• Mavericks Stand 9-3-0 Overall After Sweeping #1-Michigan Tech Last Weekend
    • Williams Earns League Defensive Player of the Week Honors After Stellar Series vs. Huskies

On Tap:  Seventh-rated Minnesota State (9-3-0 overall, 7-1-0 WCHA) continues Western Collegiate Hockey Association action with  pair of road league contests at Lake Superior State (3-11-0, 3-7-0 WCHA) this weekend. MSU and LSSU play in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., at Taffy Abel Arena (4,000) Friday (7:37 p.m.) and Saturday (7:07 p.m.) EST.

Minnesota State Most Recently:  Minnesota State owns a 9-3-0 overall record and is 7-1-0 WCHA after earning a pair of wins (2-1 and 3-2) at top-rated 2-1 Michigan Tech last weekend.

Minnesota State enters the series at Lake Superior State having won seven of its last eight contests.

About Lake Superior State:  The Lakers, who face the Mavericks after splitting a pair of WCHA home contests last weekend with the University of Alaska (7-5 loss and 3-2 ot win), stand 3-11-0 overall and 3-7-0 WCHA. LSSU is led offensively by junior forward Bryce Schmitt (5-5--10) and freshman defenseman James Roll (0-7--7). Senior forward Stephon Pefetto chips in with 4-2--6. The Lakers, who went 16-9-1 overall (12-16-1 WCHA) last year, have used freshman goaltender Gordon Defiel (3-9-0, 3.26, .906) in 12 games this year. Head coach Damon Whitten (Michigan State '87) is in his first year as a collegiate head coach.

Minnesota State is 2-0-0 in the all-time series vs. Lake Superior State. The two teams met for the first time in 2013-14 with the Mavericks posting 5-0 and 4-3 wins in Sault Ste. Marie.

Shooting Stars:   Minnesota State leads the nation with the fewest shots on goal allowed per game (21.3), ranks second in shot margin (+148) and seventh in shots on goal for per game (33.7).

Sweep Stuff: Since joining DI in '96-97, the Mavericks have posted 76 sweeps. Until last weekend, Minnesota State had not swept a #1-rated team. The most sweeps posted by Minnesota State in one season (DI-era): 8 in '13-14. The Mavericks have not failed to post at least 1 sweep in each DI season.

Signature Minnesota State sweeps since '96-97:
2002-03     #7 UND (2-1, 5-4 in Mankato)
2005-06     #2 Wisconsin (6-4, 7-3 in Mankato)
2007-08     #4 Denver (5-1, 3-2 in Mankato)
2013-14     #2 Ferris State (6-2, 4-3 in Mankato)
2014-15     #1 Michigan Tech (2-1, 3-2 in Houghton)

Polling: Minnesota State is rated seventh by USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine in the national polls this week. This week's ranking matches the highest Minnesota State has ever been rated (USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine had the Mavericks rated seventh Feb. 25, 2013).