Off The Hop:  Minnesota State (18-9-3 overall, 12-9-1 WCHA) continues league play with a pair of home games vs. Michigan Tech (9-14-4, 6-12-4 WCHA) this weekend. The Mavericks and Huskies square-off at Verizon Wireless Center (4,832) at 7:37 p.m. Friday and 7:07 p.m. Saturday.

Versus the Huskies:  MSU went 2-2-0 vs. the Huskies last year and stand 25-16-4 all-time in the series between the two schools.

Where Amongst?:   Minnesota State is rated ninth in this week’s national USCHO.com poll, where the Mavericks are appearing for the ninth consecutive week. MSU is also tenth in this week’s USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll (see page 5 of this release for additional poll information).

Prior to this year, the last time Minnesota State appeared in the USCHO poll was during the 2008-09 season when the Mavericks were rated in the top twenty 11 times, reaching a high of tenth at one point.

The highest ranking MSU has ever achieved in a men’s hockey Division I poll was eighth, which the Mavericks achieved during the 2002-03 season (MSU was eighth in the USA Today Poll March 3, 2003. The Mavericks were as high as ninth twice in the USCHO poll that year).

MSU Most Recently:  Winners of 15 of their last 20 games, the Mavericks stand 18-9-3 overall after sweeping a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series at Minnesota Duluth last weekend.  The Mavericks claimed a 4-2 win Friday before churning out a 5-1 victory over the host Bulldogs Saturday.

MSU All-Time:  The Minnesota State men’s hockey program, begun in 1969-70, completed its 43rd year of competition last year.  The Mavericks are in their 17th year as members of NCAA Division I and in their 14th season as members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. With a total of 1,473 games played, the Mavericks sport an all-time record of 754-582-137 (.558).

Noteables:  Sophomore forwards Jean-Paul Lafontaine and Matt Leitner, along with defensemen Zach Palmquist are MSU’s active leaders in terms of consecutive games played at 68.  The second-year trio have not missed a game during their times as Mavericks.

MSU’s DI-era best record in terms of wins in a season was in 1999-2000 when the Mavericks posted a 21-14-4 mark. MSU also was 20-11-10 in 2002-03, 19-18-1 in 2000-01 and 19-16-4 in 2007-08.

Hayes & Blueger Nab Weekly WCHA Honors: Minnesota State forwards Eriah Hayes and Teddy Blueger garnered recognition as the WCHA Offensive Player of the Week and WCHA Rookie of the Week, respectively after the Mavericks gained a two-game league road sweep at Minnesota Duluth last weekend.  The release is located HERE.

On the Docket:  Following this weekend’s series with Michigan Tech, Minnesota State  is idle the weekend of Feb. 22-23 before facing Colorado College in Colorado Springs, March 1-2. The Mavericks are scheduled to close out the 2012-13 regular season March 8-9 with a home series vs. the University of North Dakota.

The entire 12-page release as a pdf is located HERE.