. Denver (25)
    Wisconsin (25)
8. Colorado College (20)
9. Minnesota Duluth (19)
10. Michigan Tech (16)
11. Bemidji State (15)
12. Alaska Anchorage (10)

MSU vs. Michigan Tech — Game 1 live blog

Lines will be posted below the live chat when available ...



MINNESOTA STATE
21-Grant   18-Leitner   22-McInnis
26-Margonari   23-Blueger   25-Hayes
24-Knowles   12-LaFonatine   8-Gaede
9-Geravis   29-Zuck   19-Lehrke

16-Elbrecht   17-Mosey
7-Palmquist   4-Buchanan
2-Nelson   28-Jutzi

35-Williams
30-Cook
31-Karambelas

Scratches: Burkemper, Herndon, Knoll, Stern, Thauwald

MICHIGAN TECH
19-B.Pietila   10-Kero   14-C.Pietila
15-D.Johnstone   7-Khaira   23-Petan
12-Furne   8-J.Johnstone   28-Gordic
18-Eick   9-Rix   22-Gould

16-Seigo   34-Sweeney
3-Stebner   25-Nielsen
29-Hyland   24-Sova

31-Copley
30-Phillips

Referees: Craig Welker, Matt Ulwelling. Linesmen: Nick Bradshaw, Sam Shikowsky

Friday morning skate

Minnesota State will play its first two-game series at home since January 11-12 when it hosts Michigan Tech tonight and Saturday. The Mavericks are coming off their sweep at Minnesota Duluth and appear to be making little, if any, changes to their lineup from last weekend. Michigan Tech split a home series against Alaska Anchorage a week ago and defeated nonconference rival and future WCHA member Northern Michigan on Tuesday. In those three games, the Huskies have scored 18 goals, seven on the power play.

Getting to the previews, Matt Leitner leads the Mavericks in scoring, just as he did last year as reshirt freshman, and is the first 30-point scorer for MSU since the 2008-09 season, but the real improvement in his play this season may be in areas that don't show up on the score sheet. As for the series, check out The Free Press' 5-hole preview for some odds and ends to know going into the weekend.

Stephen Anderson of The Daily Mining Gazette in Houghton, Mich., covers Tech, and suspects the Mavericks and Huskies match up pretty well against each other.

More links: Former MSU Reporter writer Dan Myers has a good article on Teddy Blueger in Minnesota Hockey Magazine. ... The Mavericks were College Hockey News' Team of the Week this week.

Going around the WCHA ... 

Minnesota vs. Wisconsin: The series highlight will be Sunday's outdoor game at Soldier Field, but the teams are trying to focus on tonight's opener in Madison first, not to mention improving their game for WCHA playoff position. Go here if you want to see the special jerseys the teams (including Notre Dame and Miami in the other game) are wearing for the outdoor game. My 2 cents? I rank them: Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Minnesota, Miami.

Minnesota Duluth at Bemidji State: This is a series against two teams that haven't won in awhile. The Beavers' last win came on Dec. 15, and they're 0-9-3 since then and have only the ties to feel good about, while the Bulldogs are on a five-game losing streak with their last win coming Jan. 18.

Nebraska Omaha at Alaska Anchorage: The red Mavericks are in third place in the WCHA but feel like they need to sweep the Seawolves this weekend to maintain their position and start moving back up the Pairwise. Despite their record, Jordan Kwas and Anchorage have been swept at home just once this season.

Be sure to check up on the blog or Twitter throughout the day for any updates on this weekend's games. I'll of course be live blogging from the Verizon Wireless Center tonight and Saturday.

Section 2A championship (updated)

UPDATE: The Cougars fell to the White Hawks 3-2. Read The Free Press game story here.

Mankato East/Loyola vs. Mound-Westonka
Section 2A championship