Mankato, Minn.  ---  #16 Minnesota State got three points from sophomore Brad McClure and connected on three power play opportunities in downing Lake Superior State 5-2 Friday in the first game of a best-of-three WCHA play-off series taking place in Mankato this weekend.
 
Senior defenseman Jon Jutzi walked in and wristed a shot shot that beat Laker netminder Gordon Defiel high on the stick side at 11:33. The power play goal by Jutzi is his fifth goal of the season.  LSSU knotted the score at 13:49 on a shot from the point along the ice from defenseman Owen Headrick that got past a screened Cole Huggins. The Mavericks regained the lead, once again with the man advantage, at 15:14 after Dylan Margonari took a pass from C.J. Franklin and made no mistake with a one-timer for his sixth goal of the year. The Lakers responded at 16:58 on a slap shot from the high slot from Mitch Hults, but the Mavericks entered the locker room at the end of the period owning a 3-2 lead after sophomore forward Brad McClure deflected Sean Flanagan's shot past Defiel for his third goal of the season.
 
The score remained the same through a scoreless middle frame, but after senior forward Bryce Gervais stole the puck from a LSSU defenseman and roofed a shot into the net at 12:34 of the final stanza, the Mavericks gained a two-goal cushion for the first time in the game. The senior from Battleford, Sask., now has a team-high 15 goals on the year and with 66 career goals, ranks third on Minnesota State's all-time list (DI-era). A power play goal from freshman defenseman Daniel Brickley closed out the scoring in the contest.
 
McClure, who got the game-winner, finished with a goal and two assists in the win.
 
The Mavericks pelted the Lake Superior State net with 42 shots, while limiting the Lakers to 17 shots in the game marking the 31^st time this year Minnesota State has outshot its opponents. Junior netminder Cole Huggins, who finished with 15 saves. stands 11-9-2 on the season with tonight's win and owns a 36-19-3 mark for his career.
 
The Mavericks, who went three-for-five in power plays in the game.
 
Minnesota State, which has gone 8-3-2 in its last 13 games, stands 19-11-7 overall on the season.
 
The Mavericks and the Lakers face-off again tomorrow in second game of the series with a 7:07 p.m. start time scheduled for Verizon Wireless Center.

Head coach Mike Hastings commented following the win.