Box Score      Colorado Springs, Colo.  ---  #7 Minnesota State got the first goal of the game, but could not hold off the host Tigers in dropping a 4-1 decision at Colorado College in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association game played in Colorado Springs Friday night.

The Mavericks got on the board first, but CC responded by scoring the last four goals en route to claiming the home win.

It took until the second period before either team was able to generate a goal and when it happened it came at the 3:38 mark after Minnesota State sophomore forward Matt Leitner out-dueled a CC defender behind the net and found freshman forward Dylan Margonari, who tapped the puck past Joe Howe for his sixth goal of the season. The host Tigers got one back some nine minutes later after Mike Boivin’s shot from the point was stopped by Maverick netminder Stephon Williams, but then snapped into the net on the rebound by Scott Winkler with CC on the power play at 12:42.

The Tigers used three third-period goals to pull away with the win. Andy Skalbeck scored CC’s second power play goal on the night at 2:58 with what proved to be the game-winner, then Alexander Krushelnyski tallied twice to put the game out of reach.  After MSU put a sustained attack on the CC net, Krushelnyski collected a pass of the boards from Mike Boivin and went in all alone before wiring a shot past Williams on the glove side at 9:26. He added an empty-net tally at 16:36 in making it 4-1.

Now 20-10-3 overall on the season and 14-10-1 WCHA, the Mavericks owned a 32-27 advantage in shots on goal in the game.  

The two teams square-off again Saturday at World Arena with a 7:07 p.m. MST face-off scheduled.

Minnesota State head coach Mike Hastings commented after the game.

 
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