What's On Tap:  Minnesota State kicks off a six-game home stand this weekend when it hosts No. 4/5 North Dakota at All Seasons Arena Friday (7:07 p.m.) and Saturday (3:07 p.m.). The two-game set will also mark the Mavericks' final Western Collegiate Hockey Association contests of 2013.
 
MSU (6-10-0, 3-9-0 WCHA) split at St. Cloud State a week ago, while UND (10-4-2, 7-3-2 WCHA) also split after trading 2-1 victories with sixth-rated and host Clarkson. The Mavericks' season-long six-game home stretch will also feature a non-conference set with Lindenwood (Dec. 31-Jan. 1) and a WCHA series with Bemidji State (Jan. 4-5).
 
Last Time on the Ice:  Minnesota State struck first on a goal from junior Kathleen Rogan (Vancouver, B.C.) 3:55 into last Friday's series opener, but SCSU responded with three first-period tallies of its own to claim a two-goal lead. Senior Melissa Klippenstein (Neubergthal, Man.) pulled the Mavericks within one at 1:01 of the second period. However the Huskies once again answered back, this time mounting a three-goal effort in the final period to claim a 6-2 victory.
 
Last Saturday's series opener saw MSU pounce on SCSU early again when senior Lauren Barnes (Burnsville, Minn.) lit the lamp for the third time this year 6:44 into the affair. Rogan struck again at 2:05 of the second stanza on a wicked wrist shot from the slot for her ninth goal of 2013-14 which proved to be the game-winner, her third this year.  Husky senior Audrey Hanmer netted a power-play goal at 4:32 of the third period, but MSU senior captain Kari Lundberg (Woodbury, Minn.) retaliated 37 seconds later on Lundberg's sixth marker of the season to walk away with a 3-1 triumph. Sophomore goaltender Erin Krichiver (Chicago, Ill.) made her first start of the season in the win and recorded 37 saves, two shy of her career-high, to help ensure the Mavericks a series split.
 
Scouting North Dakota:  UND enters this weekend's series sporting a 10-4-2 overall record and 7-3-1 mark, good for third-place, in the WCHA. North Dakota stands 2-3-1 in its last six games and will return to conference action for the first time since Nov. 23 this weekend. Offensively, UND is averaging 3.19 goals and 35.9 shots per game; while it is surrendering 1.94 goals and 21.6 shots per game to its opponents. The Green and White power-play has converted at a 16.9% (11/65) efficiency to date, and the UND penalty-kill has been effective 81.9% (59/72) of the time this season.
 
North Dakota is under the guidance of seventh-year head coach Brian Idalski who holds a 103-108-23 career record in Grand Forks.  Junior Josefine Jakobsen (F, 5-7, Aalborg, Denmark) has paced UND in scoring with 7-9=16 to date followed closely by sophomore Meghan Dufault (F, 5-3, Winnipeg, Man.) with 7-8=15 and freshman Susanna Tapani (F, 5-10, Laitala, Finland) with 4-11=15. Senior Michelle Karvinen (F, 5-5, Rodovre, Denmark) leads the team in goals with 8-6=14 despite missing four contests due to commitments with the Finnish National Team. In goal, sophomore Shelby Amsley-Benzie (G, 5-7, Warroad, Minn.) owns a 2.07 goals against average and .900 save percentage with a 7-2-2 record in 11 starts.
 
Inside the MSU-UND Series: Minnesota State stands 22-16-6 all-time against North Dakota despite a 1-5-0 record vs. UND last season. The Mavericks are 13-5-3 all-time at home in a series dating back to 2002.
 
Minnesota State All-Time: The MSU women's hockey program - started in 1998-99 - is currently in its 16th season of competition and has compiled a 151-346-46 (.320) record in 543 total games played. The Mavericks are in their 15th year as members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and hold an 85-261-38 (.271) mark in 384 league contests.

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