It's the final weekend of the regular season in the WCHA, and there's plenty to be decided for next week's playoffs.
In Mankato, Minnesota State will go for its third MacNaughton Cup and home ice throughout the playoffs when it plays Bemidji State. One win this weekend or a loss by Northern Michigan will clinch the championship.
The fourth-ranked Mavericks continue to be one of the stingiest defensive teams in the country (while also being one of the top-scoring ones, too). One player who's come on strong to bolster the D over the team's nine-game win streak is sophomore defenseman Edwin Hookenson, who hails from the tiny town of Lampman, Saskatchewan.
This will be the final regular-season series for six seniors, who will get some kudos on Saturday night. That group has been a good one, especially C.J. Suess, who opted to return for his final year. As I opined in my Tuesday column, that decision has been good for him and the Mavericks.
As for the rival Beavers, they're one of two teams that know where they'll be for the playoffs. They'll be home next week against Michigan Tech, as, strangely, the fourth- and fifth-place spots are locked in. Although, win or lose against the Mavericks, they can't change their fate, Bemidji State Tom Serratore said his team wants "to try to get a little karma back to our game."
Going around the rest of the WCHA ...
Northern Michigan at/vs. Michigan Tech: The No. 16 Wildcats are still alive for a championship, although they trail MSU by five points and will try to keep the pressure on the Mavericks when they play their rivals in a home-and-home series. The Huskies are locked into fifth place.
Lake Superior State at Ferris State: The Lakers, winners of four straight, are currently on the outside looking in for the playoffs and trail the Bulldogs by one point in the standings. Ferris State needs one win to secure a postseason spot. If that happens, the Lakers, with one win, will need some help. Sadly, Lake Superior State is mourning the loss of one of its super fans.
Bowling Green at Alabama Huntsville: The No. 15 Falcons can finish second or third, depending on this weekend's results, while the Chargers, who have a three-point lead over Lake Superior State, control their own destiny to make the playoffs. The Toledo Blade's John Wagner takes a closer look at BGSU and the series.
Alaska Anchorage at Alaska: The host Nanooks are tied with Huntsville and also control their own destiny for the league playoffs. They'll play their arch rival, the Seawolves, who will miss the the WCHA playoffs for a fourth straight year.
Friday, February 23, 2018
Monday, February 19, 2018
McClure, Lutz honored
Minnesota State forwards Brad McClure and Reggie Lutz received WCHA honors on Monday for their play against Ferris State over the weekend. The Mavericks won 7-1 and 4-2, and McClure was named Offensive Player of the Week and Lutz Rookie of the Week.
McClure had three goals and an assist in the series, and Lutz finished with a goal and three assists, including a three-point game on Friday.
Michigan Tech defenseman Mark Auk was named Defensive Player of the Week, and Bemidji State's Michael Bitzer was named Goaltender of the Week.
McClure had three goals and an assist in the series, and Lutz finished with a goal and three assists, including a three-point game on Friday.
Michigan Tech defenseman Mark Auk was named Defensive Player of the Week, and Bemidji State's Michael Bitzer was named Goaltender of the Week.
Mavericks now No. 4
Minnesota State moved up to No. 4 in the latest USCHO poll this week after winning its eighth and ninth games in a row. The Mavericks are also fourth in the all-important Pairwise Rankings, and College Hockey News crunched the numbers and determined that MSU is one of six teams that are 100 percent locks to get in the national tournament. The Mavericks stayed fifth in the USA Today/USA Hockey rankings. Here is the latest USCHO poll:
USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll Minneapolis, Minn./February 19, 2018 Team (First Place) Record Pts Last Week 1 St. Cloud State (28) 20- 6-4 967 3 2 Cornell (18) 22- 3-2 940 4 3 Denver ( 3) 17- 7-6 878 2 4 Minnesota State ( 1) 25- 7-0 853 5 5 Notre Dame 22- 8-2 845 1 6 Ohio State 19- 8-5 695 6 7 Providence 20- 9-4 687 8 8 Minnesota 19-13-2 619 10 9 Minnesota Duluth 16-13-3 550 11 10 Clarkson 19- 8-5 546 7 11 Northeastern 19- 8-5 527 12 12 North Dakota 14-10-8 499 9 13 Michigan 16-13-3 355 18 14 Omaha 15-14-1 345 13 15 Bowling Green 19- 9-6 312 14 16 Northern Michigan 20-11-3 222 17 17 Western Michigan 14-14-2 201 15 18 Penn State 14-13-5 133 16 19 Union 20-13-1 119 NR 20 Boston College 16-13-3 114 19 Others receiving votes: Boston University 41, Harvard 18, Wisconsin 12, Mercyhurst 10, Colorado College 5, Maine 3, Bemidji State 2, Connecticut 1, UMass Lowell 1.
Saturday, February 17, 2018
Mavericks 4, Bulldogs 2
Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...
1. Are you not entertained? Friday's game was an impressive, dominant performance, a 7-1 blowout. But when it was 6-1 after two periods, many in the crowd left. That wasn't the case Saturday. The game was tied 2-2 after two periods, and the third period was like a playoff game with good chances, good goaltending and, finally, a couple of big goals by the home team to give the nervous crowd of 4,579 (second-biggest of the season) a reason to cheer. Coach Mike Hastings noted the energy in the building and it was definitely there. The Mavericks now have a five-point lead atop the WCHA standings and can clinch the MacNaughton Cup with a win on Friday night against Bemidji State.
2. More on McClure: Some good details about Brad McClure in my gamer (link below), so no spoilers here, but he was the man of the hour on Saturday, scoring twice including the game-winner with 2:38 to play. McClure had eight shots on goal in the game and 14 for the weekend. His senior year hasn't had the point production of his freshman or junior seasons (29 and 28 points sandwiched around a 13-point sophomore year), but he's now up to 18 on nine goals and nine assists. "Honestly, I’ve been really positive in the whole situation," he said. "The biggest thing, you look at our team and our depth, how big it is for our 1-2 (lines) to produce, and when we get our 3-4 to produce, too, we can be pretty dangerous."
3. Number nine: The Mavericks have the nation's longest winning streak at nine in a row now, the longest of the Mike Hastings era. Everything has to be in place to go on such a run. The scoring certainly has been there with C.J. Suess scoring big goals (he, like McClure, had two on Saturday), and Marc Michaelis had two assists. The defense has to be solid, and it was again this weekend, holding Ferris State to 20 shots on goal each night, two below MSU's best-in-the-nation average going into the weekend. And you have to have goaltending, too. Connor LaCouvee made some outstanding saves when the D loosened up a bit. He now has 19 wins, including all of them on the current streak.
Read my game story here.
Around the WCHA: Michigan Tech 5, Arizona State 2
1. Are you not entertained? Friday's game was an impressive, dominant performance, a 7-1 blowout. But when it was 6-1 after two periods, many in the crowd left. That wasn't the case Saturday. The game was tied 2-2 after two periods, and the third period was like a playoff game with good chances, good goaltending and, finally, a couple of big goals by the home team to give the nervous crowd of 4,579 (second-biggest of the season) a reason to cheer. Coach Mike Hastings noted the energy in the building and it was definitely there. The Mavericks now have a five-point lead atop the WCHA standings and can clinch the MacNaughton Cup with a win on Friday night against Bemidji State.
2. More on McClure: Some good details about Brad McClure in my gamer (link below), so no spoilers here, but he was the man of the hour on Saturday, scoring twice including the game-winner with 2:38 to play. McClure had eight shots on goal in the game and 14 for the weekend. His senior year hasn't had the point production of his freshman or junior seasons (29 and 28 points sandwiched around a 13-point sophomore year), but he's now up to 18 on nine goals and nine assists. "Honestly, I’ve been really positive in the whole situation," he said. "The biggest thing, you look at our team and our depth, how big it is for our 1-2 (lines) to produce, and when we get our 3-4 to produce, too, we can be pretty dangerous."
3. Number nine: The Mavericks have the nation's longest winning streak at nine in a row now, the longest of the Mike Hastings era. Everything has to be in place to go on such a run. The scoring certainly has been there with C.J. Suess scoring big goals (he, like McClure, had two on Saturday), and Marc Michaelis had two assists. The defense has to be solid, and it was again this weekend, holding Ferris State to 20 shots on goal each night, two below MSU's best-in-the-nation average going into the weekend. And you have to have goaltending, too. Connor LaCouvee made some outstanding saves when the D loosened up a bit. He now has 19 wins, including all of them on the current streak.
Read my game story here.
Around the WCHA: Michigan Tech 5, Arizona State 2
Minnesota State vs. Ferris State, Game 2
The Mavericks will go for the series sweep and their ninth win in a row. Here are the lines for tonight's games. Live updates below:
MINNESOTA STATE
20-Michaelis, 15-Suess, 6-Tuomie
16-Lutz, 5-Jaremko, 10-Knutson
23-Rivera, 11-Spooner, 19-McClure
22-Gerads, 27-Schwalbe, 12-Coatta
8-Brickley, 18-Scheid
2-Mackey, 25-Zmolek
4-Lewis, 24-Hookenson
37-LaCouvee
39-Pawloski
29-Nelson
Scratches: Bigelbach, Cooper, French, Gerard, Duehr, McNeely, Vanko
FERRIS STATE
11-Lutz, 21-Mackin, 8-Dorantes
10-Norris, 22-Tackett, 12-Recktenwald
20-MacDougall, 9-Finner, 6-Fernsler
27-Tierney, 18-Szajner, 16-Andrew
26-Rutkowski, 23-Kallen
28-Hetz, 7-Killins
3-Clarke, 4-Yoder
35-Kapelmaster
1-Smith
MINNESOTA STATE
20-Michaelis, 15-Suess, 6-Tuomie
16-Lutz, 5-Jaremko, 10-Knutson
23-Rivera, 11-Spooner, 19-McClure
22-Gerads, 27-Schwalbe, 12-Coatta
8-Brickley, 18-Scheid
2-Mackey, 25-Zmolek
4-Lewis, 24-Hookenson
37-LaCouvee
39-Pawloski
29-Nelson
Scratches: Bigelbach, Cooper, French, Gerard, Duehr, McNeely, Vanko
FERRIS STATE
11-Lutz, 21-Mackin, 8-Dorantes
10-Norris, 22-Tackett, 12-Recktenwald
20-MacDougall, 9-Finner, 6-Fernsler
27-Tierney, 18-Szajner, 16-Andrew
26-Rutkowski, 23-Kallen
28-Hetz, 7-Killins
3-Clarke, 4-Yoder
35-Kapelmaster
1-Smith
Friday, February 16, 2018
Mavericks 7, Bulldogs 1
Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...
1. First place: Minnesota State is back in first place in the WCHA with an impressive performance at home over Ferris State. After moving two points ahead of idle Northern Michigan, they'll need five points over their next three games to clinch the MacNaughton Cup and have home ice throughout the conference playoffs. The win also improved the Mavericks' winning streak to eight games, their longest since rattling off eight in a row in the second half of the 2013-14 season. That streak was broken by a tie and ended up as a 13 game unbeaten streak that ended in the NCAA tournament.
2. Second period: The Mavericks dominated the middle period of Friday's game, outshooting the Bulldogs 22-8 and scoring five times to turn a 1-0 lead into a 6-1 rout. "We started staying on pucks and getting pucks deep," said freshman Jake Jaremko, who scored two goals in the frame. "We did a way better job of that in the second period as opposed to the first. When we do that, we can be a successful team." MSU scored twice in the first 2:03 of the period (sandwiched around Ferris State's lone goal) and twice in the final 1:49 of the frame.
3. Three stars: The Mavericks' big-time players sure came through, including three who could be league award winners in a couple weeks. Player of the Year candidate C.J. Suess scored a big-time goal that put MSU up 2-0 just 45 seconds into the second period. "He’s not getting a lot of points; the points that he is getting are very important ones," coach Mike Hastings said. "When he scores, they’re big goals. He’s doing a lot of things real well right now." Defensive Player of Year candidate Daniel Brickley had a goal and an assist and was plus-2. And certain Rookie of the Year Jaremko finished with three points.
Read my game story here.
Around the WCHA: Arizona State 2, Michigan Tech 1 (OT) ... Bemidji State 2, Alaska 1 ... Bowling Green at Alaska Anchorage (late)
Bemidji State clinched home ice for the first round of the league playoffs.
1. First place: Minnesota State is back in first place in the WCHA with an impressive performance at home over Ferris State. After moving two points ahead of idle Northern Michigan, they'll need five points over their next three games to clinch the MacNaughton Cup and have home ice throughout the conference playoffs. The win also improved the Mavericks' winning streak to eight games, their longest since rattling off eight in a row in the second half of the 2013-14 season. That streak was broken by a tie and ended up as a 13 game unbeaten streak that ended in the NCAA tournament.
2. Second period: The Mavericks dominated the middle period of Friday's game, outshooting the Bulldogs 22-8 and scoring five times to turn a 1-0 lead into a 6-1 rout. "We started staying on pucks and getting pucks deep," said freshman Jake Jaremko, who scored two goals in the frame. "We did a way better job of that in the second period as opposed to the first. When we do that, we can be a successful team." MSU scored twice in the first 2:03 of the period (sandwiched around Ferris State's lone goal) and twice in the final 1:49 of the frame.
3. Three stars: The Mavericks' big-time players sure came through, including three who could be league award winners in a couple weeks. Player of the Year candidate C.J. Suess scored a big-time goal that put MSU up 2-0 just 45 seconds into the second period. "He’s not getting a lot of points; the points that he is getting are very important ones," coach Mike Hastings said. "When he scores, they’re big goals. He’s doing a lot of things real well right now." Defensive Player of Year candidate Daniel Brickley had a goal and an assist and was plus-2. And certain Rookie of the Year Jaremko finished with three points.
Read my game story here.
Around the WCHA: Arizona State 2, Michigan Tech 1 (OT) ... Bemidji State 2, Alaska 1 ... Bowling Green at Alaska Anchorage (late)
Bemidji State clinched home ice for the first round of the league playoffs.
Live: MSU vs. Ferris State
Live coverage can be found below tonight's lines.
MINNESOTA STATE
20-Michaelis, 15-Suess, 6-Tuomie
16-Lutz, 5-Jaremko, 10-Knutson
23-Rivera, 11-Spooner, 19-McClure
22-Gerads, 27-Schwalbe, 12-Coatta
8-Brickley, 18-Scheid
2-Mackey, 25-Zmolek
4-Lewis, 24-Hookenson
37-LaCouvee
39-Pawloski
29-Nelson
Scratches: Bigelbach, Cooper, French, Gerard, Duehr, McNeely, Vanko
FERRIS STATE
27-TIerney, 21-Mackin, 8-Dorantes
10-Norris, 22-Tackett, 12-Recktenwald
20-MacDougall, 9-Finner, 6-Fernsler
11-Lutz, 18-Szajner, 16-Andrew
26-Rutkowski, 23-Kallen
28-Hetz, 7-Killins
3-Clarke, 4-Yoder
1. Smith
35-Kapelmaster
MINNESOTA STATE
20-Michaelis, 15-Suess, 6-Tuomie
16-Lutz, 5-Jaremko, 10-Knutson
23-Rivera, 11-Spooner, 19-McClure
22-Gerads, 27-Schwalbe, 12-Coatta
8-Brickley, 18-Scheid
2-Mackey, 25-Zmolek
4-Lewis, 24-Hookenson
37-LaCouvee
39-Pawloski
29-Nelson
Scratches: Bigelbach, Cooper, French, Gerard, Duehr, McNeely, Vanko
FERRIS STATE
27-TIerney, 21-Mackin, 8-Dorantes
10-Norris, 22-Tackett, 12-Recktenwald
20-MacDougall, 9-Finner, 6-Fernsler
11-Lutz, 18-Szajner, 16-Andrew
26-Rutkowski, 23-Kallen
28-Hetz, 7-Killins
3-Clarke, 4-Yoder
1. Smith
35-Kapelmaster
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