Mankato, Minn. ---  The University of Wisconsin overpowered Minnesota State in claiming a 4-0 Western Collegiate Hockey Association game played at Verizon Wireless Center in Mankato Friday night.

Sophomore forward Mark Zengerle got things going for the Badgers when he took a pass on the side from Jake McCabe and beat MSU netminder Austin Lee with a shot to the glove side at 11:09 of the opening frame. Wisconsin made it a 2-0 lead when Jefferson Dahl beat Lee with a shot from the slot on stick side at 18:37.

It became a 3-0 Wisconsin lead at 1:47 of the second period when Matt Paape scored on a rebound and the Badgers took advantage of a power play in the third period when Michael Mersch scored from the wing at 3:44.

The Mavericks, who outshot the Badgers by a 36-29 margin in the contest, went 0-for-5 on the power play.  Wisconsin was 1-for-3 in power play opportunities.

The shut-out by Wisconsin freshman Joel Rumpel is the first time MSU's been shut-out at home this season and the first time at home since March 5, 2011 when Alaska Anchorage downed the Mavericks in Mankato, 4-0.

Now 6-16-1 overall and 2-12-1 WCHA, MSU closes out the two-game series with the Badgers Saturday with a 7:07 p.m., face-off scheduled.