Freddy's three thoughts (from afar) ...
1. Life saver: Mavericks goaltender Dryden McKay recorded his sixth career shutout on Friday, stopping 31 shots, including 16 in the third period. He also made three big saves in a scoreless first period with his team getting off to a bit of a slow start. McKay equaled his previous high for most saves in a shutout. He also stopped 31 on March 16 in the WCHA playoffs against Lake Superior State. Earlier this season, he made 14 saves in a 5-0 win over Arizona State.
2. Middle men: Minnesota State struggled in the second period of both games against Bowling Green last weekend, and it cost the Mavericks one game. On Friday at Michigan Tech, the second period was MSU's best period, as it scored two goals, including Julian Napravnik's power-play goal during a five-minute major that put the Mavericks up 2-0. Reggie Lutz scored the first goal of the game. Jared Spooner added an insurance goal 61 seconds into the third.
3. Shuffle function: The Mavericks' lines looked a bit different on Saturday, as Napravnik was on the top line with Marc Michaelis and Charlie Gerard. Parker Tuomie was put with the freshmen, Nathan Smith and Lucas Sowder; they were listed as the fourth line. Also, for the first time this year the six defensemen on the lineup were different as Wyatt Aamodt was listed among the group. Andy Carroll was listed as the extra skater, although it appeared he played quite a bit.
Read more here.
Around the WCHA: Bemidji State 7, Lake Superior State 1 ... Western Michigan 4, Ferris State 2 ... St. Cloud State 3, Northern Michigan 3 (OT) ... Alaska Anchorage 4, Alabama Huntsville 4 (OT, UAA wins shootout) ... Arizona State at Alaska (late)
Friday, November 8, 2019
Friday Morning Skate
The No. 3 Mavericks are in Houghton this weekend (Puckato, sadly, is not) for a matchup against Michigan Tech. It is MSU's second road trip of the season.
Minnesota State got Dallas Gerads back in the lineup last weekend, and he provided a boost to a forward group that's had to be mixed and matched throughout the season's first eight games due to injuries and illnesses.
Tech has won once in its last five games and was swept in its only home series so far this season, so it will be motivated for sure.
Going around the rest of the WCHA ...
Lake Superior State at Bemidji State: This should be a good series between a pair of teams vying for the league's upper division. The Lakers have played one of the tougher schedules in the WCHA this season and got a pair of much-needed wins against Ferris State last weekend. The Beavers split at Alaska last week and are hoping to find a way to get their power play going this weekend..
Alaska Anchorage at Alabama Huntsville: These two teams have just one win between them so far. The host Chargers are looking for their first victory of the season, although they should be encouraged that they played Northern Michigan tough a week ago. The Seawolves are on the road for the second time this season.
St. Cloud State at Northern Michigan: The No. 16 Wildcats are 6-1-1 and the surprise of the WCHA, considering how much talent graduated from last year's team. They'll have a tough test this weekend with a nonconference series against the Huskies, a team that outscored them 9-1 early last season.
Ferris State at/vs. Western Michigan: The Bulldogs will try to snap a four-game losing streak with a nonconference, home-and-home series against the Broncos, who are 3-3-2 despite some high preseason expectations.
Arizona State at Alaska: The Nanooks are 5-5-0 and feeling pretty good about their start. They will step out of league play and host the Sun Devils, who have won four games in a row since getting swept at Minnesota State on Oct. 11-12.
Minnesota State got Dallas Gerads back in the lineup last weekend, and he provided a boost to a forward group that's had to be mixed and matched throughout the season's first eight games due to injuries and illnesses.
Tech has won once in its last five games and was swept in its only home series so far this season, so it will be motivated for sure.
Going around the rest of the WCHA ...
Lake Superior State at Bemidji State: This should be a good series between a pair of teams vying for the league's upper division. The Lakers have played one of the tougher schedules in the WCHA this season and got a pair of much-needed wins against Ferris State last weekend. The Beavers split at Alaska last week and are hoping to find a way to get their power play going this weekend..
Alaska Anchorage at Alabama Huntsville: These two teams have just one win between them so far. The host Chargers are looking for their first victory of the season, although they should be encouraged that they played Northern Michigan tough a week ago. The Seawolves are on the road for the second time this season.
St. Cloud State at Northern Michigan: The No. 16 Wildcats are 6-1-1 and the surprise of the WCHA, considering how much talent graduated from last year's team. They'll have a tough test this weekend with a nonconference series against the Huskies, a team that outscored them 9-1 early last season.
Ferris State at/vs. Western Michigan: The Bulldogs will try to snap a four-game losing streak with a nonconference, home-and-home series against the Broncos, who are 3-3-2 despite some high preseason expectations.
Arizona State at Alaska: The Nanooks are 5-5-0 and feeling pretty good about their start. They will step out of league play and host the Sun Devils, who have won four games in a row since getting swept at Minnesota State on Oct. 11-12.
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Mavericks 5, Falcons 1
Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...
1. Good response: I was curious to see how Minnesota State would respond to losing its first game of the season and first game at home in a long time. They got off to another good start, but, more impressively, closed out the Falcons with three goals in the third period, extending a 2-1 lead to a 5-1 final. "I liked it," said senior forward Parker Tuomie, who had two assists, including his 100th career point. "Obviously, Bowling Green is a really good team. They gave us a pretty hard push, and we were able to (withstand) it."
2. Three apples: Dallas Gerads had three assists in his second game back after missing four games with injury. He made a nice, soft pass to Connor Mackey as the defenseman went to the net for the game's first goal and helped on the Mavericks' first two goals of the third period. Gerads, who was minus-2 playing with two rookies on Friday, was moved to a veteran line with Jared Spooner and Reggie Lutz on Saturday. "I thought Dallas Gerads was influential in the outcome of the game — physically, offensively, defensively," coach Mike Hastings said. "Whenever you play Bowling Green, you’re going to have to play a hard game because they’re going to make you earn everything you get."
3. Good in goal: Dryden McKay continues to be solid in goal. The sophomore made 23 saves on Saturday, none bigger than the breakaway chance he stopped less than a minute after Spooner gave the Falcons a two-goal cushion in the third period. McKay allowed Alec Rauhauser's breakaway goal in the first period, which came 39 seconds after Mackey got the scoring started. McKay actually made the first save on Rauhauser but the rebound went right back to the talented BG defenseman, and he popped it in to tie the game.
Read my game story here.
Around the WCHA: Lake Superior State 4, Ferris State 3 ... Northern Michigan 4, Alabama Huntsville 2 ... North Dakota 3, Michigan Tech 1 ... Bemidji State at Alaska (late)
1. Good response: I was curious to see how Minnesota State would respond to losing its first game of the season and first game at home in a long time. They got off to another good start, but, more impressively, closed out the Falcons with three goals in the third period, extending a 2-1 lead to a 5-1 final. "I liked it," said senior forward Parker Tuomie, who had two assists, including his 100th career point. "Obviously, Bowling Green is a really good team. They gave us a pretty hard push, and we were able to (withstand) it."
2. Three apples: Dallas Gerads had three assists in his second game back after missing four games with injury. He made a nice, soft pass to Connor Mackey as the defenseman went to the net for the game's first goal and helped on the Mavericks' first two goals of the third period. Gerads, who was minus-2 playing with two rookies on Friday, was moved to a veteran line with Jared Spooner and Reggie Lutz on Saturday. "I thought Dallas Gerads was influential in the outcome of the game — physically, offensively, defensively," coach Mike Hastings said. "Whenever you play Bowling Green, you’re going to have to play a hard game because they’re going to make you earn everything you get."
3. Good in goal: Dryden McKay continues to be solid in goal. The sophomore made 23 saves on Saturday, none bigger than the breakaway chance he stopped less than a minute after Spooner gave the Falcons a two-goal cushion in the third period. McKay allowed Alec Rauhauser's breakaway goal in the first period, which came 39 seconds after Mackey got the scoring started. McKay actually made the first save on Rauhauser but the rebound went right back to the talented BG defenseman, and he popped it in to tie the game.
Read my game story here.
Around the WCHA: Lake Superior State 4, Ferris State 3 ... Northern Michigan 4, Alabama Huntsville 2 ... North Dakota 3, Michigan Tech 1 ... Bemidji State at Alaska (late)
Minnesota State vs. Bowling Green, Game 2
The Mavericks will try to salvage a series split with the Falcons on Saturday after falling 3-2 in overtime on Friday. A little shuffling of the lines but nothing major ...
MINNESOTA STATE
6-Tuomie, 20-Michaelis, 9-Gerard
23-Rivera, 26-French, 15-Napravnik
22-Gerads, 11-Spooner, 16-Lutz
21-Sowder, 8-Smith, 17-Duehr
14-Sandelin
2-Mackey, 3-McNeely
25-Zmolek, 18-Scheid
4-Carroll, 24-Hookenson
29-McKay
1-Stauber
31-Berger
Scratches: Aamodt, Borchardt, Bukes, Jaremko, Malinowski, McMahan, Van Os-Shaw
BOWLING GREEN
28-Kruse, 10-Johnson, 6-Barber
25-Craggs, 11-Schneider, 8-LeTourneau
17-Linkenheld, 20-Ford, 16-Wright
18-St. Jean, 22-Pitters, 13-Conquest
23-Rauhauser, 7-Lloyd
27-Theocharidis, 2-Cullen
14-Wells, 4-Daly
3-Musser
31-Dop
MINNESOTA STATE
6-Tuomie, 20-Michaelis, 9-Gerard
23-Rivera, 26-French, 15-Napravnik
22-Gerads, 11-Spooner, 16-Lutz
21-Sowder, 8-Smith, 17-Duehr
14-Sandelin
2-Mackey, 3-McNeely
25-Zmolek, 18-Scheid
4-Carroll, 24-Hookenson
29-McKay
1-Stauber
31-Berger
Scratches: Aamodt, Borchardt, Bukes, Jaremko, Malinowski, McMahan, Van Os-Shaw
BOWLING GREEN
28-Kruse, 10-Johnson, 6-Barber
25-Craggs, 11-Schneider, 8-LeTourneau
17-Linkenheld, 20-Ford, 16-Wright
18-St. Jean, 22-Pitters, 13-Conquest
23-Rauhauser, 7-Lloyd
27-Theocharidis, 2-Cullen
14-Wells, 4-Daly
3-Musser
31-Dop
40-Rose
Friday, November 1, 2019
Falcons 3, Mavericks 2 (OT)
Freddy's three thoughts of the game ...
1. If it's MSU and it's BG, it's OT: The Mavericks and Falcons played their eighth overtime game in 22 meetings since Bowling Green joined the WCHA in 2013-14. The last time that happened in Mankato, MSU erased a 2-0 deficit in the info 2 minutes of regulation and won in overtime for the WCHA playoff championship. On Friday, the Mavericks got up 2-0 before the first period was 10 minutes old and the Falcons erased that less dramatically, with a goal before the first period ended and another in the second before winning in overtime. Prior to the game, the big board showed MSU's goals from last March's championship game. That fired up the crowd, but maybe it fired up the Falcons, too.
2. First loss: The Mavericks suffered their first loss of the season and first loss since Jan. 19 of last season when Lake Superior State beat them 1-0. That was Minnesota State's lone home loss last year, and they went unbeaten in their next 13 games after that, including their first four games at the civic center this season. "We didn’t have everybody on board pulling a piece of the rope," Mavericks coach Mike Hastings said. "We had some passengers. That’s going to happen with some young guys and it did. We just had too many of them." Minnesota State's top line of Marc Michaelis, Parker Tuomie and Charlie Gerard was good, teaming up for a goal and having a combined 12 shots on goal. But credit Eric Dop for his play in goal, especially on a big save on Tuomie that would have made it 3-0 in the first period.
3. Young guns blanked: Freshman Lucas Sowder was held off the score sheet for the first time this season, and fellow rookie Nathan Smith was also blanked. Neither had a shot on goal, and Sowder had a good scoring chance on an gaping net go just under his stick in the third period. They were each minus-2 (along with linemate Dallas Gerads), and Smith took two penalties. "A couple young guys had their first rough night, their first experience of what its like to be on the other side of the coin," Hastings said. "Those are experiences you have to go through." Gerads, a junior, was back in the lineup after missing four games, but veterans Jake Jaremko (illness) and Chris Van Os-Shaw (upper body) were both out. Freshman Cade Borchardt was the extra skater and got limited shifts.
Read my game story here.
Around the WCHA: Lake Superior State 5, Ferris State 4 (OT) ... Northern Michigan 5, Alabama Huntsville 3 ... Bemidji State 4, Alaska 0 ... Omaha 3, Alaska Anchorage 3 (OT)
1. If it's MSU and it's BG, it's OT: The Mavericks and Falcons played their eighth overtime game in 22 meetings since Bowling Green joined the WCHA in 2013-14. The last time that happened in Mankato, MSU erased a 2-0 deficit in the info 2 minutes of regulation and won in overtime for the WCHA playoff championship. On Friday, the Mavericks got up 2-0 before the first period was 10 minutes old and the Falcons erased that less dramatically, with a goal before the first period ended and another in the second before winning in overtime. Prior to the game, the big board showed MSU's goals from last March's championship game. That fired up the crowd, but maybe it fired up the Falcons, too.
2. First loss: The Mavericks suffered their first loss of the season and first loss since Jan. 19 of last season when Lake Superior State beat them 1-0. That was Minnesota State's lone home loss last year, and they went unbeaten in their next 13 games after that, including their first four games at the civic center this season. "We didn’t have everybody on board pulling a piece of the rope," Mavericks coach Mike Hastings said. "We had some passengers. That’s going to happen with some young guys and it did. We just had too many of them." Minnesota State's top line of Marc Michaelis, Parker Tuomie and Charlie Gerard was good, teaming up for a goal and having a combined 12 shots on goal. But credit Eric Dop for his play in goal, especially on a big save on Tuomie that would have made it 3-0 in the first period.
3. Young guns blanked: Freshman Lucas Sowder was held off the score sheet for the first time this season, and fellow rookie Nathan Smith was also blanked. Neither had a shot on goal, and Sowder had a good scoring chance on an gaping net go just under his stick in the third period. They were each minus-2 (along with linemate Dallas Gerads), and Smith took two penalties. "A couple young guys had their first rough night, their first experience of what its like to be on the other side of the coin," Hastings said. "Those are experiences you have to go through." Gerads, a junior, was back in the lineup after missing four games, but veterans Jake Jaremko (illness) and Chris Van Os-Shaw (upper body) were both out. Freshman Cade Borchardt was the extra skater and got limited shifts.
Read my game story here.
Around the WCHA: Lake Superior State 5, Ferris State 4 (OT) ... Northern Michigan 5, Alabama Huntsville 3 ... Bemidji State 4, Alaska 0 ... Omaha 3, Alaska Anchorage 3 (OT)
Minnesota State vs. Bowling Green
The No. 2 Mavericks and No. 18 Falcons will play for the first time since last year's WCHA championship game. Should be a good one. Here are tonight's lines.
MINNESOTA STATE
6-Tuomie, 20-Michaelis, 9-Gerard
22-Gerads, 8-Smith, 21-Sowder
15-Lutz, 11-Spooner, 15-Napravnik
23-Rivera, 26-French, 17-Duehr
28-Borchardt
2-Mackey, 3-McNeely
25-Zmolek, 18-Scheid
4-Carroll, 24-Hookenson
29-McKay
1-Stauber
31-Berger
Scratches: Aamodt, Bukes, Jaremko, Malinowski, McMahan, Sandelin, Van Os-Shaw
BOWLING GREEN
28-Kruse, 10-Johnson, 6-Barber
25-Craggs, 11-Schneider, 8-LeTourneau
17-Linkenheld, 20-Ford, 16-Wright
18-St. Jean, 22-Pitters, 13-Conquest
23-Rauhauser, 7-Lloyd
27-Theocharidis, 2-Cullen
14-Wells, 4-Daly
3-Musser
31-Dop
40-Rose
MINNESOTA STATE
6-Tuomie, 20-Michaelis, 9-Gerard
22-Gerads, 8-Smith, 21-Sowder
15-Lutz, 11-Spooner, 15-Napravnik
23-Rivera, 26-French, 17-Duehr
28-Borchardt
2-Mackey, 3-McNeely
25-Zmolek, 18-Scheid
4-Carroll, 24-Hookenson
29-McKay
1-Stauber
31-Berger
Scratches: Aamodt, Bukes, Jaremko, Malinowski, McMahan, Sandelin, Van Os-Shaw
BOWLING GREEN
28-Kruse, 10-Johnson, 6-Barber
25-Craggs, 11-Schneider, 8-LeTourneau
17-Linkenheld, 20-Ford, 16-Wright
18-St. Jean, 22-Pitters, 13-Conquest
23-Rauhauser, 7-Lloyd
27-Theocharidis, 2-Cullen
14-Wells, 4-Daly
3-Musser
31-Dop
40-Rose
Friday morning skate
It's a big weekend in Mankato — bigger than the North Dakota weekend, I say — as No. 18 Bowling Green comes to town for the first time since that memorable WCHA championship night in March. Should be a fun weekend of hockey between the No. 2 Mavericks and the Falcons.
For Minnesota State, junior defenseman Connor Mackey is off to a good start again, matured, he says, by the end of last season, a rollercoaster ride that involved the best of times and the worst of times sports can offer, followed by a difficult decision about his future as a player.
The Rink Live takes a look back at last year's WCHA title game with game-winning-goal scorer Nick Rivera.
Bowling Green is coming off a home split against Michigan Tech to start its WCHA schedule.
Going around the WCHA ...
Alaska Anchorage vs. Omaha: This nonconference series started on Thursday night with the red Mavericks winning a tight one, 4-3, in Anchorage.
Alabama Huntsville at Northern Michigan: The winless Chargers are back on the road after dropping two games to the Mavericks. The Wildcats, meanwhile, are back in Marquette after a successful road swing in which they went 3-0-1 against Boston University and Ferris State. College Hockey News takes a good look at NMU coach Grant Potulny, who is starting his third season.
Bemidji State at Alaska: The Beavers are looking for their first win on what they're calling their toughest road trip of the season. They've played St. Cloud State and North Dakota tough and are 0-2-2. The 4-4-0 Nanooks are home for the first time since opening weekend. They split at Anchorage last weekend.
Ferris State at Lake Superior State: The host Lakers begin WCHA play this weekend and will try to stop a six-game losing streak that came against some tough competition — Denver, Michigan and Notre Dame. The Bulldogs dropped two games to start conference play last week at home against Northern.
Michigan Tech at North Dakota: This single game on Saturday is the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game and should be a good one as the 3-3-0 Huskies go to Grand Forks for the first time since the 2013 WCHA playoffs.
Also this weekend, the Minnesota State women are at home hoping to an extend their four-game unbeaten streak, and the Gustavus Adolphus teams are starting their seasons.
For Minnesota State, junior defenseman Connor Mackey is off to a good start again, matured, he says, by the end of last season, a rollercoaster ride that involved the best of times and the worst of times sports can offer, followed by a difficult decision about his future as a player.
The Rink Live takes a look back at last year's WCHA title game with game-winning-goal scorer Nick Rivera.
Bowling Green is coming off a home split against Michigan Tech to start its WCHA schedule.
Going around the WCHA ...
Alaska Anchorage vs. Omaha: This nonconference series started on Thursday night with the red Mavericks winning a tight one, 4-3, in Anchorage.
Alabama Huntsville at Northern Michigan: The winless Chargers are back on the road after dropping two games to the Mavericks. The Wildcats, meanwhile, are back in Marquette after a successful road swing in which they went 3-0-1 against Boston University and Ferris State. College Hockey News takes a good look at NMU coach Grant Potulny, who is starting his third season.
Bemidji State at Alaska: The Beavers are looking for their first win on what they're calling their toughest road trip of the season. They've played St. Cloud State and North Dakota tough and are 0-2-2. The 4-4-0 Nanooks are home for the first time since opening weekend. They split at Anchorage last weekend.
Ferris State at Lake Superior State: The host Lakers begin WCHA play this weekend and will try to stop a six-game losing streak that came against some tough competition — Denver, Michigan and Notre Dame. The Bulldogs dropped two games to start conference play last week at home against Northern.
Michigan Tech at North Dakota: This single game on Saturday is the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game and should be a good one as the 3-3-0 Huskies go to Grand Forks for the first time since the 2013 WCHA playoffs.
Also this weekend, the Minnesota State women are at home hoping to an extend their four-game unbeaten streak, and the Gustavus Adolphus teams are starting their seasons.
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