On Tap:    Minnesota State (4-4-0 overall, 2-2-0 WCHA) steps outside Western Collegiate Hockey Association action this weekend with a pair of nonconference games in Minneapolis vs. #1 Minnesota (6-1-1, 0-0-0 Big 10). MSU and UM play at Mariucci Arena (10,000) Friday (7:07 p.m.) and Saturday (7:07 p.m.) CST.

About the MSU-UM Series:  MSU has gone 6-4-0 in the last ten meetings with Minnesota and owns a 9-32-6 all-time record in the series vs. the Golden Gophers. The series dates back to the start of the 1997-98 season.

MSU Most Recently:  Minnesota State split a pair of Western Collegiate Association home games to Bowling Green last weekend, falling 4-3 to the Falcons before rebounding to claim a 1-0 overtime win in the second contest.

About the Golden Gophers:  Top-rated Minnesota is coming off a weekend in which it split a nonconference road series at Notre Dame (4-1 loss, 5-4 win). The Golden Gophers enter this weekend with an overall record of 6-1-1 and stand 0-0-0 in Big 10 games.

The Gophers are paced offensively by junior forward Sam Warning (5-9--14 in eight games), freshman forward Hudson Fasching (5-6--1 in eight games) and freshman forward Justin Kloos (3-7--10 in eight games). Sophomore Adam Wilcox stands 6-1-1 with a 2.11 goals against average and a .924 saves percentage.

Head coach Don Lucia (Notre Dame'81) is in his 27th year as a college head coach and owns a 629-338-88 career mark.

MSU All-Time:  The Minnesota State men's hockey program, begun in 1969-70, completed its 44th year of competition last year.  MSU is in its 17th year as a member of NCAA Division I (first DI season was 1997-98) and the Mavericks are in their 15th season as members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

The Mavericks sport an all-time record of 764-591-134 (.558).

For the complete 11-page document (pdf), please go HERE.