On Tap:    After spending last weekend on the road, Minnesota State (3-9-0 overall, 2-6-0 WCHA) returns to the friendly confines of Verizon Wireless Arena (4,832)  for a two-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association  set vs. Alaska Anchorage (4-7-1, 1-7-0 WCHA).  MSU and UAA square-off in Mankato Friday (7:37 p.m. CST) and Saturday (7:07 p.m. CST).

About the MSU-UAA Series:   The Mavericks are 33-22-7 all-time vs UAA. MSU was 1-2-1 vs. the Seawolves last year, but have won 23 of the last 34 meetings between the two schools.  The series between the two schools dates back to the 1982-83 campaign.

Most Recently:  Minnesota State dropped a two-game road Western Collegiate Hockey Association series at eighth-rated Minnesota Duluth last weekend in its most-recent action.  The host Bulldogs, who are now rated sixth in the country following the series with MSU, handed the Mavericks 5-2 and 7-3 losses.

Television Broadcasts:  MSU men’s hockey home games are carried live on local cable on Charter eXtra which is channel 87 if you have a cable box or channel 98-12 if you have a digital TV with no cable box. MSU home games are also available on Comcast in the Twin Cites  (Channel 23 in Minneapolis and Channel 13 in St. Paul). Don Westphal calls the play-by-play for all broadcasts.

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

About Alaska Anchorage:  The Seawolves stand 4-7-2 on the year  and are 1-7-0 WCHA splitting a home league series with Michigan Tech last weekend. UAA claimed a 3-1 win over Tech Friday before dropping a 5-0 decision to the visiting Huskies Saturday.

UAA, which has won the last three meetings with MSU, return 20 letterwinners from last year’s team which crafted a 16-18-3 overall record.  Junior forwards Mickey Spencer (5-2--7) and Daniel Naslund (2-5--7) pace the Seawolves in scoring. Junior forward Mitch Bruijsten (2-4--6) is next.   Sophomores Chris Kamel (3-4-0, 3.10, .890) and Rob Gunderson (1-3-1, 2.81, .889) have split the goaltending duties for UAA in 2011-12.   Dave Shyiak (Northern Michigan ‘93) is in his seventh season at the Alaska Anchorage men’s hockey helm and stands 71-134-25 mark as a collegiate head coach.

The complete 12-page release is available as a pdf here.