The Mavericks continue league action this weekend with #10 Minnesota Duluth visiting Mankato Friday and Saturday. MSU, which lost twice to UMD earlier this year in a pair of games played in Duluth Oct. 16-17, stands 14-17-4 all-time vs. the Bulldogs. Head coach Troy Jutting owns a career record of 12-15-5 vs. UMD.

Minnesota State stands 11-11-2 overall, 5-10-1 WCHA on the year after dropping both games of a league road series at #5 North Dakota last weekend, losing by the scores of 4-1 and 3-2.

Junior defenseman Ben Youds, who leads the Mavericks with a career-high 19 assists, ranks 15th in the nation in scoring by defensemen. He's also 21st in the nation in assists per game. Youds, whose previous single-season best for points in a season came his freshman year when he had 1-11--12, tallied his first goal of the year in MSU's 4-1 loss at UND last Friday. Youds, who is tied with Zach Harrison atop MSU's scoring charts with 1-19--20, has had three three-assist games this year (vs. Denver Oct. 31, vs. Michigan Tech Nov. 27 and vs. Bemidji State Dec. 11).

MSU's all-time record in 1,353 games played is 705-523-125 (.568).

Minnesota State head coach Troy Jutting (MSU '07) is in his tenth year at the Maverick men's hockey helm and owns an all-time record of 153-173-46.

Senior forward Jerad Stewart has 64 shots on goal to lead the Mavericks. Senior forward Kael Mouillierat's 62 shots rank second.

Senior forwards Zach Harrison (+10) and Geoff Irwin (+7) lead MSU in plus/minus this year.

Five MSU players have seen action in all 24 games to date: Harrison, Youds, Stewart, Mouillierat and Boe.

Senior forward Kael Mouillierat has registered 5-2--7 in the last 11 games. And with 42-36--78 in 130 career games the Edmonton, Alta., native ranks just behind Grant Stevenson on MSU's NCAA Division I-era career scoring leaders. Stevenson, who totalled 35-44--79 in 76 in two seasons with the Mavericks from 2000-03, ranks 14th on the list.

Senior forward Zach Harrison, who is tied for the lead on MSU's point-scoring chart with 5-15--20, has played in 119 straight contests.

Senior captain Geoff Irwin, who ranks fourth on the Mavericks with 6-8--13 on the year, has totalled 30-44--74 in 128 career games. The Victoria, B.C., native has 2-4--6 in the last eight games.

Ben Youds heads into this weekend's game riding a four-game scoring streak with 1-3--4. Geoff Irwin is also on a four-game scoring streak, during which he's tallied 2-2--4.

The Mavericks are 10-0-0 when leading after two periods of play and own a 8- 3- 2 mark when scoring first.

Student Tickets Pre-Distribution:  MSU student ticket distribution for the Maverick men’s hockey home games with Minnesota-Duluth is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 13.

Distribution of the 1100 MSU student tickets (valid current Mavcard required) will take place in the Taylor Center Hall of Champions beginning at noon.

Game Promotions:  
     Friday - First 500 fans receive a Maverick touque (stocking hat) sponsored by McDonald’s.
 
     Saturday - Post-game autograph session sponsored by Buffalo Wild Wings – 500 free autograph posters will be provided.  Autograph session will be located in lower main lobby of Verizon Wireless Center (next to Blue Line Club Corral).

A full 12-page version in pdf format of this release is available here.