On Tap:    After a pair of home league games vs. Alaska Anchorage last weekend, Minnesota State (3-10-1 overall, 2-7-1 WCHA) road trips it up to Minneapolis for a two-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association  series vs. Minnesota (11-4-1 overall, 8-2-0 WCHA).  MSU and UM square-off in Mariucci Arena (10,000) Friday (7:07 p.m. CST) and Saturday (7:07 p.m. CST).

About the MSU-UM Series:   Minnesota leads the all-time series between the two schools (28-7-6), but the Mavericks are 5-1-0 in the last six games vs. the Gophers. MSU swept last year’s season series, winning 3-2 and 2-1 in a pair of games played in Mankato.

Most Recently:  Minnesota State is coming off a weekend in which it went 0-1-1 vs. visiting Alaska Anchorage. The Seawolves claimed a 5-4 win Friday and led Saturday 5-1 midway through the second period before MSU scored four straight times in rallying for a 5-5 overtime tie. The Mavericks enter the series with Minnesota owning a 3-10-1 overall record. MSU is 2-7-1 in WCHA contests.

Radio Broadcasts:  All MSU men’s hockey games are carried live on KTOE•AM 1420 (simulcast on 102.7 FM) with Mike Sullivan handling the play-by-play duties.
About Minnesota:  Currently rated fifth nationally, the Gophers stand 11-4-1 on the year  and are 8-2-0 WCHA after going 0-1-1 in a pair of nonconference games at Michigan State.

Minnesota, which went 16-14-6 in 2010-11, is led offensively by sophomore forward Nick Bjugstad (15-10--25) along with sophomore forward Erik Haula (8-13--21) and freshman forward Kyle Rau (10-8--18).  Sophomore defenseman Nate Schmidt (1-16--17) rounds out their top four scorers. Senior Kent Patterson (11-4-1, 1.99, .922) has six shut-outs in 16 games this year.

Don Lucia (Notre Dame ‘81) is in his 12th season at the Minnesota men’s hockey helm and is in his 24th season as a college head coach. Lucia stands 301-163-54 with the Gophers and owns a 580-318-83 all-time record.

Leading The Way:  Senior forward Michael Dorr and junior defenseman Tyler Elbrecht are serving as MSU team  captains in 2011-12.   The Mavericks plan on rotating an alternate captain during the course of the season.

MSU All-Time:  The Minnesota State men’s hockey program, begun in 1969-70, completed its 42nd year of competition last year.  The Mavericks are in their 16th year as members of NCAA Division I and in their 13th season as members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. With a total of 1,407 games played, the Mavericks sport an all-time record of 727-557-133 (.560).

The complete 12-page release is located here.