MSU vs. Bemidji State - Game 2 live blog

Lines can be found below the live chat ...

MINNESOTA STATE

12-LaFontaine ... 25-Stepan ... 23-Blueger
21-Grant ... 26-Margonari ... 22-McInnis
9-Gervais ... 18-Leitner ... 19-Lehrke
24-Knowles ... 17-Huntebrinker ... 8-Gaede

28-Jutzi ... 5-Foguth
27-Stern ... 7-Palmquist
11-Flanagan ... 2-Josh Nelson

34-Huggins
35-Williams
31-Karambelas

Scratches: Buchanan, Herndon, Knoll, Casey Nelson, Jordan Nelson, Thompson

BEMIDJI STATE

23-Gerbrandt ... 13-Ward ... 16-Mattson
18-Illo ... 6-Arentz ... 28-Harms
9-Marinaccio ... 12-Jubinville ... 22-O'Connor
29-Brewer ... 27-Cain ... 8-Parker

4-Windle ... 3-Hansen
20-Rendle ... 11-McCormack
25-Pedan ... 7-Prapavessis

35-Wilkins
30-Walsh

Referees: Kevin Hall, Mark Wilkins. Linesmen: Rick Nelson, Sterling Egan

Mavericks 5, Beavers 2

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. Fourth line's a charm: Michael Huntebrinker scored his first collegiate goal on Friday, and it couldn't have come at a better time, as it broke a 1-1 tie at 2:30 of the third period. There are many things that made that game look like a blowout — the 5-2 score, the 48-28 shot advantage — but it was nip and tuck for awhile. Huntebrinker (read more about him in my gamer) converted a 2-on-1 rush with Brett Knowles, who made a wise pass on the play, and Max Gaede also assisted. Gaede got moved up a line earlier in the game, and Knowles overcame a tough bounce against him on the Beavers' first goal. The Mavericks want energy from that group, especially immediately after a special teams situation, and they got it on Friday.

2. Huggins comes up big: Have we been able to say a goaltender made a difference for Minnesota State yet this season? Cole Huggins wowed the crowd of 3,526 during a second-period power play for Bemidji State, making two amazing saves against Phillip Marinaccio, one on a back-door play and another on a close-range shot. Those stops came during a 1-1 game, and the Mavericks were having their own issues beating BSU goalie Andrew Walsh. Bemidji State doesn't make things easy 5 on 5, and it came into the game boasting the WCHA's best penalty kill. The Mavericks had just one power play through two periods but did end up 2 for 4 while holding the Beavers scoreless on four chances.

3. Usual suspects and more: Jean-Paul LaFontaine had a goal and an assist, and Matt Leitner assisted on two goals, including one to linemate Zach Lehrke, keeping them atop MSU's scoring charts. They have to keep doing what they're doing, but some more secondary scoring will make a big difference down the stretch. Besides the Huntebrinker/fourth-line goal, Zach Stepan had his first two-point game in two months, and defenseman Zach Palmquist finished with a goal and an assist. Chase Grant didn't score, but he was outstanding on the penalty kill throughout the night, including a couple of situations when he was holding the puck against three Bemidji State players.

Around the WCHA: Ferris State 7, Northern Michigan 1 ... Michigan Tech 4, Alabama Huntsville 1 ... Lake Superior State 5, Alaska Anchorage 3

MSU vs. Bemidji State - Game 1 live blog

Lines can be found below the live chat ...

MINNESOTA STATE

12-LaFontaine ... 25-Stepan ... 23-Blueger
21-Grant ... 26-Margonari ... 22-McInnis
9-Gervais ... 18-Leitner ... 19-Lehrke
24-Knowles ... 17-Huntebrinker ... 8-Gaede

28-Jutzi ... 5-Foguth
27-Stern ... 7-Palmquist
11-Flanagan ... 2-Josh Nelson

34-Huggins
35-Williams
31-Karambelas

Scratches: Buchanan, Herndon, Knoll, Casey Nelson, Jordan Nelson, Thompson

BEMIDJI STATE

23-Gerbrandt ... 13-Ward ... 16-Mattson
18-Illo ... 6-Arentz ... 28-Harms
29-Brewer ... 12-Jubinville ... 22-O'Connor
9-Marinaccio ... 27-Cain ... 26-Kinne

4-Windle ... 3-Hansen
20-Rendle ... 11-McCormack
25-Pedan ... 7-Prapavessis

30-Walsh
35-Wilkins

Referees: Kevin Hall, Mark Wilkins. Linesmen: Rick Nelson, Sterling Egan

Friday Morning Skate (Home Again Edition)

The Mavericks are back in Mankato after going on the road for 10 of the last 12 series. They will try to continue their hot streak at home where they are 9-1-0. They'll take on a Bemidji State team that split with them in early November in Bemidji. Should be a good series.

For Minnesota State, it's had that notable strong play from Jean-Paul LaFontaine, Matt Leitner and Johnny McInnis. For the stretch run, it could use a consistent wave of that so-called secondary scoring. Bryce Geravais is a player who appears to be coming on of late.

As for the Beavers, the Bemidji Pioneer examines the series a la the Super Bowl, as the WCHA's best penalty kill (BSU) goes up against the league's best power play (MSU).

Around the WCHA ...

Northern Michigan at Ferris State: Just two points separate fourth place from eighth place in the WCHA right now, and this series could have a big impact on the standings. Ferris State holds a two-point lead over MSU at the top, but Northern Michigan is hoping to keep itself in the mix for home ice. Matt Wellens of the Marquette's Mining Journal reports that different coaches have different philosophies when it comes to displaying the standings for their teams.

Alabama Huntsville at Michigan Tech: Huntsville is making its first trip to Houghton and will be this year's Winter Carnival opponent. The Chargers certainly don't want to be anybody's automatic four points but have only avoided that twice this season. If the Huskies win twice, they could make a big leap in the standings.

Alaska Anchorage at Lake Superior: Interesting weekend in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Anchorage is one of the nation's most-improved teams from last year and is in fourth place in the WCHA, but the Seawolves haven't been so good on the road. So they took off on Tuesday for the long excursion. The Lakers, meanwhile, were the WCHA's surprise team early on but could be in real danger of missing the postseason if they don't get points this weekend.

Check out my and Matt Wellens' picks for this weekend in the WCHA on our USCHO blog. Also, our WCHA notebook looks at Michigan Tech's movement in the league standings.

New recruits

NAHL photo

It may be national signing day for football today, but the MSU coaches are hitting the recruiting trail hard right now. 

Earlier this week, goaltender Aaron Nelson (another Nelson?!?!?) of the NAHL's Bismarck Bobcats announced that he had committed to Minnesota State for next season. The Bismarck, N.D., native visited campus on Sunday.

Nelson leads the NAHL in wins (25), games played (39) and minute. He is sixth in the league with a .920 save percentage. He is in his third season with the Bobcats. Last season he had a .931 save percentage and a 1.88 goals-against average, winning 27 games.

He'll fill the vacancy left by goalie Evan Karambelas, who will graduate after this season.

The Mavericks also have a goaltending commitment from Jason Pawloski of the USHL's Indiana Ice. Pawloski is just 18, won't turn 19 until December, and in his first year in the USHL (he played in Austin of the NAHL last year). The guess here is he'll come in in 2015 or later.

Last week, meanwhile, the MSU received a commitment for 2015 from Charlie Gerard, who plays for the Ohio Blue Jackets AAA U18 midget team. The high-scoring forward (32 goals, 29 assists in 44 games) was drafted by Cedar Rapids of the USHL last spring. He visited Mankato a few weeks ago, during the Ferris State series.

How are MSU's recruits for next season doing?

In Sioux Falls, Zeb Knutson ranks in a tie for 11th in the USHL in scoring with 21 goals and 16 assists for 37 points in 36 games. He's also +12. His teammate, C.J. Franklin is tied for 15th in the league with 13 goals and 22 assists for 35 points in 36 games. He is +6. Knutson ranks second in the USHL in shots on goal with 166, a number that has to make Mike Hastings happy.

In Penticton, Brad McClure ranks second in the BCHL in scoring with 35 goals and 30 assists for 65 points in 48 games. 

Mavericks 5, Wildcats 1

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. Isn't that special? The Mavericks dominated the special teams game on Saturday. They scored two power-play goals (and netted a third just as a penalty ended), and they killed off seven penalties, allowing just two Northern Michigan shots on goal and scoring a pair of short-handed goals. Bryce Gervais was outstanding on the PK and was rewarded with a huge shorty early in the third period. In that situation, the Mavericks led 3-1 but were in the box for the ninth of 11 times (yes, too many). A Wildcats goal would have swayed momentum to the home team. Instead, Matt Leitner flipped the puck high in the air out of his own end and right to Gervais at center ice. Gervais, with a defender on him carried the puck in and made a terrific shot to beat Mathias Dahlstrom low on the glove side.

2. Big bounce: After sinking to a low spot on Friday, the Mavericks ended a three-game road skid and improved to 2-6 on the road since 2014 began. Must win? Sure seemed like it. The Mavericks have played just two home games since early December and will play three of their final four regular-season series in Mankato. "It's been a long two months," coach Mike Hastings said. "Other than the Ferris (State) weekend ... We've had two (home) games since Dec. 6-7. Now were' going to go back, and it's Feb. 7-8. It's been a long road, and I know it isn't perfect. I just thought tonight was a really important game."

3. Leit goes on: Leitner was a big reason for Saturday's turnaround. After having one of his worst games on Friday, he "answered the bell," Hastings said, and had one of his best games of the season on Saturday. Leitner scored a goal and assisted on three others, including the heads-up "Hail Mary," as Gervais called it, for Gervais' shorty. "If we didn't have energy tonight, it was going to be a rough ride home and a rough week," Leitner said. Meanwhile, Johnny McInnis scored two goals for a three-goal weekend, and Chase Grant added a short-handed goal, his second score of the series. Jean-Paul LaFontaine finished with two assists.

Read the game story here.

Around the WCHA: Michigan 5, Bowling Green 4 (OT) ... Alaska 6, Alabama Huntsvile 1

MSU at Northern Michigan - Game 2 live blog

Lines can be found below the live chat ...

MINNESOTA STATE

9-Gervais ... 18-Leitner ... 19-Lehrk
21-Grant ... 26-Margonari ... 22-McInnis
12-LaFontaine ... 25-Stepan ... 23-Blueger
24-Knowles ... 17-Huntebrinker ... 8-Gaede

28-Jutzi ... 5-Foguth
27-Stern ... 7-Palmquist
11-Flanagan ... 3-Thompson

34-Huggins
35-Williams

NORTHERN MICHIGAN

9-Seckel ... 11-Sooth ... 15-Shine
7-Salminen ... 40-Vigier ... 29-Daugherty
26-Higby ... 20-Nowick ... 17-Siemer
10-Hanson ... 3-Kesti ... 37-Lindores

23-Baker ... 6-Taurence
4-Jones ... 18-Eibler
27-Epp ... 42-Kaib

30-Dahlstrom
1-Doan
34-Dun