Mankato, Minn. --- Third-rated Minnesota State got goals from five different players to defeat Princeton 5-0 in front of 3,201 fans on Friday night at Verizon Wireless Center.
With the win the Mavericks have won eight of their last nine games and improve their record to 13-4-0 overall, while the Tigers fall to 2-10-1.
Minnesota State's first goal of the game came at 16:36 of the first period as sophomore
Casey Nelson took a shot from the blue line and the rebound came straight out to junior
Bryce Gervais who buried it home past the glove of Princeton goaltender Colton Phinney for his team-leading 11th goal of the year. The goal also turned out to be the fourth game-winner of the season for the Battleford, Sask., native and the eighth of his career. At 18:49 of the opening frame, just three seconds after the Tigers killed off a penalty, senior defenseman
Zach Palmquist took a pass from sophomore
Zach Stepan and fired a shot from the blue line to put the Mavericks up 2-0 after the one period of play.
In the middle frame, it was junior
Dylan Margonari who found the scoring column, collecting his own rebound and scoring on a wrap-around try at 1:29 with freshman
Brad McClure and Stepan getting credited with the assists.
In the final period of play, Minnesota State increased its lead to 4-0 as freshman forward
C.J. Franklin scored from right in front at 10:01 with juniors
Brett Knowles and
Blake Thompson drawing helpers. Just a few minutes later, at 14:03, the Mavericks tallied their fifth goal of the game, this time from senior
Max Gaede who wired a shot from the slot that beat Phinney stickside for his first goal of the season.
Stepan tallied a career-high three assists and was +3 and now has posted six points in his last four games. Casey Nelson collected two assists and increases his point-scoring streak to six games during which he's collected 2-7--9. McClure's assist now gives him a four-game scoring streak. Thompson also tallied an assist to bring his point-scoring streak to three games.
The Mavericks went 0-3 on the power-play in the game, while the Tigers were 0-4 with the man advantage. The Mavericks outshot Princeton 36-15.
Cole Huggins stopped 15 shots en route to his first shutout of the season and his seventh career shutout which places him a four-way tie for the Minnesota State career record with
Stephon Williams (2012-SA) ,
Eric Pateman (1998-2002) and
Mike Zacharias (2005-09).
Minnesota State and Princeton are back at it tomorrow night at Verizon Wireless Center with a 7:07 p.m., face-off scheduled.
Mike Hastings commented following the win.
Max Gaede commented following the win
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