Mavericks Open 2009-10 With Nonconference Series With Bowling Green at Verizon Wireless Center
Minnesota State Enters Year With 18 Returning Lettermen; Minnesota State Owns 1-0-1 Record in Series With Falcons

On Tap:    Minnesota State (0-0-0 overall, 0-0-0 WCHA) begins its 2009-10 schedule with a home nonconference series Bowling Green State University (0-0-0 overall, 0-0-0 CCHA) this weekend.  The Mavericks and the Falcons play in downtown Mankato at Verizon Wireless Center (4,832) Friday at 7:37 p.m. and at 7:07 p.m. Saturday.

About the MSU-BGSU Series:   The Mavericks and the Falcons met for the first time last year in Bowling Green, Ohio.  MSU came away with a 2-2 tie and a 5-2 win on BGSU’s home ice in a pair of games played Nov. 28-29, 2008.  Junior defenseman Kurt Davis had 1-2--3 in the two games and senior forward Geoff Irwin contributed 2-1--3.

Opening Act:  MSU is 21-18-1 in season-opening games.  The Mavericks downed Bemidji State last year in a nonconference contest played in Mankato Oct. 10.

Lest We Forget:  Senior forward Jason Wiley’s goal in overtime gave Minnesota State a 4-3 victory over visiting Lethbridge (Alta.) University in men’s college hockey exhibition action last Saturday night in Mankato.

The Mavericks took a 1-0 lead at 1:46 of the first period on a goal from sophomore Mike Louwerse before the two teams battled through a scoreless second frame.

Lethbridge knotted the score when Ryan Pottruff tallied at 5:52, but back-to-back MSU tallies by freshman defenseman Tyler Elbrecht at 6:29 and Tyler Thompson at 15:46, with Thompson’s goal coming with the Mavericks on the power play, made it 3-2 in favor of the Mavericks. Lethbridge pulled its netminder and Mike Wuchterl’s marker at 19:53 with the extra skater, sent the game into overtime.

Wiley then ended it with a shot from 15 feet in front of the net that beat Pronghorn goaltender Scott Bowles just inside the post on the glove side.

MSU’s three goaltenders all saw action with sophomore Austin Lee stopping nine of nine shots, freshman Kevin Murdock turning aside all eight shots he faced and freshman Phil Cook, who got the win, kicking out nine of 12 shots.  Jutting did not dress several veterans for the game including two of last year’s top scorers in forwards Geoff Irwin and Kael Mouillierat.

Radio Broadcasts:  All MSU men’s hockey games are carried live on KTOE•AM 1420 with Mike Sullivan handling the play-by-play duties. 

Internet Broadcasts:  To listen to Maverick athletic events broadcast via the internet, please go to the following site:   http://www3.mnsu.edu/athletics/
   This page uses Microsoft Media Player to provide streaming audio of the KTOE•AM 1420 radio broadcast of MSU Mavericks athletic events. The audio stream is only available during event broadcast times.  
   You may download Microsoft Media Player at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/.

Live Stats: Live, in-game stats for the Minnesota State home games are available at http://www.sidearmstats.com/mnsu/mhockey/

Video Streaming:  The Minnesota State/MSU  men’s hockey games are available at http://www.b2livetv.com/upcoming_events.asp?q=v&value=wcha

MSU On the Web:  Releases, stats, player and staff biographies, etc. on all of Minnesota State’s 23 sports are available at the official website of MSU Athletics located at www.msumavericks.com

For a complete PDF version of this release, go to here.