On Tap:  Fourth-rated Minnesota State (14-4-1 overall, 11-2-1 WCHA) resumes home action with a two-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association series this weekend at Verizon Wireless Center (4,832) in downtown Mankato. The Mavericks and Lake Superior State square-off Friday (7:07 p.m.) and Saturday (7:07 p.m.) CST.

Minnesota State Most Recently:  Minnesota State stands 14-4-1 overall (11-2-1 WCHA) after gaining a 4-1 win and a 2-2 overtime tie at Northern Michigan last weekend in opening the second half of the 2014-15 season.

Minnesota State enters the series with Lake Superior State having gone 9-1-1 in its last 11 games.

About Lake Superior State:  The Lakers, who venture to venture into the weekend with an 4-17-1 overall mark and are 3-11-0 WCHA, are coming off a tournament championship by downing Cornell (1-0 in a shootout) and Notre Dame (2-1) in Estero, Fla., at the Florida College Classic held Dec. 28-29.  LSSU is led offensively by junior forward Bryce Schmitt (6-6--12), senior forward Stephen Perfetto (5-3--8) and freshman defenseman James Roll (0-8--8). Freshman netminder Gordon Defiel (4-15-1, 3.46, .903) has started 19 of 20 games for Lake Superior State. Head coach Damon Whitten (Michigan State '87) is in his first year as a collegiate head coach.

Minnesota State is 4-0-0 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. MSU claimed a pair of league wins (7-0, 3-0) at LSSU at the end of November this year.

Both Ends of the Rink:   Minnesota State ranks third in the nation in goals (73) and goals per game (3.84). The Mavericks lead the country with the fewest shots on goal allowed per game (20.95), stands first in shot margin (+249) and shots on goal margin per game (+13.11). The Mavericks are seventh in shots on goal for per game (34.05).

Polling:  Minnesota State is rated fourth by USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine in the national polls.

Hats Off to Thee: Minnesota State has four players who have scored three times in a game this year.
 

• • Bryce Gervais vs. Bowling Green, Oct. 31, 2014
• • Teddy Blueger vs. Bemidji State, Nov. 8, 2014
• • Brett Knowles vs. Lake Superior State, Nov. 28, 2014
• • Dylan Margonari vs. Alaska, Dec. 6, 2014

The hat tricks are all the first of their collegiate careers and the four team hat tricks are the most by Minnesota State since the 1998-99 campaign when forwards Aaron Fox (with four) and Peter Holoein (with one) combined for five.  The school record for team hat tricks in a season is ten (1978-79).