Minnesota State vs. North Dakota, Game 2

Mavericks' lineup is essentially the same with a little bit of line shuffling for tonight's game against the Fighting Hawks. Follow along on Twitter for game updates and analysis.

MINNESOTA STATE
6-Tuomie, 20-Michaelis, 9-Gerard
23-Rivera, 26-French, 16-Lutz
19-Van Os-Shaw, 11-Spooner, 15-Napravnik
21-Sowder, 8-Smith, 17-Duehr
16-Sandelin

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

29-McKay
1-Stauber
31-Berger

Scratches: Aamodt, Bukes, Borchardt, Gerads, Jaremko, Malinowski, McMahan

NORTH DAKOTA
8-Blaisdell, 19-Senden, 26-Smith
21-Keane, 14-Weatherby, 9-Bowen
18-Adams, 22-Pinto, 29-Kawaguchi
10-Hain, 11-Michaud, 16-Mismash
28-Caulfield

6-Poolman, 24-Bernard-Docker
3-Kiersted, 2-Bast
15-Frisch, 4-Peski

31-Scheel
1-Thome

Mavericks 4, Fighting Hawks 4 (OT)

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. Are you not entertained: First off, that was quite the entertaining hockey game between two pretty darn good teams. Lots of pace and skill out there. Although overtimes are a deadline buster for me, it was they type of game where the 4,500-plus folks might have wanted more. Unfortunately for them, NCAA rules now prohibit games from going to 3-on-3 in nonconference play. They still allow it to break ties for conference points, however. The two coaches, Mike Hastings and Brad Berry, discussed continuing the game afterward, Hastings said:“We looked at each other and said why wouldn’t we play 3 on 3? And I think he was thinking the same thing. But it’s my understanding that if it’s nonconference this is it."

2. A star is born: One game does not a career make, but Nathan Smith was certainly impressive in his collegiate debut. Smith, who missed the Mavericks' exhibition and opening series against Arizona State, had a goal and three assists. He centered a line with fellow Floridian Lucas Sowder and Junior Walker Duehr. Hastings said it was associate head coach Todd Knott's idea to put Smith and Sowder together. They've known each other since they were 6, Smith said, and they sure appeared to have some chemistry. "We're just used to each other," Smith said. "We can communicate and know where each other is at." Sowder had a goal and two assists, same as he had last weekend against ASU.

3. Strong finish: Hastings said he liked that, for the third game in a row, the Mavericks' third period was their best period. Trailing 4-3 going into the final frame, MSU knotted the game on Connor Mackey's goal at 6:15. Both teams had chances to score after that, but goalies Dryden McKay and Adam Scheel shut their doors. North Dakota got a late power play that looked like it was going to carry over to overtime, but Marc Michaelis drew a penalty on a short-handed rush in the closing seconds of regulation. The Mavericks couldn't score on their 45-second power play in OT. They outshot the Hawks 2-1 in the extra period.

Deep thought: Hastings said that Jake Jaremko was sick, which is why he was a scratch on Friday.

Read my game story here.

Around the WCHA: Alaska 4, Penn State 0 ... Bowling Green 2, Wester Michigan 1 ... Northern Michigan 4, Boston University 4 (OT) ... Miami 4, Ferris State 3 ... Michigan 4, Lake Superior State 0

Minnesota State vs. North Dakota

Marc Michaelis, Nick Rivera and Nathan Smith are in the lineup for the Mavericks. Dallas Gerads remains out, and, interestingly, Jake Jaremko is one of the scratches.

Here are tonight's lines:

MINNESOTA STATE
6-Tuomie, 20-Michaelis, 9-Gerard
23-Rivera, 26-French, 15-Napravnik
19-Van Os-Shaw, 11-Spooner, 14-Sandelin
21-Sowder, 8-Smith, 17-Duehr
16-Lutz

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

29-McKay
1-Stauber
31-Berger

Scratches: Aamodt, Bukes, Borchardt, Gerads, Jaremko, Malinowski, McMahan

NORTH DAKOTA
10-Hain, 11-Michaud, 16-Mismash
18-Adams, 22-Pinto, 29-Kawaguchi
8-Blaisdell, 19-Senden, 26-Smith
21-Keane, 14-Weatherby, 9-Bowen
5-Johnson

6-Poolman, 24-Bernard-Docker
3-Kiersted, 2-Bast
17-Tychonick, 4-Peski

31-Scheel
1-Thome

Friday Morning Skate

It's another big weekend in Mankato as North Dakota comes to town for the first time since 2013. It will be a matchup of the No. 2 Mavericks against the No. 16 Fighting Hawks.

For Minnesota State, much has already been made about its depth and tough lineup to crack, but, as senior defenseman and alternate captain Edwin Hookenson can attest, hard work and stick-to-itiveness can eventually earn a player a permanent and important role on the team.

The Mavericks' lineup tonight could look a bit different than last week if Nick Rivera and Nathan Smith are ready to return from injury. Both were back on the ice this week this week, as was Marc Michaelis, who left Saturday's game against Arizona State in the third period.

Read more about the matchup between MSU and UND in this week's College Hockey Gameday.

From the North Dakota side of things, Brad Schlossman writes that the Fighting Hawks are going to try to do something few teams have been able to do recently — win in Mankato. Like MSU, North Dakota has been dealing with an injury to an important veteran player.

Schlossman also takes a look at the courtship of college free agents, which this weekend's series will have, notably MSU defenseman Connor Mackey and UND defenseman Colton Poolman. (I'll add Michaelis to that mix, too, as, like Mackey, he met with several NHL teams prior to the season).

Read more on the MSU-UND series from USCHO's Jack Hittinger here and here.

Going around the WCHA ...

There are no league games this weekend, but Alaska, which swept Michigan Tech in Houghton last weekend, opened a series at Penn State on Thursday, losing 7-0. They will play again tonight.

Friday-Saturday matchups include:

• Ferris State at Miami: The Bulldogs (1-0) will take on former Bowling Green coach Chris Bergeron and the Redhawks (0-2-1) in a matchup of two teams trying to make big improvements from a year ago.

• Bowling Green vs./at Western Michigan: These teams will play three games in a row after this weekend, as the Broncos (1-0-1) defeated the Falcons (1-2) in the third-place game of the Icebreaker last Saturday in Toledo.

• Northern Michigan at Boston University The Wildcats (1-1) continue a nonconference schedule against well-known college hockey teams, heading east to take on the Terriers (1-0). Last week, NMU split a home series against Michigan State.

• Lake Superior State at Michigan: The Lakers (2-2) are going downstate to face the Wolverines (0-1-1) in an intratstate matchup. The two teams split at Sault Ste. Marie last season.

Mavericks get D commitment

Minnesota State got a commitment from Langley (BCHL) defenseman Jake Livingstone on Monday afternoon. He tweeted out his commitment, which you can see here:

Proud and very excited to announce my commitment to Minnesota State. Thank you to my family, coaches and those who have helped me along the way. #hornsup

— Jake Livingstone (@jlivingstone99) October 14, 2019

The 6-foot-2, 201-pound Livingstone has 16 points in 13 games this season, which currently ranks second among BCHL defensemen. Another MSU recruit, Akito Hirose of Salmon Arm has 13 points, which ranks fourth.

Mavericks move to No. 2; WCHA honors

Minnesota State moved up to No. 2 in the latest USCHO poll after their season-opening sweep over Arizona State over the weekend. The bump was also aided by Minnesota Duluth's split with UMass-Lowell. The Mavericks are also No. 3 in the USA Today/USA Hockey rankings. Denver is No. 1 in both polls.

USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll
Minneapolis, Minn./October 14, 2019

   Team             (First Place)    Record   Pts  Last Week
 1 Denver                    (38)    4- 0-0   979     2
 2 Minnesota State           ( 8)    2- 0-0   918     3
 3 Minnesota Duluth          ( 3)    1- 1-0   882     1
 4 Massachusetts                     1- 0-0   784     4
 5 Cornell                           0- 0-0   715     5
 6 Boston College                    2- 0-0   649    10
 7 Notre Dame                        2- 0-0   608     8
 8 Quinnipiac                        2- 0-0   598     9
 9 Penn State                ( 1)    2- 0-0   509    13
10 Clarkson                          1- 0-1   506    11
11 St. Cloud                         0- 0-2   499     7
12 Ohio State                        1- 0-1   477    12
13 Providence                        1- 1-0   453     6
14 Western Michigan                  1- 0-1   401    14
15 Northeastern                      2- 0-0   349    15
16 North Dakota                      2- 0-0   278    18
17 Wisconsin                         1- 1-0   273    16
18 UMass Lowell                      3- 1-0   204    NR
19 Harvard                           0- 0-0   130    19
20 Boston University                 1- 0-0   119    20

Others receiving votes: Bowling Green 71, Minnesota 33,
Brown 11, Colorado College 11, Northern Michigan 8, Michigan
7, Omaha 6, Dartmouth 5, AIC 4, RIT 4, Arizona State 2,
Mercyhurst 2, Robert Morris 2, Alaska 1, Bemidji State 1,
Lake Superior 1.

Meanwhile, two MSU players were cited by the WCHA for their play over the weekend. Dryden McKay was named the league's goaltender of the week, and Lucas Sowder was named rookie of the week.

Mavericks 5, Sun Devils 0

Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...

1. Major victory: The Mavericks led 1-0 in the first period, but things didn't turn until the beginning of the third period when they had a five-minute major penalty to work with after Steenn Pasichnuk's high hit on Dallas Gerads at center ice. Marc Michaelis and Reggie Lutz scored goals 34 seconds apart during the major, and the rout was on from there. Minnesota State tacked on two more goals after that to get the series sweep and start the season 2-0. Sun Devils coach Greg Powers didn't agree with the major call:

Postgame comments from @asucoachpowers to the media. pic.twitter.com/v73L1KPJym

— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) October 13, 2019

2. Fresh faces: The Mavericks had two freshmen in the lineup on Saturday, as Parker Tuomie returned to the lineup. Tuomie was listed as the extra skater, so Lucas Sowder stayed on the top line with Marc Michaelis and Charlie Gerard. Sowder had a goal for a three-point weekend. Ryan Sandelin also scored a goal. "There's some pressure (playing on the top line)," Sowder said. "But I just have to take a deep breath and look at it as just another hockey game."

3. McKay keeps rolling: Goaltender Dryden McKay picked up his fifth career shutout, stopping 14 shots. On Friday he made a few breakaway saves, but he had probably one tough stop on Saturday. The sophomore continues to get praise from his teammates for his calm demeanor, but certainly he has a good group playing defense in front of him. ASU's lone goal scorer from the weekend, Johnny Walker, was held to just one shot on goal on Saturday. He had four on Friday.

Read my game story here.

Around the WCHA: Alaska 2, Michigan 1 ... Northern Michigan 2, Michigan State 0 ... Maine 2, Alaska Anchorage 1 (OT) ... Bemidji State 2, St. Cloud State 2 (OT) ... Denver 4, Lake Superior State 1 ... Omaha 5, Alabama Huntsville 0 ... Western Michigan 5, Bowling Green 2